Key result
Wearable HRV monitoring fails to distinguish disease activity or fatigue severity in ulcerative colitis.
Why the study?
Heart rate variability can detect onset of inflammation in ulcerative colitis, but the ability of a novel wearable vital signs patch to assess disease activity and fatigue severity had not been explored.
Does heart rate variability measured by a wearable patch correlate with disease activity and fatigue severity in patients with ulcerative colitis?
Cross-Sectional (n=24)
Does heart rate variability measured by a wearable patch correlate with disease activity and fatigue severity in patients with ulcerative colitis?
A wearable patch measuring HRV over 72 hours did not distinguish between active and quiescent ulcerative colitis or detect fatigue severity, though some HRV metrics correlated with biochemical inflammation markers.
Does not support wearable HRV for UC activity or fatigue assessment; hypothesis-generating and requires prospective validation.
BACKGROUND: Heart rate variability (HRV) can detect the onset of inflammation in ulcerative colitis (UC), a condition in which fatigue is an often-overlooked symptom that significantly affects patients' quality of life. Here, the capability of a novel validated wearable vital signs patch measuring HRV to assess disease activity and fatigue severity was explored in UC patients. STUDY: In a cross-sectional pilot study, HRV was remotely monitored for 72 hours using a noninvasive wearable device in patients with active and quiescent UC. Associations were explored between 2 time-domain, 3 frequency-domain, and 2 nonlinear HRV metrics and fatigue [multidimensional fatigue inventory (MFI)], anxiety and depression [hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS)], quality of life (SF-12), clinical symptoms [simple clinical colitis activity index (SCCAI)], and biochemical disease activity [fecal calprotectin (Fcal), C-reactive protein (CRP), hemoglobin, HNP1-3 and S100A8/A9]. RESULTS: A total of 24 patients were included, of which 18 (75%) reported fatigue (MFI ≥60). No significant differences in HRV metrics were observed between clinically active and quiescent UC or between more and less fatigued UC patients. Two HRV metrics were associated with biochemical disease activity and all HRV metrics were significantly influenced by age, sex, and antidepressant use. There was a strong correlation between fatigue and depression. CONCLUSIONS: Although the wearable vital signs patch could not distinguish between active and quiescent UC or detect fatigue severity based on HRV differences, associations were found between HRV and biochemical markers of inflammation, underscoring the need for further research using larger patient cohorts.
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Metselaar et al. (2025) conducted a cross-sectional in Ulcerative colitis (n=24). Wearable vital signs patch measuring heart rate variability (HRV) vs. Quiescent ulcerative colitis was evaluated on Differences in HRV metrics between clinically active and quiescent UC, and between more and less fatigued UC patients. Heart rate variability monitoring using a wearable patch in 24 ulcerative colitis patients (75% reporting fatigue) could not distinguish between active and quiescent disease or fatigue severity.
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