A 1 SD increase in resting heart rate (8.8 bpm) assessed by a wearable device was strongly associated with thyrotoxicosis (OR 5.134; 95% CI 2.192-12.025; p<0.001) in patients with Graves' disease.
Cohort (n=30)
Yes
Is continuously monitored resting heart rate associated with thyroid function tests in patients with Graves' disease on antithyroid drug treatment?
Resting heart rate assessed by a wearable device is strongly associated with thyroid hormone levels in patients with Graves' disease, suggesting its potential utility for monitoring disease activity.
Odds Ratio: 5.134 (95% CI 2.192–12.025)
p-value: p=<0.001
Objective: Increased resting heart rate (RHR) is a typical sign of thyrotoxicosis. RHR may therefore serve as a monitoring tool, but longitudinal data on continuous measures of RHR and thyroid hormones are sparse. We evaluated the association between continuously monitored RHR and thyroid function tests in Graves` disease (GD). Design: This is a double-centre, prospective, longitudinal cohort study in 30 patients with GD on antithyroid drug treatment. Participants were followed up with monthly study visits over 6 months at two hospitals in Graz, Austria. Methods: Free thyroxine (fT4) and free triiodothyronine (fT3) were measured at each study visit. Participants were encouraged to continuously wear a wristband activity tracker (Fitbit Charge 6) to assess RHR. Associations of RHR (mean value over 10 days) with thyroid hormones were determined by generalized estimating equation (GEE) analyses. Results: From September 2024 to November 2025, we enrolled 30 participants (24 women, mean (SD) age of 40.7 (14.6) years) and performed 176 study visits. Thyrotoxicosis was present in 24 participants (80%) at baseline. One SD increase in RHR of 8.8 beats per minute was associated with fT4 (beta = 0.856, 95% CI: 0.641-1.071, p<0.001), fT3 (beta = 0.836, 95% CI: 0.620-1.051, p<0.001), and thyrotoxicosis (odds ratio: 5.134, 95% CI: 2.192-12.025, p< 0.001), respectively. Conclusions: RHR assessed by a wearable device is strongly associated with thyroid hormones in GD. Further trials are required to evaluate whether RHR is useful to guide timing of thyroid function tests during antithyroid drug treatment and for GD diagnostics.
Egger et al. (Mon,) conducted a cohort in Graves' disease (n=30). Resting heart rate (RHR) was evaluated on Thyrotoxicosis (OR 5.134, 95% CI 2.192-12.025, p=<0.001). A 1 SD increase in resting heart rate (8.8 bpm) assessed by a wearable device was strongly associated with thyrotoxicosis (OR 5.134; 95% CI 2.192-12.025; p<0.001) in patients with Graves' disease.