A study published in Pulmonary Circulation on April 16, 2025 investigated whether Fitbit wearable devices can provide meaningful clinical information about activity and sleep patterns in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients. A total of 110 participants completed the 12-week baseline monitoring period. The cohort was median age 52.7 years (IQR: 40.9–60.5), female predominant (84% female), and majority WHO Functional Class II. The most common PAH etiology was idiopathic (60%)
The authors say this is the first study to describe the interrelated nature of sleep and activity behaviors in pulmonary arterial hypertension. The association between activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep suggests that interventions to improve one health behavior may positively impact the other health behaviors as well. Future studies are warranted to determine whether real-time, continuous monitoring of activity and sleep can detect a “digital prodrome” of functional decline that could improve outcomes by triggering medical contact. This is conceptually similar to CardioMEMS devices that detect and act on increases in filling pressure.
Read more at this link on the Wiley Online Library.
Citation
Hughes AM, Lindsey A, Annis J, Burke K, Master H, Silverman-Lloyd LG, Garry JD, Blaha MJ, Berman Rosenzweig ES, Frantz RP, Hassoun PM, Horn EM, Leopold JA, Rischard FP, Larive B, Hill NS, Erzurum SC, Beck GJ, Hemnes AR, Brittain EL. Physical Activity, Sleep, and Quality of Life in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Novel Insights From Wearable Devices. Pulm Circ. 2025 Apr 16;15(2):e70069. doi: 10.1002/pul2.70069. PMID: 40248215; PMCID: PMC12003557.
