Resource Use and Clinical Outcomes in Infants with Supraventricular Tachycardia Monitored with the Owlet Smart Sock

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Cardiology
• Medical Devices

Background:

• Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is a common cause of infant hospitalization.
• Monitoring infants with SVT is crucial for timely intervention.
• The Owlet Smart Sock (OSS) is a wearable device for monitoring infant vital signs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of OSS use in infants diagnosed with SVT.
• To identify demographic and clinical characteristics of OSS users.
• To analyze the impact of OSS use on medical resource utilization and clinical outcomes during emergency department (ED) encounters for SVT.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study of infants with confirmed SVT from 2015 to 2022.
• Comparison of clinical and demographic parameters between OSS users and nonusers.
• Analysis of medical resource use (phone calls, office visits, ED visits) and clinical outcomes (intensive care, length of stay, echocardiographic function).

Main Results:

• OSS was used by 23% of infants with SVT; 16% were purchased before diagnosis.
• No demographic differences were observed between OSS users and nonusers.
• OSS users had more phone calls (P=.002) and ED visits (P=.03) but similar office visits and medication adjustments. During ED presentation, OSS users showed better preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (P=.04) and a shorter mean hospital stay (1.7 days, P=.02).

Conclusions:

• Owlet Smart Sock is utilized by a subset of infants experiencing SVT.
• OSS use correlates with increased healthcare system touchpoints like phone calls and ED visits.
• Despite increased utilization, OSS is associated with improved clinical outcomes, including reduced hospital length of stay and better cardiac function upon presentation.