Continuous SpO₂ Monitoring Using Reflectance Pulse Oximetry at the Wrist and Upper Arm During Overnight Sleep Apnea...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Sleep Medicine
• Cardiovascular Research

Background:

• Sleep apnea (SA) is a serious condition linked to cardiovascular disease.
• Diagnosis typically relies on in-hospital polysomnography (PSG).
• Continuous SpO₂ monitoring is crucial for SA detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the accuracy and utility of wearable reflectance pulse oximetry for SpO₂ monitoring during sleep.
• To compare SpO₂ measurement performance between upper arm and wrist placements.
• To assess the feasibility of using wearables for SA screening.

Main Methods:

• Analyzed data from 134 patients with suspected SA undergoing PSG.
• Used a wearable device to continuously measure SpO₂ at the upper arm and wrist.
• Compared wearable SpO₂ data against PSG standards, calculating accuracy (RMSE) and data rejection rates.

Main Results:

• Wearable SpO₂ measurements met standard requirements at both locations.
• Upper arm placement demonstrated higher accuracy (1.9% RMSE) than wrist (3.2% RMSE).
• Upper arm placement had significantly lower data rejection rates (3.1%) compared to the wrist (30.4%).

Conclusions:

• Wearable devices are feasible for unobtrusive, continuous SpO₂ monitoring in patients with suspected SA.
• The upper arm is a more reliable measurement site for wearable SpO₂ monitoring.
• This technology can support remote and convenient SA diagnosis.