Wearables – iThermonitor Project

In this entry to the “Wearables in Healthcare Challenge“, I propose a pilot project to use the Raiing iThermonitor to better understand body temperature patterns in patients with an inability to effectively regulate their body temperature, a form of dysautonomia.  In an earlier #Research entry I describe the personal and scientific inspirations for this project.

According to Mobihealthnews the Raiing device completed FDA clearance in 2012. Data generated by the device can be accessed directly by an iPhone App.

This project offers a number of interesting scientific questions that will be informative for both dysautonomia and wearable devices research.  For example:

• Compared to unaffected participants, how much daily variability in external body temperature do persons with dysautonomia experience?
• Which health status observations (congestion, sinus pressure, sore throat) correlate with changes in body temperature for persons with dysautonomia?
• What data elements will contribute to a model that can calculate a “personal normal” temperature for persons with impaired ability to manage body temperature?

If my entry wins the Raiing iThermonitor Prize, I would develop a formal protocol for review by our IRB(s).  I would want to gain feedback from Raiing and additional stakeholders before describing the details of the protocol, but in general I would identify a cohort of pediatric participants with temperature regulation dysautonomia.  An unaffected group would also be assessed.  These children or youth would receive a iThermonitor.  The device would generate a real time (up to 72 hour continuous) data stream of external temperature measurements.  The parents of the participants would populate a REDCap survey describing the health status of the child each day.  The temperature data would be merged with the health status data to develop an improved model for “normal” body temperature in patients with dysautonomia.  Results from this pilot would then be used to develop a broader study.

Please consider voting for this project.

This concept is also closely related to my other entry about using wearable heating and cooling bracelet to bring comfort to individuals with dysautonomia.  Voting requires a simple registration with Medstro, a new social network focused on health care.  The winners from each of seven categories are determined by a combination of public voting and judges scores.

Disclosures:

• I have no financial interest in Raiing or Medstro.
• If chosen for the Grand Prize, I would direct the funds through the charitable arms of UMKC and Children’s Mercy to assist with costs (personnel, data capture, recruitment) associated with the pilot.