The Beneficial Role of Vital Sign Monitoring in Management of COVID-19 and Beyond
[By Xin He, Chief Medical Officer, Norbert Health]
Vital signs (i.e. temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation) are the initial assessments of a person’s overall state of health and can serve as the first indication of acute or chronic medical conditions. Therefore, monitoring of vital signs can be an important tool to alert patients and providers to early development of disease conditions and prevent further deterioration.
Take the current COVID-19 pandemic, for example. Two studies have shown the benefits of monitoring vital signs in both the hospital and home setting.
Vital Signs as an Indicator of Disease Progression
In one retrospective study, wireless monitors were connected to patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in the Netherlands. Vital signs were measured continuously and monitored remotely in 34 patients initially admitted to the hospital wards. Half of the patients eventually experienced an adverse outcome, defined as transfer to the intensive care unit or death. On review of medical charts, wireless monitors showed statistically significant abnormalities in vital signs, notably elevated heart rate and respiratory rate with decreased oxygen saturation, just prior to the occurrence of adverse events. This suggests the potential for vital sign monitoring to help predict early deterioration in hospitalized patients with COVID-19.
Another retrospective study in South Africa assessed the outcomes of patients with COVID-19 who monitored their vital signs at home versus those who did not. More than 38,000 patients who were at high risk of requiring hospitalization for COVID-19 (who had conditions such as diabetes mellitus, heart disease, lung disease, etc.) were included. Approximately 8,000 patients were provided an oximeter (device that measures oxygen saturation level) and were provided guidance to monitor their oxygen levels at home twice a day over a 2-week period. If their oxygen levels decreased below normal range or decreased rapidly over 2 readings, they were instructed to contact their medical provider. The study found that patients who monitored their oxygen levels had roughly half the mortality rate compared to those who did not monitor their oxygen levels, which may have been due to patients presenting to medical facilities earlier.
Why Frequent Monitoring is Important
These studies demonstrate the importance of monitoring vital signs and the potential for devices to help detect and prevent disease progression in acute conditions such as COVID-19. Abnormal vital signs have also been shown to help predict exacerbations of chronic conditions, such as in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Management of other pulmonary, cardiac, and infectious conditions associated with abnormal vital signs could potentially also benefit from monitoring vital signs.
At Norbert Health, we understand the value of contactless monitoring — offering peace of mind both in medical facilities and at home. Our vital sign sensors can detect heart rate, temperature, SpO2, and respiration rate from up to 5 feet away. Through our easy-to-use platform, we can help alert patients and providers to early changes in health status, with potential applications in COVID-19 infections and other pulmonary and cardiac conditions. More patients can recover in the comfort of their own homes, which can help free up valuable emergency room and hospital resources — an important advantage given the unpredictable surges of COVID-19 cases.
[1] de Ree, et al. Continuous monitoring in COVID-19 care: a retrospective study in time of crisis, JAMIA Open. 2021; 4(2). https://doi.org/10.1093/jamiaopen/ooab030
[2] Nematswerani, et al. The Impact of Routine Pulse Oximetry Use on Outcomes in COVID-19-Infected Patients at Increased Risk of Severe Disease: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis. S Afr Med J 2021;111(10):950–956. https://doi.org/10.7196/SAMJ.2021.v111i10.15880
[3] Shah S, et al. Exacerbations in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Identification and Prediction Using a Digital Health System. J Med Internet Res 2017;19(3):e69. DOI: 10.2196/jmir.7207
