SENSOR
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Evaluating the FeaSibility of Using a WEarable TechNology for Acquisition of Physiological Signals to Allow Future Development of Research Methods in Chronic Obstructive PulmonaRy Disease.
IRAS ID
258629
Contact name
Pallav Shah
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Chelsea Westminster Hospital
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 11 months, 28 days
Research summary
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterised by persistent respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation due to small airways obstruction and emphysematous destruction. Transthoracic auscultation of respiratory sounds is widely employed by healthcare professionals and is routinely performed when evaluating a patient with COPD. Whilst simple and non-invasive, the traditional assessment is subjective and dependent on a practitioner’s auditory system and interpretive experience.
Currently there are no portable physiological sound acquisition devices that are reliable for long term use in low clinical intensity or domestic environments, with existing technologies limited by size, weight and complexity of use. The wearable electronic respiratory device (WERD) was developed by Imperial College London to overcome these constraints and enable easy signal acquisition to allow computerised respiratory sound (CRS) analysis research to be performed in any setting. Utilising wireless technology, the small and lightweight device adheres to the external anterior surface of the throat and provides accurate real-time recording of breath sounds.
This feasibility study will investigate whether the COPD WERD recorder can effectively be used by COPD patients to continuously record signals, which can then be subsequently used as a starting point to carry out future signal processing research on new CRS analysis methods specific to COPD.
Studying a sub-group of patients with COPD that are being treated for acute exacerbation will allow us to acquire a range of wider range of respiratory signals through the different stages of recovery. Any user feedback relating to the comfort or wearability of the WERD recorder will be incorporated into a refined design.
This is a non-commercial, prospective, observational study evaluating the capability of the WERD recorder to identify respiratory audio signals in patients with COPD. We propose to approach, 24 subjects with COPD; 10 age-matched controls; 12 patients with COPD suffering acute exacerbation, in 2 years.
REC name
London - Riverside Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/LO/0279
Date of REC Opinion
15 Mar 2019
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion