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A novel minimal-contact biomotion method for long-term respiratory rate monitoring

  • Sleep Breathing Physiology and Disorders • Original Article
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

In this study, we assessed the diagnostic accuracy of the device VitaLog (SWG Sportwerk GmbH & Co. KG, Dortmund, Germany) for estimation of respiratory rate (RR) variability.

Methods

VitaLog is a minimal-contact biomotion device that is placed under the mattress topper. It senses respiratory effort and body movement using a piezoelectric sensor. Diagnostic accuracy was determined in 103 patients referred to our sleep laboratory for suspected sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). SDB was defined by AHI ≥ 15/h. Results provided by VitaLog were compared with nasal flow measurement obtained by polysomnography (PSG).

Results

Diagnostic accuracy of VitaLog was excellent. We obtained a correlation of r = 0.99 and a bias of 0.2 cycles per minute (cpm) between VitaLog and PSG-provided nasal flow. Detection RR variability worked nearly identically in patients with and without SDB.

Conclusion

VitaLog is an appropriate method for determination of RR variability based on a minimal-contact biomotion sensor. This device is easy to handle, available at low cost, and suitable for long-term monitoring in the hospital or at home.

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Abbreviations

AHI:

Apnea-hypopnea index

BMI:

Body mass index

cpm:

Cycles per minute

CHD:

Coronary heart disease

COPD:

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

HR:

Heart rate

PSG:

Polysomnography

RR:

Respiratory rate

SE:

Sleep efficiency

TST:

Total sleep time

Hz:

Hertz

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pneumology, University Medicine Essen - Ruhrlandklinik, West German Lung Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Duisburg, Germany

    Sarah Dietz-Terjung, Carolin-Maria Linker, Matthias Welsner, Christoph Schöbel, Christian Taube & Gerhard Weinreich

  2. Faculty of Sleep and Telemedicine, University Medicine Essen - Ruhrlandklinik, West German Lung Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Duisburg, Germany

    Sarah Dietz-Terjung & Christoph Schöbel

  3. Information Processing Lab, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Engineering, Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany

    Sarah Dietz-Terjung, Carolin-Maria Linker & Jürgen Götze

  4. SWG Sportwerk GmbH & Co. KG, Dortmund, Germany

    Jan Geldmacher & Sebastian Brato

Authors
  1. Sarah Dietz-Terjung
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  2. Jan Geldmacher
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  3. Sebastian Brato
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  4. Carolin-Maria Linker
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  5. Matthias Welsner
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  6. Christoph Schöbel
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  7. Christian Taube
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  8. Jürgen Götze
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  9. Gerhard Weinreich
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sarah Dietz-Terjung.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

Jan Geldmacher and Sebastian Brato are founders of the start-up Sportwerk GmbH und Co. Prof. Jürgen Götze is co-founder of the start-up Sportwerk GmbH und Co. Caroline M. Linker, Gerhard Weinreich, Matthias Welsner, Christoph Schöbel, Christian Taube and Sarah Dietz-Terjung state that there is no conflict of interest.

Ethical statement

The Ethics Commission Duisburg-Essen has approved this study under the number 16-6217-BO. All included patients have received patient information and signed a consent form.

Additional information

Comments

The work demonstrates the technical capabilities of a novel measurement system. Future works should optimize usage strategies of such systems to yield the highest possible benefit for patients.

Sebastian Zaunseder

Dortmund,Germany

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Dietz-Terjung, S., Geldmacher, J., Brato, S. et al. A novel minimal-contact biomotion method for long-term respiratory rate monitoring. Sleep Breath 25, 145–149 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-020-02067-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-020-02067-4

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