Abstract
ObjectiveThe use of activity and sleep trackers that operate through dedicated smartphone applications has become popular in the general population. However, the validity of the data they provide has been disappointing and only Total Sleep Time (TST) is reliably recorded in healthy individuals for any of the devices tested. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of two sleep trackers (Withings pulse 02 (W) and Jawbone Up (U)) to measure sleep parameters in patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).MethodsAll patients evaluated for OSA in our sleep laboratory underwent overnight polysomnography (PSG). PSG was conducted simultaneously with three other devices: two consumer-level sleep monitors (U and W) and one actigraph (Bodymedia SenseWear Pro Armband (SWA)).ResultsOf 36 patients evaluated, 22 (17 men) were diagnosed with OSA (mean apnea-hypopnea index of 37+ 23/h). Single comparisons of sleep trackers (U and W) and actigraph (SWA) were performed. Compared to PSG, SWA correctly assessed TST and Wake After Sleep Onset (WASO), and U and W correctly assessed Time In Bed (TIB) and light sleep. Intraclass correlations (ICC) revealed poor validity for all parameters and devices, except for WASO assessed by SWA.ConclusionsThis is the first study assessing the validity of sleep trackers in OSA patients. In this series, we have confirmed the limited performance of wearable sleep monitors that has been previously observed in healthy subjects. In OSA patients, wearable app-based health technologies provide a good estimation of TIB and light sleep but with very poor ICC.
Highlights
The use of activity and sleep trackers has become very popular in the general population
Intraclass correlations (ICC) revealed poor validity for all parameters and devices, except for Wake After Sleep Onset (WASO) assessed by Bodymedia SenseWear Pro Armband (SWA)
This is the first study assessing the validity of sleep trackers in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients
Summary
The use of activity and sleep trackers has become very popular in the general population. Different devices are available that work with dedicated smartphone applications [1] These applications are focused on activity and sleep and allow individuals to monitor their general health [2]. They could potentially be used to reinforce patient empowerment during treatment for sleep disorders. Mantua et al [7] compared four trackers, including Basis Health Tracker, Misfit Shine, Fitbit flex, and Withings, to Actiwatch spectrum and PSG in 40 patients. Their analysis found that the only parameter that was reliably measured for all devices was TST. SE measures were not correlated with PSG, confirming the very limited accuracy of these devices
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