Orthostatic hypotension (OH), a drop in blood pressure (BP) upon standing, affects nearly 1 in 3 older adults and increases the risk of falls by 2.5X. As a result, major medical organizations recommend monitoring orthostatic vital signs (OVS) in individuals experiencing symptoms of OH. Despite the clinical need, current OVS screening technologies remain limited.

The consensus definition of OH is a drop in systolic BP of at least 20 mm Hg within 3 minutes of standing, measured by a BP cuff. This method fails to capture the complex responses (increased heart rate, cardiac output, vasoconstriction) that occur immediately upon standing. Thus, it may miss conditions such as initial orthostatic hypotension (IOH) and delayed BP recovery. Furthermore, OH has diurnal variation due to bedrest, meals, and hydration state; thus, infrequent ‘snapshots’ may miss warning signs or key trends.

This project will evaluate TRACE, a novel wearable sensor for monitoring OVS continuously at home, whenever an individual stands up. Our long-term goal is to enable physicians to perform remote monitoring of OVS. The objective of this project is to gather pre-clinical data that validates the efficacy of TRACE in a home-like setting. Evaluations will be performed at the UMass Amherst Center for Human Health and Performance (CH2P), a home-like setting designed to validate patient monitoring devices. TRACE OVS signals and extracted metrics will be compared to industry standard BP cuffs, ECG, and pulse oximeters.

If successful, TRACE could enable a new paradigm in OH management that assesses how symptoms change over timescales of hours to weeks. Understanding such trends would enable clinicians to guide personalized, evidence-based interventions to reduce fall risk and other co-morbidities.

Outcomes:

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  Poster Presentation: a2 National Symposium 2024March 20, 2024
  Title: Validating an AI-enhanced remote patient monitoring platform for orthostatic vital signs Authors: Amar Basu & Michael Busa
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  Award: Winner of Poster Pitch Competition at 2024 a2 SymposiumMarch 20, 2024
  Source: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/amarbasu_remotepatientmonitoring-agetech-wearables-activity-7178610115787304960-7aWy?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
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  New Product Version Launch: TRACE sensorFebruary 12, 2024
  TRACE Biometrics has developed a 2nd generation TRACE sensor, a cross platform app for data collection, and designed a compact charger for TRACE. The new devices are 40% smaller than Gen 1, have improved signal processing, better wireless transmission, and are more configurable.
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  Company Launch: Trace BiometricsFebruary 12, 2024
  About TRACE Biometrics was formed to commercialize their wearable OVS Platform. TRACE Biometrics provides a remote patient monitoring solution that empowers clinicians and caregivers to better manage orthostatic hypotension, a condition that affects 1 in 3 older adults and poses a significant risk for fall-related injuries. Their patented wearable device… Read more: Company Launch: Trace Biometrics