Abstract
Introduction: detection and quantification of dynamic hyperinflation (DH) in COPD patients in real-life is an intriguing issue, but hard to perform. This study assessed a smart shirt, capable of measuring breathing parameters, as a new diagnostic tool compared to standard lung function equipment.
Methods: 31 healthy controls and 11 COPD patients performed basic spirometry, metronome-paced tachypnea (MPT) and an exercise test (either a six-minute-walk or a cardio-pulmonary exercise test (CPET)) wearing the smart shirt (Hexoskin, Carré Technologies, Montréal, Canada) and breathing through a sensor measuring flow. Breathing waveforms produced by the shirt were compared with mobile spirometry (Oxycon Mobile, Care Fusion, San Diego, USA) for its ability to register breathing (e.g. FEV1, IVC and breathing frequency) and detect DH.
Results: Moderate-high correlations between the two devices were observed during basic spirometry (median Spearman’s rho for FEV1 (0.81), IVC (0.90) and frequency (0.95)) and during the longer MPT and exercise measurements (range 0.80 - 0.95). The agreement between the shirt and the mobile spirometry with respect to the detection of DH was poor to fair (kappa 0.2-0.3). The smart shirt detected DH more often than the spirometer.
Conclusion: the smart shirt is capable of registering breathing patterns and alterations in breathing over time and DH can be detected. Several disturbing factors (such as movement, skin temperature and smart shirt sizing) need to be addressed to improve the detection algorithm.
Disclosure: the authors declare no conflict of interest with any company whose equipment has been used.
- Copyright ©the authors 2017
