Time-Dependent ECG-AI Prediction of Fatal Coronary Heart Disease: A Retrospective Study.

: Fatal coronary heart disease (FCHD) affects ~650,000 people yearly in the US. Electrocardiographic artificial intelligence (ECG-AI) models can predict adverse coronary events, yet their application to FCHD is understudied. : The study aimed to develop ECG-AI models predicting FCHD risk from ECGs.

Multiclass arrhythmia classification using multimodal smartwatch photoplethysmography signals collected in real-life settings.

In the early stages of atrial fibrillation (AF), most cases are paroxysmal (pAF), making identification only possible with continuous and prolonged monitoring. With the advent of wearables, smartwatches equipped with photoplethysmographic (PPG) sensors are an ideal approach for continuous monitoring of pAF. There have been numerous studies demonstrating successful capture of pAF events, especially using deep learning.

Relationship Between Acute Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Viral Clearance and Long Coronavirus 2019 (Long COVID) Symptoms: A Cohort Study.

Background: The relationship between severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) viral dynamics during acute infection and the development of long coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), or "long COVID," is largely unknown.

Methods: Between October 2021 and February 2022, 7361 people not known to have COVID-19 self-collected nasal swab samples for SARS-CoV-2 reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction testing every 24-48 hours for 10-14 days. Participants whose first known SARS-CoV-2 infection was detected were surveyed for long COVID in August 2023.

Healthy at Home for COPD: An Integrated Digital Monitoring, Treatment, and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Intervention.

Background: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Frequent exacerbations result in higher use of emergency services and hospitalizations, leading to poor patient outcomes and high costs.

Objective: Demonstrate the feasibility of a multimodal, digitally enhanced remote monitoring, treatment, and tele-pulmonary rehabilitation intervention among patients with COPD.

Design, creation, and use of the Test Us Bank (TUB) COVID-19 sample biorepository.

Shortly after the first case of SARS-CoV-2 was diagnosed a public health emergency (PHE) was declared and a multi-agency response was initiated within the US federal government to create and propagate testing capacity. As part of this response, an unprecedented program designated Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) Tech was established by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to facilitate the development of point-of-care tests for the COVID-19. The RADx Tech Clinical Studies Core (CSC), located at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School (UMass Chan), with partnering academic, private, and non-governmental organizations around the country, was tasked with developing clinical studies to support this work.

Income in Relation to Psychosocial Factors Among Stroke Survivors using Smartwatches for Atrial Fibrillation Monitoring.

Background: Timely detection of atrial fibrillation (AF) is critical for stroke prevention. Smartwatches are FDA-approved devices that can now aide in this detection.

Objective: Investigate how socioeconomic status is associated with self-reported psychosocial outcomes, including anxiety, patient activation, and health-related quality of life in stroke survivors using smartwatch for AF detection.

Efficacy of a Multimodal Digital Behavior Change Intervention on Lifestyle Behavior, Cardiometabolic Biomarkers, and Medical Expenditure: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends providers offer individualized healthy behavior interventions for all adults, independent of their risk of cardiovascular disease. While strong evidence exists to support disease-specific programs designed to improve multiple lifestyle behaviors, approaches to adapting these interventions for a broader population are not well established. Digital behavior change interventions (DBCIs) hold promise as a more generalizable and scalable approach to overcome the resource and time limitations that traditional behavioral intervention programs face, especially within an occupational setting.

Digital Health Tools and Behavioral Strategies to Increase Engagement With Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support: Design and Feasibility of DM-BOOST.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to describe the development and feasibility of implementing the DM-BOOST program in support of an established diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) program.

Methods: A patient panel of 4 adults with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) codesigned DM-BOOST. DM-BOOST is a patient-focused program that includes peer-written text messages about diabetes self-management behaviors and digital health training to improve patient portal use and initiate goal setting prior to a scheduled DSMES appointment.

PERfect Day: reversible and dose-dependent control of circadian time-keeping in the mouse suprachiasmatic nucleus by translational switching of PERIOD2 protein expression.

The biological clock of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) orchestrates circadian (approximately daily) rhythms of behaviour and physiology that underpin health. SCN cell-autonomous time-keeping revolves around a transcriptional/translational feedback loop (TTFL) within which PERIOD (PER1,2) and CRYPTOCHROME (CRY1,2) proteins heterodimerise and suppress trans-activation of their encoding genes (Per1,2; Cry1,2). To explore its contribution to SCN time-keeping, we used adeno-associated virus-mediated translational switching to express PER2 (tsPER2) in organotypic SCN slices carrying bioluminescent TTFL circadian reporters.

Barriers and facilitators to home blood pressure monitoring in women with pregnancies complicated by hypertensive disorders: a qualitative study.

Background/objective: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are a major cause of maternal morbidity and mortality in the US. Improved diagnosis and treatment of HDP may be achieved through home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM). However, there are challenges to effective HBPM during pregnancy.

Effect of Screening for Undiagnosed Atrial Fibrillation on Stroke Prevention.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) often remains undiagnosed, and it independently raises the risk of ischemic stroke, which is largely reversible by oral anticoagulation. Although randomized trials using longer term screening approaches increase identification of AF, no studies have established that AF screening lowers stroke rates.

Objectives: To address this knowledge gap, the GUARD-AF (Reducing Stroke by Screening for Undiagnosed Atrial Fibrillation in Elderly Individuals) trial screened participants in primary care practices using a 14-day continuous electrocardiographic monitor to determine whether screening for AF coupled with physician/patient decision-making to use oral anticoagulation reduces stroke and provides a net clinical benefit compared with usual care.

A Clinician and Electronic Health Record Wearable Device Intervention to Increase Physical Activity in Patients With Obesity: Formative Qualitative Study.

Background: The number of individuals using digital health devices has grown in recent years. A higher rate of use in patients suggests that primary care providers (PCPs) may be able to leverage these tools to effectively guide and monitor physical activity (PA) for their patients. Despite evidence that remote patient monitoring (RPM) may enhance obesity interventions, few primary care practices have implemented programs that use commercial digital health tools to promote health or reduce complications of the disease.

Implementing virtual desktops for clinical research at an academic health center: a case report.

Objectives: To address the challenges of sharing clinical research data through the implementation of cloud-based virtual desktops, enhancing collaboration among researchers while maintaining data security.

Materials And Methods: This case study details the deployment of virtual desktops at UMass Chan Medical School (UMass Chan). The process involved forming a Research Informatics Steering Executive workgroup, identifying key requirements, implementing Amazon WorkSpaces, and establishing configurable data management for research support.

Advancing Point-of-Care Testing by Application of Machine Learning Techniques and Artificial Intelligence.

The promise of artificial intelligence has generated enthusiasm among patients, health care professionals, and technology developers who seek to leverage its potential to enhance the diagnosis and management of an increasing number of chronic and acute conditions. Point-of-care testing increases access to care because it enables care outside of traditional medical settings. Collaboration among developers, clinicians, and end users is an effective best practice for solving clinical problems.

Agreement Between Apple Watch and Actical Step Counts in a Community Setting: Cross-Sectional Investigation From the Framingham Heart Study.

Background: Step counting is comparable among many research-grade and consumer-grade accelerometers in laboratory settings.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the agreement between Actical and Apple Watch step-counting in a community setting.

Methods: Among Third Generation Framingham Heart Study participants (N=3486), we examined the agreement of step-counting between those who wore a consumer-grade accelerometer (Apple Watch Series 0) and a research-grade accelerometer (Actical) on the same days.

Paramedic-Assisted Community Evaluation After Discharge: The PACED Intervention.

Objectives: Early rehospitalization of frail older adults after hospital discharge is harmful to patients and challenging to hospitals. Mobile integrated health (MIH) programs may be an effective solution for delivering community-based transitional care. The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility and implementation of an MIH transitional care program.

Relationship between acute SARS-CoV-2 viral clearance with Long COVID Symptoms: a cohort study.

Introduction: The relationship between SARS-CoV-2 viral dynamics during acute infection and the development of long COVID is largely unknown.

Methods: A total of 7361 asymptomatic community-dwelling people enrolled in the Test Us at Home parent study between October 2021 and February 2022. Participants self-collected anterior nasal swabs for SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR testing every 24-48 hours for 10-14 days, regardless of symptom or infection status.

Association between deep neural network-derived electrocardiographic-age and incident stroke.

Background: Stroke continues to be a leading cause of death and disability worldwide despite improvements in prevention and treatment. Traditional stroke risk calculators are biased and imprecise. Novel stroke predictors need to be identified.

Feasibility of remote monitoring for fatal coronary heart disease using Apple Watch ECGs.

Background: Fatal coronary heart disease (FCHD) is often described as sudden cardiac death (affects >4 million people/year), where coronary artery disease is the only identified condition. Electrocardiographic artificial intelligence (ECG-AI) models for FCHD risk prediction using ECG data from wearable devices could enable wider screening/monitoring efforts.

Objectives: To develop a single-lead ECG-based deep learning model for FCHD risk prediction and assess concordance between clinical and Apple Watch ECGs.

Point-of-care testing preferences 2020-2022: Trends over the years.

Background: The use of point-of-care (POC) tests prior to the COVID-19 pandemic was relatively infrequent outside of the health care context. Little is known about how public opinions regarding POC tests have changed during the pandemic.

Methods: We redeployed a validated survey to uncompensated volunteers to assess preferences for point-of-care testing (POCT) benefits and concerns between June and September 2022.

Performance of Single-Lead Handheld Electrocardiograms for Atrial Fibrillation Screening in Primary Care: The VITAL-AF Trial.

Background: Handheld single-lead electrocardiographic (1L ECG) devices are increasingly used for atrial fibrillation (AF) screening, but their real-world performance is not well understood.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to quantify the diagnostic test characteristics of 1L ECG automated interpretations for prospective AF screening.

Methods: We calculated the diagnostic test characteristics of the AliveCor KardiaMobile 1L ECG (AliveCor, US) algorithm using unblinded cardiologist overread as the gold standard using single 30s tracings administered by medical assistants among individuals aged ≥65 years participating in the VITAL-AF trial (NCT03515057) of population-based AF screening embedded within routine primary care.