Objectifying the Subjective: The Use of Heart Rate Variability as a Psychosocial Symptom Biomarker in Hospice and Palliative Care Research

The use of wearable sensor technology to enhance supportive care in hospitalized palliative patients (Support trial): a prospective preliminary pilot study

BACKGROUND

Continuous monitoring of vital parameters using wearable devices offers potential benefits in palliative care, such as early detection of clinical deterioration and improving symptom management. However, evidence supporting their feasibility and utility in hospitalized palliative care patients remains scarce.

METHODS

This prospective pilot study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of continuous vital sign monitoring in hospitalized palliative care patients using wrist-worn and chest-wall devices. The study was conducted from October 2023 to November 2024 and included hospitalized patients at a university hospital. Eligible participants were required to provide written informed consent. Patients were monitored for up to 30 days or until discharge or death. Data acquisition focused on the quantity and quality of recorded parameters, including heart rate, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation, as well as advanced hemodynamic variables. Challenges in recruitment, device performance, and data reliability were assessed.

RESULTS

A total of 275 patients were screened, with 263 excluded for not meeting eligibility criteria. Of the nine patients who provided written informed consent, two withdrew consent before study interventions, leaving seven participants. Among these, one patient completed the maximum study duration, three were discharged to outpatient care, and three died during hospitalization. Wrist-worn devices yielded valid data for 61.5% of the monitored time (median: 57.6%; range: 20.1-78.3%), while chest-wall devices achieved 55.2% (median: 62.3%; range: 3.6-100%). Heart rate and respiratory rate showed excellent reliability (> 99% data availability), whereas oxygen saturation exhibited poor performance (45.1%). The interval between the last recorded device measurement and time of death ranged from 0 to 25 min. Recruitment challenges, including strict consent requirements, resulted in premature study termination, as achieving the target sample size of 25 patients was deemed unfeasible.

CONCLUSION

This pilot study demonstrates the potential of continuous monitoring technologies in palliative care, but inconsistent data availability limits the ability to recommend their routine use at this stage. Despite these challenges, the promising results highlight the need for further studies to improve device reliability and explore the broader applicability of this technology in palliative care settings.

Self-rated health differences between exclusive e-cigarette users and exclusive cigarette smokers: evidence from the 2017-2019 Scottish Health Survey

The comparative health implications of e-cigarette use versus traditional cigarette smoking remain a critical focus in public health research. This cross-sectional study examined differences in self-rated general health between exclusive e-cigarette users and exclusive cigarette smokers, using data from the 2017-2019 Scottish Health Survey. A total of 2484 adults (aged 16 and above) were included and categorized as exclusive e-cigarette users (n = 565) or exclusive cigarette smokers (n = 1919). Self-rated health was assessed using a single-item measure with five response categories: "very bad," "bad," "fair," "good," and "very good". Generalized ordinal logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between nicotine product use and self-rated health, adjusting for age, sex, Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation, marital status, ethnicity, alcohol consumption frequency, physical activity, presence of longstanding physical or mental health conditions, and age of smoking initiation. In the fully adjusted model, exclusive e-cigarette users had higher odds of reporting better self-rated health compared to exclusive cigarette smokers overall (OR = 1.26, 95% CI 1.05-1.51, p = 0.012). A graded relationship was also observed in the fully adjusted model, with progressively lower odds of reporting better self-rated health as smoking intensity increased, using exclusive e-cigarette users as the reference group. Heavy smokers (≥ 20 cigarettes/day) had the lowest odds of reporting better self-rated health (OR = 0.63, 95% CI 0.49-0.80, p < 0.001), followed by moderate smokers (10 to < 20 cigarettes/day) (OR = 0.81, 95% CI 0.66-0.99, p = 0.047). In contrast, light smokers (< 10 cigarettes/day) showed no significant difference in self-rated health compared to exclusive e-cigarette users (OR = 0.94, 95% CI 0.75-1.18, p = 0.614). These findings indicate that exclusive e-cigarette use is associated with better self-rated health compared to exclusive cigarette smoking, particularly among moderate and heavy smokers. Additional analyses revealed no significant differences in self-rated health among exclusive e-cigarette users based on prior smoking history (OR = 0.94, 95% CI 0.43-2.08, p = 0.882) or among exclusive cigarette smokers based on prior e-cigarette use (OR = 0.87, 95% CI 0.69-1.09, p = 0.219). These findings suggest that prior use is unlikely to explain the observed association between exclusive e-cigarette use and better self-rated health compared to exclusive cigarette smoking. Given the subjective nature of self-rated health, these findings should be interpreted with caution. Future longitudinal studies incorporating objective health measures are essential to assess the long-term impacts of e-cigarette use and inform evidence-based harm reduction policies.

Use of a wearable device to compare subjective and objective fatigue in lung cancer patients and cancer-free controls

PURPOSE

The study evaluates the use of heart rate variability (HRV), a measure of autonomic nervous system (ANS) modulation via wearable smart bands, to objectively assess cancer-related fatigue (CRF) levels. It aims to enhance understanding of fatigue by distinguishing between LF/HF ratios and LF/HF disorder ratios through HRV and photoplethysmography (PPG), identifying them as potential biomarkers.

METHODS

Seventy-one lung cancer patients and 75 non-cancer controls wore smart bands for one week. Fatigue was assessed using Brief Fatigue Inventory, alongside sleep quality and daily interference. HRV parameters were analyzed to compare groups.

RESULTS

Cancer patients showed higher fatigue and interference levels than controls (64.8% vs. 54.7%). Those with mild fatigue had elevated LF/HF disorder ratios during sleep (40% vs. 20%, P = 0.01), similar to those with moderate to severe fatigue (50% vs. 20%, P = 0.01), indicating more significant autonomic dysregulation. Notably, mild fatigue patients had higher mean LF/HF ratios than controls (1.9 ± 1.34 vs. 1.2 ± 0.6, P = 0.01), underscoring the potential of disorder ratios in signaling fatigue severity.

CONCLUSIONS

Utilizing wearable smart bands for HRV-based analysis is feasible for objectively assess CRF levels in cancer patients, especially during sleep. By distinguishing between LF/HF ratios and LF/HF disorder ratios, our findings suggest that wearable technology and detailed HRV analysis offer promising avenues for real-time fatigue monitoring. This approach has the potential to significantly improve cancer care by providing new methods for managing and intervening in CRF, particularly with a focus on autonomic dysregulation as a crucial factor.

Palliative care and new technologies. The use of smart sensor technologies and its impact on the Total Care principle

BACKGROUND

Palliative care is an integral part of health care, which in term has become increasingly technologized in recent decades. Lately, innovative smart sensors combined with artificial intelligence promise better diagnosis and treatment. But to date, it is unclear: how are palliative care concepts and their underlying assumptions about humans challenged by smart sensor technologies (SST) and how can care benefit from SST?

AIMS

The paper aims to identify changes and challenges in palliative care due to the use of SST. In addition, normative guiding criteria for the use of SST are developed.

METHODS

The principle of Total Care used by the European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC) forms the basis for the ethical analysis. Drawing on this, its underlying conceptions of the human and its socio-ethical aspects are examined with a phenomenological focus. In the second step, the advantages, limitations, and socio-ethical challenges of using SST with respect to the Total Care principle are explored. Finally, ethical-normative requirements for the application of SST are derived.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

First, SST are limited in their measurement capabilities. Second, SST have an impact on human agency and autonomy. This concerns both the patient and the caregiver. Third, some aspects of the Total Care principle are likely to be marginalized due to the use of SST. The paper formulates normative requirements for using SST to serve human flourishing. It unfolds three criteria according to which SST must be aligned: (1) evidence and purposefulness, (2) autonomy, and (3) Total Care.

Impact of minimally invasive surgery on surgeon health (ISSUE) study: protocol of a single-arm observational study conducted in the live surgery setting

INTRODUCTION

The rapid evolution of minimally invasive surgery has had a positive impact on patient outcomes; however, it is reported to be associated with work-related musculoskeletal symptoms (WMS) in surgeons. Currently there is no objective measure to monitor the physical and psychological impact of performing a live surgical procedure on the surgeon.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

A single-arm observational study with the aim of developing a validated assessment tool to quantify the impact of surgery (open/laparoscopic/robotic-assisted) on the surgeon. Development and validation cohorts of major surgical cases of varying levels of complexity performed by consultant gynaecological and colorectal surgeons will be recruited. Recruited surgeons wear three Xsens DOT monitors (muscle activity) and an Actiheart monitor (heart rate). Salivary cortisol levels will be taken and questionnaires (WMS and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) completed by the participants preoperatively and postoperatively. All the measures will be incorporated to produce a single score that will be called the 'S-IMPACT' score.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethical approval for this study has been granted by the East Midlands Leicester Central Research Ethics Committee REC ref 21/EM/0174. Results will be disseminated to the academic community through conference presentations and peer-reviewed journal publications. The S-IMPACT score developed within this study will be taken forward for use in definitive multicentre prospective randomised control trials.

Palliative care for adolescents and young adults with advanced illness: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

Age-related complex medical conditions have been commonly reported among adolescents and young adults with advanced life-limiting illness. There is increasing interest in exploring their palliative care needs and end-of-life experiences.

AIM

This scoping review aimed to explore the available literature about providing palliative and end-of-life care to adolescents and young adults with advanced life-limiting illnesses.

DESIGN

Scoping review. This review was registered on Open Science Framework (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/SPTD7).

DATA SOURCES

Electronic databases (MEDLINEALL, Embase, Emcare, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trial CENTRAL, Scopus, PsycINFO, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews), Google Scholar and reference lists were searched up to October 2021. We included studies reporting on adolescents and/or young adults with advanced life-limiting illnesses. There were no limitations concerning location, type of illness or study design.

RESULTS

We identified 51 studies published between 2002 and 2021. Most studies were published in the United States (n = 34, 67%), and nine studies (18%) reported exclusively on patients with non-malignant illnesses. Two thirds of the identified studies were case reports and retrospective chart reviews (n = 33). Three main topics were identified: Physical symptom burden (n = 26, 51%), Psychological and social needs (n = 33, 65%), and end-of-life care (n = 30, 59%). Twenty-six studies (51%) were focused only on one topic, and the age range used to identify adolescents and young adults varied based on the study location.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this review shed light on the different palliative care experiences and knowledge gaps related to adolescents and young adults as an underserved and vulnerable patient population. Further research needs to be dedicated toward palliative care programs tailored for adolescents and young adults.

The biology of stress in cancer: Applying the biobehavioral framework to adolescent and young adult oncology research

The stress response influences the development and trajectory of cancer through a host of complex neuroimmune mechanisms. Basic, translational, and clinical research has elucidated these biobehavioral connections and offers a new paradigm for scientific investigation and patient care. Using a biobehavioral approach could offer new diagnostic and therapeutic opportunities in oncology, and this approach will be particularly impactful for adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients with cancer. To date, nearly all biobehavioral oncology research has been done in the adult population. And yet, AYAs have traditionally poorer mental health and cancer-related outcomes, and thus represent a population that could benefit from parallel psychosocial and biomedical intervention. Future biobehavioral work in oncology should focus on the AYA population, integrating new cancer therapies and technology into the next generation of research.

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Translational research efforts are clarifying the role of stress in cancer biology and patient outcomes.

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AYAs have poorer cancer-related and mental health outcomes, but nearly all biobehavioral oncology studies are in adults.

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Future work in immunotherapy, digital health technology, and interdisciplinary cooperation will advance the field.

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A translational biobehavioral approach brings the paradigm of precision medicine to psychosocial care in cancer.