Accuracy of Heart Rate Measurement with Wrist-Worn Wearable Devices in Various Skin Tones: a Systematic Review. 2023

Daniel Koerber, and Shawn Khan, and Tahmina Shamsheri, and Abirami Kirubarajan, and Sangeeta Mehta
Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.

Wearable consumer technology allows for the collection of a growing amount of personal health data. Through the analysis of reflected LED light on the skin, heart rate measurement and arrhythmia detection can be performed. Given that melanin alters skin light absorption, this study seeks to summarize the accuracy of cardiac data from wrist-worn wearable devices for participants of varying skin tones. We conducted a systematic review, searching Embase, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Cochrane for original studies that stratified heart rate and rhythm data for consumer wearable technology according to participant race and/or skin tone. A total of 10 studies involving 469 participants met inclusion criteria. The frequency-weighted Fitzpatrick score for skin tone was reported in six studies (n = 293), with a mean participant score of 3.5 (range 1-6). Overall, four of the ten studies reported a significant reduction in accuracy of heart rate measurement with wearable devices in darker-skinned individuals, compared to participants with lighter skin tones. Four studies noted no effect of user skin tone on accuracy. The remaining two studies showed mixed results. Preliminary evidence is inconclusive, but some studies suggest that wearable devices may be less accurate for detecting heart rate in participants with darker skin tones. Higher quality evidence is necessary, with larger sample sizes and more objective stratification of participants by skin tone, in order to characterize potential racial bias in consumer devices.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D006339 Heart Rate The number of times the HEART VENTRICLES contract per unit of time, usually per minute. Cardiac Rate,Chronotropism, Cardiac,Heart Rate Control,Heartbeat,Pulse Rate,Cardiac Chronotropy,Cardiac Chronotropism,Cardiac Rates,Chronotropy, Cardiac,Control, Heart Rate,Heart Rates,Heartbeats,Pulse Rates,Rate Control, Heart,Rate, Cardiac,Rate, Heart,Rate, Pulse
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000076251 Wearable Electronic Devices Electronic implements worn on the body as an implant or as an accessory. Examples include wearable diagnostic devices, wearable ACTIVITY TRACKERS, wearable INFUSION PUMPS, wearable computing devices, SENSORY AIDS, and electronic pest repellents. Wearable Computer,Electronic Skin,Wearable Devices,Wearable Technology,Computer, Wearable,Device, Wearable,Device, Wearable Electronic,Electronic Device, Wearable,Skin, Electronic,Technology, Wearable,Wearable Computers,Wearable Device,Wearable Electronic Device,Wearable Technologies
D012880 Skin Pigmentation Coloration of the skin. Skin Color,Skin Tone,Color, Skin,Colors, Skin,Pigmentation, Skin,Pigmentations, Skin,Skin Colors,Skin Pigmentations,Skin Tones,Tone, Skin,Tones, Skin
D014953 Wrist The region of the upper limb between the metacarpus and the FOREARM. Wrists

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