Study: Apple Watch Series 6 oximeter is ‘reliable’ for patients with lung disease

A scientific report published in Nature magazine, one of the most important in the world, shows that the Apple Watch Series 6 is “a reliable way to obtain heart rate and oxygen saturation (SpO2) in patients with lung disease under controlled conditions.”

The study of the University of Sao Paulo, one of Brazil’s most prestigious educational institutions, was conducted with 100 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and interstitial lung disease from a pneumology outpatient clinic. It collected SpO2 and heart rate data with Apple Watch Series 6 and compared it to two commercial pulse oximeters.

The study found “strong positive correlations between the Apple Watch device and commercial oximeters. It notes that “there was no statistical difference in the evaluation of skin color, wrist circumference, presence of wrist hair, and nail enamel for SpO2 and hearing rate measurements in Apple Watch or commercial oximeter devices.”

The tests were conducted in healthy individuals, people with interstitial lung disease (ILD), and those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). They found that:

• Strong positive correlations between the Apple Watch Series 6 device and commercial oximeters when evaluating heart rate readings and oximetry readings;
• The Apple Watch tends to have higher SpO2 readings than commercial oximeters, but heart rate readings were similar in both devices;
• In the different groups, ILD, COPD and healthy individuals, no significant differences were observed between the Apple Watch and commercial oximeter devices for parameters, SpO2 and heart rate.

Overall, the study says that “despite a tendency to present higher readings compared to conventional oximetry devices, the Apple Watch device was accurate and comparable,” although it’s important to note that the results “under controlled conditions.” ” were created.

The study ends by saying that “the advancement of smartwatch technology continues to improve and studies need to be conducted to assess its accuracy and reliability in various types of diseases.”

The Apple Watch Series 6 was first introduced in 2020. Unlike the Apple Watch Series 4, which required government approval to create EKGs, Apple says the oxygen blood measurement feature is not medically approved and only for the well-being of the user.

However, studies like this one conducted by USP show that the Apple Watch does a good job of helping people take control of their well-being.

The Apple Watch Series 7, which has yet to be launched by Apple, does have oxygen-monitoring capabilities, although it’s not clear whether there’s an upgrade from last year’s model.

The study “Comparison of SpO2 and heart rate values ​​on Apple Watch and conventional commercial oximeters in patients with lung disease” was conducted by Leonardo Zumerkorn Pipek, Rafaela Farias Vidigal Nascimento, Milena Marques Pagliarelli Acencio and Lisete Ribeiro Teixeira. You can read the full report here.