Utilizing Accelerometer and Photoplethysmography Data from A Smartwatch for the Quantitative Detection of Adult Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea (SA) is linked to cardiovascular disease and is marked by insufficient global awareness and low diagnostic rates. The implementation of effective screening tools has the potential to enhance early diagnosis, raise public awareness, and improve the overall health and quality of life for patients. This study aimed to evaluate the capability of the S7 smartwatch, utilizing accelerometry and photoplethysmography, to quantify apnea-hypopnea events during overnight monitoring. Clinical findings demonstrate a strong correlation between the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) estimated by the S7 smartwatch and by home sleep testing (R=0.88). The accuracy rates for detecting moderate SA (AHI ≥ 15) and severe SA (AHI ≥ 30) using smartwatch-based measurements are 81% and 97%, respectively. Consequently, our findings indicate that the smartwatch can effectively serve as reliable tools for adult SA screening.