Contactless monitoring of vital signs during sleep for predicting COPD exacerbations: a case study

<bold>Introduction:</bold> COPD remains a significant challenge, driving interest in predictive models to facilitate early treatment for mitigating the impact of exacerbations. Contactless monitoring during sleep holds potential to improve the prediction of exacerbations by enabling high-quality, frequent, and long-term tracking of vital signs (Sanchez-Morillo D. <italic>et al.</italic> Chronic Respiratory Disease 2016; 13: 264-283 & Ravindran K.K.G. <italic>et al.</italic> JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2024; 12: e53643). <bold>Aim:</bold> The study aimed to provide preliminary insights into whether radar-based contactless monitoring during sleep can contribute to prediction of COPD exacerbations. <bold>Methods:</bold> A 72-year-old man with COPD was monitored for respiration and heart rate during sleep at home as a part of an ongoing study. No interventions were applied. Monitor data recorded two days prior to a severe exacerbation were analyzed. <bold>Results:</bold> Physiological changes two days before the exacerbation were detected (see Figure 1). Two nights before the exacerbation, the mean respiration rate was 15.92 bpm (SD ± 0.79), and the mean heart rate was 57.60 bpm (SD ± 2.09). The night before, these increased to 18.41 bpm (SD ± 0.89) and 68.18 bpm (SD ± 2.77), respectively. <bold>Conclusion:</bold> Data from contactless monitoring of respiration and heart rate during sleep shows potential to predict COPD exacerbations. However, further research is needed to fully explore its potential in predictive models. <fig><object-id>erj;66/suppl_69/PA2038/F1</object-id><object-id>F1</object-id><object-id>F1</object-id><graphic></graphic></fig>