Objective Detection of Chronic Infection-Acquired Physiological Changes via Wearables: Potential Implications for Long COVID
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Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection can lead to post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), or Long COVID, a chronic multisystemic condition with diverse symptoms and no objective diagnostic test. In this study, we developed a data-driven method to objectively detect persistent physiological changes post-COVID-19 using wearable device data. We analyzed physiological data from 663 symptomatic COVID-19-positive cases and 2,513 asymptomatic COVID-19-negative controls. Our method identified persistent physiological alterations in 9.4% of COVID-19-positive individuals, aligning with previous Long COVID prevalence estimates. Additionally, vaccination reduced the risk of these changes by ~ 40%. Affected individuals exhibited elevated resting heart rates and reduced heart rate variability. Our findings highlight the potential of wearable technology in objectively identifying and monitoring chronic physiological changes post-infection, offering a scalable tool for Long COVID assessment. This approach could enhance clinical evaluation and personalized management of Long COVID cases.
