Initial evaluation of a novel electrocardiography sensor-embedded fabric wear during a full marathon.

Sudden cardiac accident (SCA) during a marathon is a concern due to the popularity of the sport. Preventive strategies, such as cardiac screening and deployment of automated external defibrillators have controversial cost-effectiveness. We investigated the feasibility of use of a new electrocardiography (ECG) sensor-embedded fabric wear (SFW) during a marathon as a novel preventive strategy against SCA. Twenty healthy volunteers participated in a full marathon race. They were equipped with a SFW hitoe® with a transmitter connected via Bluetooth to a standard smartphone for continuous ECG recording. All data were stored in a smartphone and used to analyze the data acquisition rate. The adequate data acquisition rate was > 90% in 13, 30-90% in 3, and < 10% in 4 runners. All of 4 runners with poorly recorded data were female. Inadequate data acquisition was significantly associated with the early phase of the race compared with the mid phase (P = 0.007). Except for 3 runners with poor heart rate data, automated software calculation was significantly associated with manual analysis for both the mean (P < 0.001) and maximum (P = 0.014) heart rate. We tested the feasibility of continuously recording cardiac data during a marathon using a new ECG sensor-embedded wearable device. Although data from 65% of runners were adequately recorded, female runners and the early phase of the race tended to have poor data acquisition. Further improvements in device ergonomics and software are necessary to improve ability to detect abnormal ECGs that may precede SCA.

A new approach to prevent critical cardiac accidents in athletes by real-time electrocardiographic tele-monitoring system: Initial trial in full marathon.

The majority of marathon deaths are caused by sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), which occur in approximately 1 in 57,000 runners. Such deaths are more common among older males and usually occur in the last 4 miles of the racecourse. Although prompt resuscitation, including early use of an automated external defibrillator (AED), improves survival, the deployment of enough trained medical staff and AEDs is difficult due to increased cost. Moreover, most victims of exercise-related SCA have no premonitory symptoms. Therefore, we tried to use a novel approach to prevent sudden cardiac deaths (SCD) related to SCA using real-time electrocardiographic tele-monitoring system, as an initial trial to assess operative possibility in a full marathon. As a result, 3 out of 5 runners had reasonable measurement results and sufficient tele-monitoring without complications related to this trial was possible. However, many investigations and improvements, such as improving cost-effectiveness, reducing noise, and automating the monitoring system, are needed for practical application of these devices for athletes. As a next step, we would establish a novel strategy to reduce SCDs in athletes using next-generation devices, which include an alarm system associated with early application of AED. .