Deep learning-based detection of COVID-19 using wearables data

Bogu, G. K.; Snyder, M. P.

Background COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 that is primarily diagnosed using laboratory tests, which are frequently not administered until after symptom onset. However, SARS-CoV-2 is contagious multiple days before symptom onset and diagnosis, thus enhancing its transmission through the population. Methods In this retrospective study, we collected 15 seconds to one-minute heart rate and steps interval data from Fitbit devices during the COVID-19 period (February 2020 until June 2020). Resting heart rate was computed by selecting the heart rate intervals where steps were zero for 12 minutes ahead of an interrogated time point. Data for each participant was divided into train or baseline by taking the days before the non-infectious period and test data by taking the days during the COVID-19 infectious period. Data augmentation was used to increase the size of the training days. Here, we developed a deep learning approach based on a Long Short-Term Memory Networks-based autoencoder, called LAAD, to predict COVID-19 infection by detecting abnormal resting heart rate in test data relative to the user baseline. Findings We detected an abnormal resting heart rate during the period of viral infection (7 days before the symptom onset and 21 days after) in 92% (23 out of 25 cases) of patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19. In 56% (14) of cases, LAAD detection identified cases in their pre-symptomatic phase whereas 36% (9 cases) were detected after the onset of symptoms with an average precision score of 0.91, recall score of 0.36 and F-beta score of 0.79. In COVID-19 positive patients, abnormal RHR patterns start 5 days before symptom onset (6.9 days in pre-symptomatic cases and 1.9 days later in post-symptomatic cases). COVID-19 positive patients have longer abnormal resting heart rate periods (89 hours or 3.7 days) as compared to healthy individuals (25 hours or 1.1 days). Interpretation These findings show that deep learning neural networks and wearables data are an effective method for the early detection of COVID-19 infection. Additional validation data will help guide the use of this and similar techniques in real-world infection surveillance and isolation policies to reduce transmission and end the pandemic.