NIH grants US$2.3m to evaluate blood pressure monitor during pregnancy

The research, funded by the NIH’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), will include at least 150 women who are pregnant or have recently given birth and will evaluate how the wearable technology could facilitate the accurate diagnosis of HDP and early detection of preeclampsia.

HDP, a group of high blood pressure disorders that may occur during pregnancy, affects both the mother and the child and is a leading cause of pregnancy-related complications and death globally.

While the risks posed by HDP have doubled over the past decade in the US, the effects on the maternal population are not evenly distributed. African American women are at five times the risk from eclampsia and preeclampsia, which are severe forms of HDP that can impair the liver and kidneys, trigger strokes and even result in death.

Over the last three years, this risk has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, as evidenced by the increased incidence and severity of preeclampsia and an associated increase in preterm births and stillbirths.

ViTrack, a non-invasive, wearable blood pressure monitoring device, uses computer vision and artificial intelligence to measure both systolic and diastolic blood pressures on a beat-to-beat basis without the need for external calibration.

The device, Dynocardia claims, can perform these measurements regardless of patient movement or wrist position relative to the heart, which eliminates the impact of hydrostatic pressure changes.

“Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy pose a growing threat to pregnant women, especially among Black patients and other patients of colour who bear a disproportionate burden of maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity,” said Dr Wendy Wilcox, chief women’s health officer at NYC Health + Hospitals.

“After an extensive review, the NHLBI selected ViTrack to address this challenge. We’re excited about the potential to mitigate risk among the women who rely on us for their prenatal care.”

Dr Daryl Wieland, chair of OB/GYN at NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi|NCB, said: “We’re thrilled to have a new tool that will enable us to identify subtle hemodynamic and vascular changes that can predict extreme fluctuations in blood pressure that may pose a threat to pregnant women.”

Dr Kecia Gaither, director of perinatal services and maternal foetal medicine at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln, added: “ViTrack technology offers a new and unprecedented ability to continuously measure blood pressure and other critical heart and respiratory data, to enable predictive monitoring for early diagnosis and management of preeclampsia, and to prevent prenatal and postpartum complications.

Dr Mohan Thanikachalam, cardiac surgeon and CEO of Dynocardia, commented: “We are truly grateful to the NHLBI for their continued support and this initial opportunity to partner with NYC H+H.

“We recognise the crucial role of accurate and continuous blood pressure monitoring in ensuring optimal care during pregnancy, especially among African American women.

“Given the known challenges of HDP, we believe that the implementation of ViTrack technology can significantly contribute to safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of all expectant mothers.”