Fitbit monitoring to spot infections early after children's surgery
Using the Fitbit for early detection of Infection and reduction of healthcare utilization after Discharge in Pediatric Surgical Patients
This project uses a Fitbit to track activity, heart rate, and sleep in children after surgery to help spot infections sooner and reduce unneeded emergency visits.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Loyola University Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Maywood, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11394062 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If your child has an appendectomy or similar surgery, they would wear a Fitbit Inspire 2 in the hospital and at home to passively track steps, heart rate, and sleep. The team will use machine learning on those continuous measurements to look for unusual recovery patterns that could signal an infection. When the system detects concerning changes, clinicians may receive alerts so they can check your child sooner. The goal is to catch problems earlier and avoid unnecessary emergency visits or readmissions.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Children about 3 to 18 years old who are having an appendectomy or similar pediatric surgery and will be discharged home are the intended participants.
Not a fit: Infants under about 3 years old, children who cannot wear a wrist device, those discharged to long-term care, or patients with conditions that prevent reliable wearable data may not benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Earlier detection of postoperative infections and fewer avoidable ED visits or readmissions for children after surgery.
How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown wearables can detect illness-related changes in activity and heart rate, but using them for early postoperative infection detection in children is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Maywood, United States
- Loyola University Chicago — Maywood, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Abdullah, Fizan — Loyola University Chicago
- Study coordinator: Abdullah, Fizan
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.