Using smartphone technology to predict risks of complications after heart surgery
Official title: Preoperative Risk Prediction of Postoperative Complications for Elective Cardiac Surgery using At-home Smartphone Dynamometry
Funded at University of California, San Diego · NIH-11192921 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a new smartphone app that helps you check your hand grip strength at home, so doctors can better understand your fitness level before elective heart surgery and help you recover more safely.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $278,250 |
| NIH project number | 5R21AG084975-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11192921 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients scheduled for elective cardiac surgery who may be at risk due to frailty or other health concerns.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not undergoing elective cardiac surgery or those who are not able to use a smartphone may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research aims to improve the safety of elective cardiac surgeries by developing a smartphone application that measures hand grip strength, a key indicator of a patient's physical fitness. By utilizing the phone's sensors, the app will allow patients to assess their grip strength at home, providing valuable data to healthcare providers. The goal is to identify patients at higher risk for complications before surgery, enabling better preoperative care and recovery strategies. This approach focuses on enhancing patient outcomes by addressing frailty and monitoring recovery through technology.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to safer surgical procedures and improved recovery for patients undergoing cardiac surgery.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown that measuring hand grip strength can effectively predict surgical outcomes, suggesting that this approach may be promising.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Diego
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wang, Edward Jay — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Wang, Edward Jay
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Preoperative risk predictor for cardiac surgery using a smartphone dynamometer
A smartphone app that turns your phone into a hand-grip test to help predict surgical risks before elective heart surgery.
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This grant tests advanced data methods to find links between detailed intraoperative heart-surgery measurements and patient outcomes after procedures like CABG.
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Wearable ultrasound patch to monitor heart health after pediatric heart surgery
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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.