Clinical applications of contactless photoplethysmography for monitoring in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Contactless photoplethysmography (cPPG) is a method of physiological monitoring. It differs from conventional monitoring methods (e.g., saturation probe) by ensuring no contact with the subject by use of a camera. The majority of research on cPPG is conducted in a laboratory setting or in healthy populations. This review aims to evaluate the current literature on monitoring using cPPG in adults within a clinical setting. Adhering to the Preferred Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA, 2020) guidelines, OVID, Webofscience, Cochrane library, and clinicaltrials.org were systematically searched by two researchers. Research articles using cPPG for monitoring purposes in adults within a clinical setting were selected. Twelve studies with a total of 654 individuals were included. Heart rate (HR) was the most investigated vital sign (n = 8) followed by respiratory rate ((n = 2), Sp02 (n = 2), and HR variability (n = 2). Four studies were included in a meta-analysis of HR compared to ECG data which demonstrated a mean bias of –0.13 (95% CI, –1.22–0.96). This study demonstrates cPPG can be a useful tool in the remote monitoring of patients and has demonstrated accuracy for HR. However, further research is needed into the clinical applications of this method.

Advancing regulatory science through real-world data and real-world evidence

“…Opportunities for DHTs to generate RWD/RWE [15,[21][22][23] Digital health technologies (DHTs) offer a host of opportunities to change how healthcare is delivered, tracked, and disseminated. DHTs are defined by FDA as integrated systems that use computing platforms, connectivity, software, and/or sensors for healthcare.…”

“…Yet there are many examples to point to as to how the field is maturing. For example, in this issue, Bautista et al discuss the state of photoplethysmography, an optical technique that enables measurement of parameters associated with cardiorespiratory function [ 21 , 23 ]. They highlight the unique nature of this tool and the methods (contact vs contactless) used currently both in terms of their positive and negative attributes for specific use cases ( e.g., validation of measurement) and populations ( e.g., neonates vs adults).…”