Safety of smartwatches and their chargers in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices

Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology · 2020 · No effect · Moderate evidence

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No effectModerate evidencePaper 1965

Study snapshot

PublicationEuropace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology · 2020

Study typecohort

Reported directionNo effect

Evidence ratingModerate

Abstract

Safety of smartwatches and their chargers in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices Stylianos Tzeis, Dimitrios Asvestas, Nektarios Moraitis, Emmanuel P Vardas, Panagiotis Mililis, Konstantinos Letsas, Konstantinos Kouvelas, Konstantina S Nikita, Panos Vardas. Safety of smartwatches and their chargers in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices. Europace. 2020 Oct 10;euaa220. doi: 10.1093/europace/euaa220. Abstract Aims: Cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) are susceptible to electromagnetic interference (EMI). Smartwatches and their chargers could be a possible source of EMI. We sought to assess whether the latest generation smartwatches and their chargers interfere with proper CIED function. Methods and results: We included consecutive CIED recipients in two centres. We tested two latest generation smartwatches (Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch) and their charging cables for potential EMI. The testing was performed under continuous electrocardiogram recording and real-time device telemetry, with nominal and 'worst-case' settings. In vitro magnetic field measurements were performed to assess the emissions from the tested devices, initially in contact with the probe and then at a distance of 10 cm and 20 cm. In total, 171 patients with CIEDs (71.3% pacemakers-28.7% implantable cardioverter-defibrillators) from five manufacturers were enrolled (63.2% males, 74.8 ± 11.4 years), resulting in 684 EMI tests. No EMI was identified in any patient either under nominal or 'worst-case scenario' programming. The peak magnetic flux density emitted by the smartwatches was similar to the background noise level (0.81 μT) even when in contact with the measuring probe. The respective values for the chargers were 4.696 μΤ and 4.299 μΤ for the Samsung and Apple chargers, respectively, which fell at the background noise level when placed at 20 cm and 10 cm, respectively. Conclusion: Two latest generation smartwatches and their chargers resulted in no EMI in CIED recipients. The absence of EMI in conjunction with the extremely low intensity of magnetic fields emitted by these devices support the safety of their use by CIED patients. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Machine Enhanced Logic

AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typecohort

Effect directionno_effect

PopulationPatients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), including pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, enrolled at two centres

Sample size171

ExposureNot supplied

Evidence strengthModerateConfidence: 78% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

In 171 CIED recipients undergoing 684 tests with Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch and their charging cables under nominal and 'worst-case' settings, no EMI was identified. Peak magnetic flux density from smartwatches was similar to background noise (0.81 μT) even in contact with the probe; chargers measured 4.696 μT (Samsung) and 4.299 μT (Apple) in contact and fell to background at 20 cm and 10 cm, respectively.

Outcomes measured

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) with CIED function
Magnetic flux density emissions (μT) from smartwatches and chargers

Limitations

Only two smartwatch models and their chargers were tested
Exposure characterization limited to magnetic flux density measurements at contact, 10 cm, and 20 cm; frequency/SAR not reported
Study conducted in two centres; generalizability to other devices/settings not stated

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "cohort",
  "exposure": {
    "band": null,
    "source": "smartwatch and charger",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": null
  },
  "population": "Patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), including pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, enrolled at two centres",
  "sample_size": 171,
  "outcomes": [
    "Electromagnetic interference (EMI) with CIED function",
    "Magnetic flux density emissions (μT) from smartwatches and chargers"
  ],
  "main_findings": "In 171 CIED recipients undergoing 684 tests with Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch and their charging cables under nominal and 'worst-case' settings, no EMI was identified. Peak magnetic flux density from smartwatches was similar to background noise (0.81 μT) even in contact with the probe; chargers measured 4.696 μT (Samsung) and 4.299 μT (Apple) in contact and fell to background at 20 cm and 10 cm, respectively.",
  "effect_direction": "no_effect",
  "limitations": [
    "Only two smartwatch models and their chargers were tested",
    "Exposure characterization limited to magnetic flux density measurements at contact, 10 cm, and 20 cm; frequency/SAR not reported",
    "Study conducted in two centres; generalizability to other devices/settings not stated"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "moderate",
  "confidence": 0.78,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "smartwatch",
    "Apple Watch",
    "Samsung Galaxy Watch",
    "charger",
    "electromagnetic interference",
    "EMI",
    "cardiac implantable electronic devices",
    "pacemaker",
    "implantable cardioverter-defibrillator",
    "magnetic flux density"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "medical-devices-emi",
      "weight": 0.9,
      "reason": "Directly tests electromagnetic interference from consumer wearables/chargers on cardiac implantable electronic devices."
    }
  ]
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.1093/europace/euaa220
PubMed: 33038213

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