As I described here, the Kardia Band (KB) is an FDA-approved Apple 
Watch accessory available to the general public without a prescription which records a high quality single-lead ECG.
I’ve been using mine now for a while and can confirm the ease and 
accuracy of the ECG recordings it makes. I find recordings made with my Apple Watch/Kardia Band are reliably high quality with minimal artifact (unless I’m running on a treadmill.)
Once the 30 second recording is completed, the Kardia app on the Apple Watch takes about 5 seconds to process the information using an AI algorithm and then makes a determination of normal sinus rhythm (NSR), atrial fibrillation or unclassified.
The New Study
A study published in the June JACC examined the accuracy of Alivecor’s Kardia Band in detecting atrial fibrillation (AF.)
In the JACC study, investigators from the Cleveland Clinic studied 100 consecutive patients presenting for cardioversion from AF with recordings made before and after the procedure. KB interpretations were compared to 12 lead ECGS read by electrophysiologists.
KB interpretations identified AF with 93% sensitivity and 84% specificity. Of the total 169 recordings, 34% were unclassified due to short recordings, low-amplitude p waves, and baseline artifacts.
The authors concluded that the KB algorithm for AF detection, when it is supported by a physician review can reliably differentiate AF from NSR.
(Of note the lead author on this study is on the advisory board of Alivecor the maker of the KB and AliveCor (AliveCor, Mountain View, CA) provided the Kardia Band monitors which were connected to an Apple Watch and paired via Bluetooth to a smartphone device for utilization in the study. AliveCor was not involved in the design, implementation, data analysis, or manuscript preparation of the study.)
My Updated Kardia Experience
I have found the standard Kardia device to be immensely helpful in the management of my afib patients before and after cardioversions (see my prior description here). The paper mentions that 8% of these pre-cardioversion patients showed up for the procedure in normal sinus rhythm, noting that
For each of these patients, the automated KB algorithm did not erroneously identify AF, and the physician interpretation of the KB recording correctly confirmed SR in each case.
Needless to say, it is better to find out a cardioversion is not needed before the patient shows up for the procedure. I would estimate this happens about 5-10% of the time in my practice.
The Kardia device or the KB is also really helpful post cardioversion. If the patient makes daily recordings (which I can review on Kardia Pro online) h/she and I know exactly how long sinus rhythm persisted before reverting back to AF.
This is important information which impacts future management decisions.
Kardia Band Versus Standard Kardia Device
None of my patients have purchased the Kardia Band most likely due to the cost and the fact that they don’t have an Apple Watch. If you have an Apple Watch and want to monitor your heart rhythm I think the KB is a good choice. Otherwise, the original AliveCor mobile ECG device continues to do a fantastic job (in conjunction with Kardia Pro, see here).
The combination of Kardia and Kardia Pro has substantially reduced my use of expensive and annoying long term monitors in my AF population.
In my next update on the KB I will share a reader’s real world description of the pros and cons of the KB (with Smart Rhythm monitoring) in a patient post cardioversion for AF.
Skeptically Yours
-ACP
1 thought on “Update On The Kardia Band Apple Watch Accessory: Accuracy In Atrial Fibrillation Pre and Post Cardioversion”
Nice Article, Thanks for an update on latest technology.