Hydration monitoring

• US 7,783,344 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2004
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PhiloMetron Inc.
• Original Assignee: PhiloMetron Inc.
• Inventors: Lackey, Robert P., Drinan, Darrel, Edman, Carl F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg; Max
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOEKSTRA, JEFFREY GERBEN
• Application Number:
  US10/922,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20050070778A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,195 Days
• Field of Search: 600/547
• US Class Current: 600/547
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0537 Measuring body composition by impedance, e.g. tissue hydration or fat content
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4875 Hydration status, fluid retention of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6887 mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/60 relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

Systems and techniques for monitoring hydration. In one implementation, a method includes measuring an electrical impedance of a region of a subject to generate an impedance measurement result, and wirelessly transmitting the data to a remote apparatus. The probe with which impedance is measured may take the form of a patch adhesively secured to the subject.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

affixing a portable probe dimensioned and configured to be continuously affixed to an ambulatory subject on a selected area of said subject over a selected time period;

monitoring a local bioelectric impedance of a portion of said subject using said portable probe, the portable probe exchanging energy with the portion of the subject while affixed to generate impedance data representing at least in part a fluid state of said portion over the selected time period;

processing said impedance data to derive one or more long term impedance variations representing changes in hydration which occur over a period of at least several hours during said selected time period, and to identify reproducible long term variations in hydration that arise from predictable or habitual patterns not associated with disease states; and

adjusting subsequent measurement results to account for the identified long term variations in hydration;

detecting a disease state of said subject associated with a hydration change in said portion of said subject by analyzing at least some adjusted measurement results; and

providing an indication that a disease state is present.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable probe exchanges energy substantially continuously with the portion of the organism to generate the impedance data.

3. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising transmitting one or more identifiers identifying an electrode, a patch, and/or other electronics of the portable probe to a remote apparatus.

4. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising transmitting a plurality of identifiers to a remote apparatus.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising placing the probe on the thigh of a subject.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising placing the probe on the chest of a subject.

7. The method of claim 6, additionally comprising diagnosing pulmonary edema using said impedance data.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising monitoring bioelectric impedance for a period sufficient to identify a hydration trend over time.

9. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising automatically providing a recommendation for intervention to alleviate a hydration condition.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising communicating the data representing a result of the hydration monitoring to a remote apparatus configured to receive the data from the portable probe.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising wirelessly communicating the data representing a result of the hydration monitoring to a remote apparatus configured to receive the data from the portable probe.

12. The method of claim 10, comprising performing additional data analysis in said remote apparatus.

13. The method of claim 12, comprising performing comparisons between monitoring results to predict future hydration monitoring results.

14. The method of claim 1, comprising monitoring additional bioparameters.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said additional bioparameters comprise respiration.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said additional bioparameters comprise heart rate.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said additional bioparameters comprise hormone and/or metabolite levels.

18. The method of claim 1, comprising placing a plurality of probes on said subject to monitor hydration of said subject.

19. The method of claim 1, comprising comparing/correlating impedance measurements made with said portable probe to other periodically collected biological parameters.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said periodically collected biological parameters comprise bioelectric impedance.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein said long term variations occur over a period of at least several hours.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein said long term variations comprise diurnal or monthly variations.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydration change comprises detecting a deviation from a baseline.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the impedance data provides information regarding the amount of fluid within the subject.