Monitoring a condition of a subject

• US 9,265,445 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2015
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EarlySense Ltd.
• Inventors: Shinar, Zvika, Meger, Guy, Halperin, Avner
• Primary Examiner(s): Lavert, Nicole F
• Application Number:
  US14/810,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20150327792A1
• Time in Patent Office: 210 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300, 600/509, 600/511
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02028 Determining haemodynamic parameters not otherwise provided for, e.g. cardiac contractility or left ventricular ejection fraction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02405 Determining heart rate variability
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0823 Detecting or evaluating cough events
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1107 Measuring contraction of parts of the body, e.g. organ, muscle apparatus for measuring work or force in general G01L
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/113 occurring during breathing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4356 Assessing uterine contractions A61B5/033 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4806 Sleep evaluation A61B5/4821 takes precedence; devices for inducing sleep A61M21/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4812 Detecting sleep stages or cycles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6892 Mats
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7275 Determining trends in physiological measurement data; Predicting development of a medical condition based on physiological measurements, e.g. determining a risk factor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7278 Artificial waveform generation or derivation, e.g. synthesising signals from measured signals A61B5/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7282 Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition A61B5/4094, A61B5/4818, A61B5/349, A61B5/0823 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 : Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/56 : Devices for preventing snoring by influencing the respiratory system by gas treatment A61M16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/60 : for the operation of medical equipment or devices
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 : for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment

Abstract

Apparatus for monitoring a subject is described. A sensor detects monitors the subject and generates a signal in response thereto. A control unit analyzes the signal, and in response to the analyzing, identifies a clinical parameter of the subject. The control unit received an indication of a menstrual cycle of the subject. Taking into account the subject'"'"'s menstrual cycle, the control unit identifies a baseline value of the clinical parameter, compares the identified clinical parameter to the baseline value, and, in response to the comparing, the control unit (a) determines whether a clinical episode is predicted, (b) determines whether a clinical episode is currently occurring, and/or (c) monitors an occurring clinical episode. The control unit generates an output in response thereto. Other applications are also described.

Claims

1. Apparatus for monitoring a subject, the apparatus comprising:

a sensor, configured to monitor the subject and to generate a signal in response thereto; and

a control unit, configured to;

analyze the signal,

in response to the analyzing, identify a clinical parameter of the subject,

receive an indication of an environmental change,

taking into account the environmental change;

identify a baseline value for the clinical parameter,

compare the identified clinical parameter to the baseline value, and

in response to the comparing, perform an action selected from the group consisting of;

determine whether a clinical episode is predicted, determine whether a clinical episode is currently occurring, and monitor an occurring clinical episode, and

generate an output in response thereto.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to:

identify the baseline value of the clinical parameter in response to the environmental change,

derive a score based upon a deviation of the identified clinical parameter from the baseline value, and

perform the selected action in response to the score.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit is configured to identify the baseline value in response to a change in seasons.

4. Apparatus for monitoring a subject, the apparatus comprising:

a sensor, configured to monitor the subject and to generate a signal in response thereto; and

a control unit, configured to;

analyze the signal,

in response to the analyzing, identify a clinical parameter of the subject,

receive an indication of a day of the week,

taking into account the day of the week;

identify a baseline value for the clinical parameter,

compare the identified clinical parameter to the baseline value,

in response to the comparing, perform an action selected from the group consisting of;

determine whether a clinical episode is predicted, determine whether a clinical episode is currently occurring, and monitor an occurring clinical episode, and

generate an output in response thereto.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the control unit is configured to:

identify the baseline value of the clinical parameter by identifying a baseline value for the clinical parameter that corresponds to the day of the week,

derive a score based upon a deviation of the identified clinical parameter from the baseline value, and

perform the selected action in response to the score.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the control unit is configured to identify the baseline value in response to a weekly schedule of the subject.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control unit is configured to identify the baseline value in response to physical activity of the subject generally recurring on a particular day of the week.

8. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the control unit is configured to identify a first baseline value corresponding to a weekend day, and a second baseline value, which is different from the first baseline value, corresponding to a weekday.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the clinical parameter is a respiration rate of the subject, and wherein the control unit is configured to identify a higher baseline value for a weekend day than for a weekday.

10. Apparatus for monitoring a subject, the apparatus comprising:

a sensor, configured to monitor the subject and to generate a signal in response thereto; and

a control unit, configured to;

analyze the signal,

in response to the analyzing, identify a clinical parameter of the subject,

receive an indication of a menstrual cycle of the subject,

taking into account the menstrual cycle of the subject;

identify a baseline value of the clinical parameter,

compare the identified clinical parameter to the baseline value, and

in response to the comparing, perform an action selected from the group consisting of;

determine whether a clinical episode is predicted, determine whether a clinical episode is currently occurring, and monitor an occurring clinical episode, and

generate an output in response thereto.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the control unit is configured to:

identify the baseline value of the clinical parameter in response to the subject'"'"'s menstrual cycle,

derive a score based upon a deviation of the identified clinical parameter from the baseline value, and

perform the selected action in response to the score.

12. Apparatus for monitoring a subject, the apparatus comprising:

a sensor, configured to monitor the subject during a sleeping session of the subject, and to generate a signal in response thereto; and

a control unit, configured to;

analyze the sensor signal, and

in response to an aspect of the sensor signal starting from a given time period after a beginning of the sleeping session, perform an action selected from the group consisting of;

determine whether a clinical episode is predicted, determine whether a clinical episode is currently occurring, and monitor an occurring clinical episode, and

generate an output in response thereto.