Impact of Heart Rate Variability Modulation on Stress Management Among Physicians

Michelle Thompson

Status: Active, not recruiting

Conditions: Burnout, Professional

Treatments: Device: Apollo Wearable

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; Industry

Identifiers

NCT05731856

STUDY22060130

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this research is to examine a wearable device called Apollo that emits gentle vibrations found to benefit mood, energy, and focus. We want to understand how it affects burnout in physicians.

Full description

This study will be conducted by using a Tuned Vibroacoustic Stimulation (TVS) device(the commercially available TVS device known as the Apollo wearable), that has been shown in clinical studies at University of Pittsburgh to improve heart rate variability and recovery under stress. The Apollo wearable generates low volume sound waves that feel like a soothing touch to the skin. This study will assess whether slight modulation of heart rate variability (HRV) will result in a reduction in stress, improved recovery, and recovery in and around the hospital. Physicians will wear the Apollo device for heart rate variability modulation and complete questionnaires before and after use of the Apollo device for comparison of outcomes.

Enrollment: 19 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• UPMC attending physicians and residents. The participants must have either IOS or Android phones.

Exclusion criteria

• Unwillingness or inability to participate in the study
• Currently own an Apollo device

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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19 participants in 1 patient group

Apollo Intervention Arm

Experimental group

Description:

Eligible UPMC Physicians and Residents who consent to be part of this study will use an Apollo Device TVS (10-200 Hz) attached to the subject's wrist or ankle via a commercially available wearable vibration technology that can deliver TVS (Transcutaneous Vibratory Stimulation). The intensity will be targeted for the sensory threshold (the level at which the vibration is just noticeable), as this is where the TVS seems most effective from prior studies. Similar vibratory stimuli have been demonstrated to be safe in the literature. The intensity of the vibration will be adjusted to the subjects' comfort and can be controlled by the subject at any time.

Treatment:

Device: Apollo Wearable