The Management of Chronic Kidney Disease Through Smart Wearables

Abstract

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a condition that results from a malfunctioning kidney, and this disease is affecting a large population globally. Continuous management could delay progression to stage 4 and prevent complications. Currently, CKD management depends on physical clinic visits, which creates monitoring gaps, leading to reactive care. The emergence of smart wearables has provided the opportunity for continuous, remote monitoring. This paper presents findings showing that data from smart watches result in proactive CKD management. Quantitative data were collected from 50 CKD patients who voluntarily participated in the study.
The study findings demonstrated high feasibility of integrating smart wearables in CKD management, with a mean device adherence of 87% and successful data integration. Although (42%) indicated challenges in purchasing the smartwatch, their engagement with the technology was high, with 80% reporting increased knowledge about the CKD disease, increased adherence to medication due to reminders from the smart wearable, precise activity and rest metrics, and a reduction in missed medication doses.
These findings provide compelling proof that the integration of smart wearables into a structured management framework is feasible and acceptable to CKD patients. Smart wearables are affording patients a shift from intermittent to continuous monitoring of their condition, and promise an early detection of clinical deterioration in CKD patients. While challenges regarding validation, clinical integration, and equity remain, this approach paves the way for predictive, personalized care and management of CKD. Future work must focus on large-scale trials to validate clinical efficacy and hard endpoints.