WHOOP Investigating Respiratory Rate Pattern and Relationship with COVID-19 Symptoms

BOSTON, April 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- WHOOP, the human performance company, is investigating a potential connection between changes in respiratory rate and COVID-19 symptoms. In collaboration with Cleveland Clinic, CQUniversity in Australia (CQUniversity) plans to conduct a study with 24/7 physiological data, collected via the wrist-worn WHOOP Strap 3.0, from hundreds of self-identified COVID-19 cases among WHOOP members to better understand the current health crisis.

"We believe that a noticeable increase in respiratory rate is a measurable precursor of COVID-19 symptoms based on individual cases that we have seen in our data. WHOOP data may be able to help identify the coronavirus during the incubation period before someone feels sick," said Will Ahmed, WHOOP Founder & CEO.

On March 9, WHOOP launched an interactive feature – the WHOOP Journal – that allows members to track a variety of daily behaviors against their physiological data to make healthier lifestyle choices with real-time feedback on their bodies. That same week, WHOOP included COVID-19 as an option within the WHOOP Journal for members to monitor their symptoms. Members have the ability to complete surveys and daily condition check-ins as well as opt-in to participate in studies like this one.

"The proposed research collaboration between WHOOP and CQUniversity's Appleton Institute is a unique opportunity to investigate the impact of a global pandemic on the health of WHOOP users," said Professor Greg Roach, Head of Sleep & Circadian Physiology Research, CQUniversity. "By collating contextual factors collected in the WHOOP Journal with physiological trends in raw data, we may be able to provide insights into the health implications before, during and after suspected cases of COVID-19."

Earlier this year, WHOOP became the first wrist-worn wearable device to validate the accuracy of its respiratory rate during sleep in a third party study conducted by The University of Arizona and published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.

"Through extensive testing, we found that WHOOP is the gold-standard, non-invasive respiratory rate monitor with measurement accuracy within one breath per minute of perfect," said Dr. Sairam Parthasarathy, professor of medicine at the UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson and director of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Sciences. "An increase in respiratory rate has been shown to be an early warning sign in the development of both pulmonary and non-pulmonary disease."

The respiratory rate statistic that WHOOP provides to members rarely deviates from baseline, but it may fluctuate due to environmental shifts like altitude or physiological factors like a lower-respiratory tract infection. Unlike upper-respiratory infections like the flu or the common cold which are less likely to present changes in respiratory rate, COVID-19 is a lower-respiratory infection so noticing even the slightest change can be useful. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and in conjunction with the proposed CQUniversity study, WHOOP will release a new update to its mobile apps which will make it easier for members to monitor and interpret their respiratory rate every morning.

Learn about this update and more from Emily Capodilupo, WHOOP Vice President of Data Science and Research, at whoop.com/the-locker. WHOOP accurately tracks key measurements like heart rate variability, resting heart rate, and sleep staging to help members optimize their performance and overall well-being, but respiratory rate may be the most significant metric to track for those concerned about COVID-19.

WHOOP is not a medical device. Our products and services are not intended to diagnose COVID-19, the flu or any other disease, and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

About WHOOP
WHOOP, the human performance company, provides a membership for 24/7 coaching to improve performance. The WHOOP membership comes with free hardware (the new Whoop Strap 3.0), a coaching platform designed to optimize behavior, and a community of high performers. WHOOP members range from professional athletes and Fortune 500 CEOs to fitness enthusiasts and endurance competitors to executives and military personnel. Studies show WHOOP can increase sleep, prevent burnout, and improve performance. WHOOP is based in Boston and was founded in 2012. Visit WHOOP.com for the latest brand news and connect with us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.

About CQUniversity Australia
CQUniversity is Australia's most widespread tertiary institution, with more than 20 delivery sites across all mainland states. CQUniversity is also Queensland's only dual sector institution, offering both tertiary degrees and Vocational Education and Training. Details via www.cqu.edu.au.

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SOURCE WHOOP