Biowearables are much in the news as of late. The term “biowearables” was coined in the context of wearable health technology that provides personalized data to improve health outcomes. One such device is the Continuous Glucose Monitor by Abbott that I’m wearing called the Libre 3.
Until now, the scope of such devices has not included anything to do with Chronic Kidney Failure. I have always thought that the medical profession short-changed me in the early detection of and treatment of pre-dialysis. Their take was always CKF is on its downward slope (eGFR) and it’s going to keep on going regardless of medicine’s best effort to slow down or stop the decline. Nothing was suggested concerning diet or other life alterations about CKF. I was engaged in a spectator sport where the winner of the game, kidney failure, was preordained. So here we are today, on dialysis.
But there is perchance light at the end of the tunnel for those still on the slippery slope. As reported in TechCrunch (link) “Metyos’ goal is to build similar arm-worn (semi-invasive), real-time sensing tech, as is already established for diabetes management that can also detect chemical changes in fluids just under the skin, but that is focused on tracking biomarkers linked to chronic kidney conditions. It wants its biowearables to be prescribed by doctors as part of a remote treatment management package for patients — suggesting the approach could help doctors remotely spot warning signs linked to renal failure and hyperkalemia.
For patients, the goal is to empower them to become a more active participant in their own care — by offering recommendations (such as diet) and better understanding of CKD via the app. So the startup is taking a dual-sided approach that aims to bring data-driven insights to doctors and patients. If mobile tech has done anything, it’s given consumers an expectation of having access to information and being kept informed.
The startup says its biowearable will monitor ions and minerals that can build up in the bloodstream when kidney function is affected, sending data to an app on the user’s smartphone, via Bluetooth. From there the tech will be designed to relay user data to Metyos’ secure server in the cloud, where health professionals monitoring the patient’s condition can access it and remotely track disease progression. “
Metyos website is at this link. I have filled out their online form and offered research assistance.
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