NCT07477834

Assessing the Health Impact of Indoor Air Purification Using Health Data Obtained From Apple Watch Wearers

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 42 (actual)
• Sponsor: New York University Abu Dhabi · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 40 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

This study aims to use the Apple Watch health metrics to assess short-term physiological responses in a randomized, double-blind, crossover real-world indoor purification intervention.

Detailed description

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) poses significant health risks. While indoor air purification is a proven mitigation approach, most studies have used medical devices with limited usability and practicality. Thus, this study aims to use the Apple Watch health metrics to assess short-term physiological responses in a randomized, double-blind, crossover real-world indoor purification intervention with the IQAir Atem X, the first of its kind in the UAE. The study aims to recruit 42 healthy, non-smoking young adults to undergo two 2-week interventions (real and sham filters), separated by a 1-week washout, at the New York University Abu Dhabi campus. Collected Apple Watch metrics include: heart rate, heart rate variability, daily resting heart rate, sleep respiratory rate, blood oxygen saturation, and sleep stages durations. Daily time-location surveys enable personal PM2.5 exposure estimation from fixed-site sensors. Physiological outcomes and their associations with filtration and PM2.5 exposure are analyzed with paired tests and linear mixed-effect regression models.

Conditions

• Air Pollution Exposure
• Heart Rate
• Resting Heart Rate
• HRV
• SpO2
• Respiratory Rate
• Sleep

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Real Filtration	IQAir Atem X purifier with real filter (HyperHEPA) which is designed to remove PM2.5
BEHAVIORAL	Sham Filtration	IQAir Atem X purifier with sham filter which does not filter any PM2.5. When installed inside the purifiers, the sham filter produced the same appearance and sound as the real one, making the two interventions indistinguishable to participants.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-02-09
• Primary completion: 2025-06-22
• Completion: 2025-06-22
• First posted: 2026-03-17
• Last updated: 2026-03-17

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United Arab Emirates