Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34775555›Full record

SynthesisJournal of interventional cardiac electrophysiology : an international journal of arrhythmias and pacing2022

Accuracy of pulsatile photoplethysmography applications or handheld devices vs. 12-lead ECG for atrial fibrillation screening: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Yasar Sattar, David Song, Deepika Sarvepalli, Syeda Ramsha Zaidi, Waqas Ullah, Junaid Arshad, Tanveer Mir, Mohamed Zghouzi, Islam Y Elgendy, Waqas Qureshi and 2 more

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of interventional cardiac electrophysiology : an international journal of arrhythmias and pacing, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
0.6field-weighted citation impact, top 29% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 9 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Atrial fibrillation in continuous flow-left ventricular assist device (CF-LVAD) patients: impact on pathophysiology.Journal of artificial organs : the official journal of the Japanese Society for Artificial Organs · 2025
    Review
  2. Review
  3. Review
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors at 9 institutions in 4 countries.

Yasar SattarCardiology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA.
David SongCardiology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA.
Deepika SarvepalliInternal Medicine, Guntur Medical College, Guntur, Punjab, India.
Syeda Ramsha ZaidiInternal Medicine, Saint Mary Mercy Hospital, Livonia, MI, USA.
Waqas UllahCardiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Junaid ArshadInternal Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Tanveer MirCardiology, Detroit Medical Center Heart Hospital, 311 Mack Ave, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA.
Mohamed ZghouziCardiology, Detroit Medical Center Heart Hospital, 311 Mack Ave, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA.
Islam Y ElgendyCardiology, Weill Cornell University, Doha, Qatar.
Waqas QureshiCardiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.
Nagib ChalfounCardiology, Spectrum Health Heart and Vascular, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, USA.
MChadi AlraiesCardiology, Detroit Medical Center Heart Hospital, 311 Mack Ave, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA. alraies@hotmail.com.
Detroit Medical Center · USWest Virginia University · USGuntur Medical College · INMercy Hospital · USPakistan Institute of Medical Sciences · PKSpectrum Health · USThomas Jefferson University · USUniversity of Massachusetts Chan Medical School · USWeill Cornell Medical College in Qatar · QA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe relative accuracy of pulsatile photoplethysmography applications (PPG) or handheld (HH) devices compared with the gold standard 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) for the diagnosis of atrial fibrillation is unknown.

methodsDigital databases were searched to identify relevant articles. Raw data were pooled using a bivariate model to calculate diagnostic accuracy measures and estimate Hierarchical Summary Receiver Operating Characteristic (HSROC).

resultsA total of 10 articles comprising 4296 patients (mean age 68.9 years, with 56% males) were included in the analysis. Compared with EKG, the pooled sensitivity of PPG and HH devices in AF detection was 0.93 (95% CI 0.87-0.96; p < 0.05) and 0.87 (95% CI. 0.74-0.94; p < 0.05), respectively. The pooled specificity of PPG and HH devices in AF detection was 0.91 (95% CI 0.88-0.94; p < 0.05) and 0.96 (95% CI 0.90-0.98; p < 0.05), respectively. The diagnostic odds ratio was 129 and 144 for PPG and HH devices, respectively. Fagan's nomogram showed the probability of a patient having AF and normal rhythm on PPG or HH devices was 2-3%, while the post-test probability of having AF with an irregular R-R interval on PPG or HH devices was 73% and 82%, respectively. The scatter plot of positive and negative likelihood ratio showed high confirmation of AF and reliability of exclusion of absence of irregular R-R intervals (positive likelihood ratio > 10, and negative likelihood ratio < 0.1) on HH devices while PPG was used as confirmation only.

conclusionsThe PPG or HH devices can serve as a reliable alternative for the detection of AF.

Indexed as

Atrial FibrillationPhotoplethysmographyAgedElectrocardiographyFemaleHumansMaleReproducibility of ResultsSensitivity and SpecificityAtrial fibrillationPulsatile photoplethysmography SignalsScreeningSmart devices

Identifiers

PMID34775555
OpenAlexW3213457538

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.