Case Study: Hospital Clínic De Barcelona advances bipolar disorder monitoring with Empatica wearable biomarkers

Hospital Clínic De Barcelona tracks bipolar biomarkers over 48-hour wearables with Empatica

The Bipolar and Depressive Disorders Unit at Hospital Clínic de Barcelona sought objective methods to monitor bipolar disorder, as diagnosis and treatment tracking relied heavily on subjective patient interviews and self-reports, missing critical fluctuations between clinical visits. To address this, researchers initiated the INTREPIBD study using the Empatica EmbracePlus wearable to capture continuous physiological data.

Empatica provided the research-grade EmbracePlus wearable, which passively collected data on electrodermal activity, skin temperature, and heart rate variability during 48-hour real-world recordings. Key results included identifying a 0.8°C skin temperature increase during manic episodes and reduced electrodermal activity during depressive states, offering the first objective digital biomarkers for mood episodes. This work by Empatica has created a scalable framework for developing real-world endpoints in neuropsychiatric drug development and personalized care.

Hospital Clínic De Barcelona