Multiparametric Wearable System Based on Fiber Bragg Grating Sensor to Monitor Dengue Clinical Manifestations

Dengue fever is associated with a broad range of clinical symptoms. Early alterations in heart rate (HR) and the presence of lower limb edema may serve as valuable biomarkers for assessing the risk of severe development of the disease. Wearable systems can aid in managing dengue by continuously monitoring key physiological signs and providing early warning of potential complications. In this work, we present a multiparametric wearable system for the simultaneous monitoring of HR and ankle edema. The proposed system is based on fiber Bragg grating (FBG) technology within a flexible matrix, whose feasibility was assessed in two healthy volunteers. Preliminary results are promising: the system successfully detected changes in the ankle swallowing and HR. Specifically, it measures ankle diameter changes of up to 0.5 mm, corresponding to Bragg wavelength shifts of approximately 0.4 0. 5 ∼ n m. For HR monitoring, Bland-Altman analysis showed a maximum mean of differences (MOD) of 1. 3 ∼ b p m and limits of agreement (LoAs) ranging from -1 2. 8 to +1 2. 2∼ b p m, confirming a good agreement with the clinical reference measurements. The adoption of such systems, which can monitor the investigated parameters and potentially additional clinical manifestations of Dengue early, may be beneficial in both triage and clinical care settings, providing opportunities for effective remote monitoring and supporting the safe management of ambulatory patients.