VENTURA, Calif., Nov. 30 /PRNewswire/ — In a new study conducted at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego, researchers using the VivoMetrics(R) LifeShirt, a light weight lycra garment used to monitor respiratory and cardiopulmonary function, have discovered biofeedback techniques that can help treat recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) in children, a condition that affects 10-20% of the population.
Conducted by pediatric gastroenterologist, Warren Shapiro, MD, in collaboration with clinical health psychologist, Richard Gevirtz, PhD and doctoral health psychology student, Erik Sowder, MS both of Alliant International University in San Diego, the study involved 36 children ranging in age from seven to eighteen. The primary focus was to examine the use of biofeedback techniques — a method where people are trained to improve their health by using signals from their own bodies, in this case breathing patterns — to treat RAP. Children wore the LifeShirt to monitor their breathing and then participated in six biofeedback sessions to slow down their respiratory rate and lower the intensity and frequency of pain associated with RAP. After the six week period researchers used the LifeShirt once more to assess the physiologic changes of the children after the biofeedback sessions. Follow-up data indicated that 56% of children were pain free one month to two years after biofeedback treatment.
Erik Sowder, M.S., BCIAC, the lead researcher of the study explains, “Children often do not realize that breathing can affect their stomach pain. By wearing the LifeShirt the children were able to actually see how the breathing patterns changed how they felt, thereby increasing compliance with the biofeedback techniques we recommended, and motivating them to continue their treatment.”
The study began in August of 2003 and complete results of the study will be released in early 2005.
For more information about the LifeShirt, please visit http://www.vivometrics.com/.
About the LifeShirt System
The LifeShirt System is the first non-invasive, ambulatory monitoring system that continuously collects, records and analyzes a broad range of cardiopulmonary parameters. Users wear a lightweight, machine washable garment with embedded sensors that collect pulmonary, cardiac, posture and activity signals. Data collected by integrated peripheral devices measure blood pressure, blood oxygen saturation, EEG/EOG, periodic leg movement, temperature, end tidal CO2 and cough. An electronic diary captures subjective user input and all physiologic and subject data are correlated over time. The LifeShirt System has received FDA clearance and EMEA approval (CE Mark).
About VivoMetrics
VivoMetrics, founded in 1999, provides ambulatory monitoring products and services for the collection, analysis and reporting of subject-specific physiologic data. Pharmaceutical companies use VivoMetrics’ technologies to improve the speed and economics of clinical research. The company’s offerings also enable academic researchers to discover new clinical signatures of disease, and U.S. Government agencies to protect the lives of military and civilian first responders.
Contact information:
Elizabeth Gravatte
Director of Marketing
VivoMetrics Inc.
805.275.5834
Gita Chandra
Connors Communications
for VivoMetrics
212.798.1420
VivoMetrics
CONTACT: Elizabeth Gravatte, Director of Marketing, VivoMetrics Inc.,+1-805-275-5834, [email protected]; Gita Chandra of ConnorsCommunications, +1-212-798-1420, [email protected], for VivoMetrics
Web site: http://www.vivometrics.com/
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