Air Pollution ExposureNCT07477834
Assessing the Health Impact of Indoor Air Purification Using Health Data Obtained From Apple Watch Wearers
A study testing Real Filtration in people with Air Pollution Exposure and Heart Rate, run by New York University Abu Dhabi at 1 site in United Arab Emirates.
Trial 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. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 40 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Air Pollution Exposure, Heart Rate, Resting Heart Rate
- What is being tested?
- Real Filtration
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 42 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited Arab Emirates
- Study dates
- 9 Feb 2025to 22 Jun 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 40 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Own an Apple Watch Series 6 or above
- Own an iPhone
- iPhone and Apple Watch updated to the latest software versions (iOS 18 and watchOS 11, as of January 2025) to ensure consistent and latest algorithms for measuring health
- Age range: 18 - 40
- Non-smoker, defined as never smoke in life or have stopped smoking for at least one year before the start of the study
Who cannot join
- Own a Apple Watch sold by Apple in the United States on or after January 18, 2024 which does not support SpO2 measurements. These are indicated with part numbers ending in LW/A.
- Own or currently use an air quality monitor that can measure particulate matter
- Own or currently use an air purifier (humidifier or scent diffuser is fine)
- Any known pre-existing conditions: asthma, diabetes, obesity (BMI > 30), or chronic cardiorespiratory disease
- Taking any medications that might affect the heart and lung function
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United Arab Emirates1 site
New York University Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
About this study
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.
Read the 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
- Being tested
- Real Filtration, Sham Filtration
- Keywords
- Indoor Air Purification, Apple Watch, Digital Health Research
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Real FiltrationBehavioural
IQAir Atem X purifier with real filter (HyperHEPA) which is designed to remove PM2.5
Sham FiltrationBehavioural
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.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Real filtration first, followed by sham filtration | Experimental | Participants were randomly assigned to begin with either the real filter or sham filter, before switching halfway into the study. This group first received real air filtration for 2 weeks, followed by a 1-week washout period, and then 2 weeks of sham filtration. Receives: Behavioral: Real Filtration; Behavioral: Sham Filtration |
| Sham filtration first, followed by active filtration | Placebo comparator | Participants were randomly assigned to begin with either the real filter or sham filter, before switching halfway into the study. This group first received sham filtration for 2 weeks, followed by a 1-week washout period, and then 2 weeks of real filtration. Receives: Behavioral: Real Filtration; Behavioral: Sham Filtration |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Heart Rate Changes
Instantaneous heart rate is measured by the Apple Watch in the background throughout the two interventions. Values are compared between the real and sham filtration to assess the effect of air purification.
Unit: number of heartbeats per minute
Measured: During each 2-week intervention (real and sham filtration); 1-week washout period is excluded
Daily Resting Heart Rate Changes
Resting heart rate is the daily average heart rate during rest measured by the Apple Watch in the background, reported by the Apple Watch as one single aggregated value per day, throughout the two interventions. Values are compared between the real and sham filtration to assess the effect of air purification.
Unit: number of heartbeats per minute
Measured: During each 2-week intervention (real and sham filtration); 1-week washout period is excluded
Heart Rate Variability Changes
Heart rate variability, variation in time between consecutive heartbeats, is measured by the Apple Watch in the background throughout the two interventions. The Apple Watch specifically measures the Standard Deviation of NN intervals (SDNN). Values are compared between the real and sham filtration to assess the effect of air purification.
Unit: millisecond
Measured: During each 2-week intervention (real and sham filtration); 1-week washout period is excluded
Oxygen Saturation Changes
Percentage of blood oxygen saturation is measured by the Apple Watch in the background throughout the two interventions. Values are compared between the real and sham filtration to assess the effect of air purification.
Unit: %
Measured: During each 2-week intervention (real and sham filtration); 1-week washout period is excluded
Sleep Respiratory Rate Changes
Respiratory rate is measured by the Apple Watch in the background during sleep throughout the two interventions. Values are compared between the real and sham filtration to assess the effect of air purification.
Unit: number of breaths per minute
Measured: During each 2-week intervention (real and sham filtration); 1-week washout period is excluded
Sleep Stages Durations Changes
Nightly duration of sleep stages (Core, Deep, REM, and Awake) is calculated by summing individual sleep samples and their respective timestamps as measured by the Apple Watch in the background during sleep throughout the interventions. Values are compared between the real and sham filtration to assess the effect of air purification.
Unit: hour
Measured: During each 2-week intervention (real and sham filtration); 1-week washout period is excluded
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted17 Mar 2026
- Study start9 Feb 2025
- Primary completion22 Jun 2025
- Study completion22 Jun 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Air Pollution ExposureStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator
- Enrolment
- 42 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- New York University Abu Dhabi
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- IQAir AG, LUT University
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Samreen Malik, New York University Abu Dhabi
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07477834
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- HRPP-2024-148
- Status last verified
- Feb 2026
- First submitted
- 12 Mar 2026
- Last updated
- 17 Mar 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 17 Mar 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Assessing the Health Impact of Indoor Air Purification Using Health Data Obtained From Apple Watch Wearers
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07477834
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- HRPP-2024-148
- Conditions
- Air Pollution Exposure, Heart Rate, Resting Heart Rate, HRV, SpO2, Respiratory Rate
- Keywords
- Indoor Air Purification, Apple Watch, Digital Health Research
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 42 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- New York University Abu DhabiUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- IQAir AG, LUT University
- Study start
- 9 Feb 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 22 Jun 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 22 Jun 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 17 Mar 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
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.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, investigator)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Real filtration first, followed by sham filtration | Experimental | Behavioral: Real Filtration, Behavioral: Sham FiltrationParticipants were randomly assigned to begin with either the real filter or sham filter, before switching halfway into the study. This group first received real air filtration for 2 weeks, followed by a 1-week washout period, and then 2 weeks of sham filtration. |
| Sham filtration first, followed by active filtration | Placebo comparator | Behavioral: Real Filtration, Behavioral: Sham FiltrationParticipants were randomly assigned to begin with either the real filter or sham filter, before switching halfway into the study. This group first received sham filtration for 2 weeks, followed by a 1-week washout period, and then 2 weeks of real filtration. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 40 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Own an Apple Watch Series 6 or above
- Own an iPhone
- iPhone and Apple Watch updated to the latest software versions (iOS 18 and watchOS 11, as of January 2025) to ensure consistent and latest algorithms for measuring health
- Age range: 18 - 40
- Non-smoker, defined as never smoke in life or have stopped smoking for at least one year before the start of the study
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Own a Apple Watch sold by Apple in the United States on or after January 18, 2024 which does not support SpO2 measurements. These are indicated with part numbers ending in LW/A.
- Own or currently use an air quality monitor that can measure particulate matter
- Own or currently use an air purifier (humidifier or scent diffuser is fine)
- Any known pre-existing conditions: asthma, diabetes, obesity (BMI > 30), or chronic cardiorespiratory disease
- Taking any medications that might affect the heart and lung function
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Real FiltrationIQAir Atem X purifier with real filter (HyperHEPA) which is designed to remove PM2.5 | Behavioural | Real filtration first, followed by sham filtration, Sham filtration first, followed by active filtration |
| Sham FiltrationIQAir 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. | Behavioural | Real filtration first, followed by sham filtration, Sham filtration first, followed by active filtration |
Primary outcome
Heart Rate Changes
Time frame: During each 2-week intervention (real and sham filtration); 1-week washout period is excluded
Instantaneous heart rate is measured by the Apple Watch in the background throughout the two interventions. Values are compared between the real and sham filtration to assess the effect of air purification. Unit: number of heartbeats per minute
Daily Resting Heart Rate Changes
Time frame: During each 2-week intervention (real and sham filtration); 1-week washout period is excluded
Resting heart rate is the daily average heart rate during rest measured by the Apple Watch in the background, reported by the Apple Watch as one single aggregated value per day, throughout the two interventions. Values are compared between the real and sham filtration to assess the effect of air purification. Unit: number of heartbeats per minute
Heart Rate Variability Changes
Time frame: During each 2-week intervention (real and sham filtration); 1-week washout period is excluded
Heart rate variability, variation in time between consecutive heartbeats, is measured by the Apple Watch in the background throughout the two interventions. The Apple Watch specifically measures the Standard Deviation of NN intervals (SDNN). Values are compared between the real and sham filtration to assess the effect of air purification. Unit: millisecond
Oxygen Saturation Changes
Time frame: During each 2-week intervention (real and sham filtration); 1-week washout period is excluded
Percentage of blood oxygen saturation is measured by the Apple Watch in the background throughout the two interventions. Values are compared between the real and sham filtration to assess the effect of air purification. Unit: %
Sleep Respiratory Rate Changes
Time frame: During each 2-week intervention (real and sham filtration); 1-week washout period is excluded
Respiratory rate is measured by the Apple Watch in the background during sleep throughout the two interventions. Values are compared between the real and sham filtration to assess the effect of air purification. Unit: number of breaths per minute
Sleep Stages Durations Changes
Time frame: During each 2-week intervention (real and sham filtration); 1-week washout period is excluded
Nightly duration of sleep stages (Core, Deep, REM, and Awake) is calculated by summing individual sleep samples and their respective timestamps as measured by the Apple Watch in the background during sleep throughout the interventions. Values are compared between the real and sham filtration to assess the effect of air purification. Unit: hour
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 17 Mar 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Real Filtration in people with Air Pollution Exposure and Heart Rate, run by New York University Abu Dhabi at 1 site in United Arab Emirates.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 17 Mar 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United Arab Emirates. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Heart Rate Changes (time frame: During each 2-week intervention (real and sham filtration); 1-week washout period is excluded). The study lists 6 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 17 Mar 2026.