Heart failure management during the COVID-19 outbreak in Italy: a telemedicine experience from a heart failure university tertiary referral centre

Application of telemedicine technology for cardiovascular diseases management during the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review

Background

Recently, the use of telemedicine technology has increased due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Cardiovascular diseases management is one of the areas that has benefited from using this technology. This study aimed to identify the applications of telemedicine for cardiovascular diseases management during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Methods

This scoping study was conducted in 2023. Various databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, Ovid, CINAHL, ProQuest, and IEEE Xplore along with Google Scholar were searched and all related quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method studies published in English between 2020 and 2022 were included. Finally, the required data were extracted, and the findings were reported narratively.

Results

A total of 17 articles were included in this study. The results showed that teleconsultation via telephone and videoconferencing were the most common used technologies. Telemedicine helped to improve clinical impacts such as patient health status and quality of care, and reduced hospitalizations and re-admission rates compared to in-person visits. The non-clinical impact included reducing waiting time, in-person visits, and healthcare costs during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Conclusion

The Covid-19 pandemic has led to an increased use of telemedicine technology, especially for patients with cardiovascular diseases. As teleconsultation and telemonitoring are useful for cardiovascular diseases management and regular examinations, future research should investigate how these technologies can be improved and used for a wider population.

Heart failure care in the Central and Eastern Europe and Baltic region: status, barriers, and routes to improvement

Despite improvements over recent years, morbidity and mortality associated with heart failure (HF) are higher in countries in the Central and Eastern Europe and Baltic region than in Western Europe. With the goal of improving the standard of HF care and patient outcomes in the Central and Eastern Europe and Baltic region, this review aimed to identify the main barriers to optimal HF care and potential areas for improvement. This information was used to suggest methods to improve HF management and decrease the burden of HF in the region that can be implemented at the national and regional levels. We performed a literature search to collect information about HF epidemiology in 11 countries in the region (Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia). The prevalence of HF in the region was 1.6-4.7%, and incidence was 3.1-6.0 per 1000 person-years. Owing to the scarcity of published data on HF management in these countries, we also collected insights on local HF care and management practices via two surveys of 11 HF experts representing the 11 countries. Based on the combined results of the literature review and surveys, we created national HF care and management profiles for each country and developed a common patient pathway for HF for the region. We identified five main barriers to optimal HF care: (i) lack of epidemiological data, (ii) low awareness of HF, (iii) lack of national HF strategies, (iv) infrastructure and system gaps, and (v) poor access to novel HF treatments. To overcome these barriers, we propose the following routes to improvement: (i) establish regional and national prospective HF registries for the systematic collection of epidemiological data; (ii) establish education campaigns for the public, patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals; (iii) establish formal HF strategies to set clear and measurable policy goals and support budget planning; (iv) improve access to quality-of-care centres, multidisciplinary care teams, diagnostic tests, and telemedicine/telemonitoring; and (v) establish national treatment monitoring programmes to develop policies that ensure that adequate proportions of healthcare budgets are reserved for novel therapies. These routes to improvement represent a first step towards improving outcomes in patients with HF in the Central and Eastern Europe and Baltic region by decreasing disparities in HF care within the region and between the region and Western Europe.

Heart Failure Management through Telehealth: Expanding Care and Connecting Hearts

Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of morbidity worldwide, imposing a significant burden on deaths, hospitalizations, and health costs. Anticipating patients' deterioration is a cornerstone of HF treatment: preventing congestion and end organ damage while titrating HF therapies is the aim of the majority of clinical trials. Anyway, real-life medicine struggles with resource optimization, often reducing the chances of providing a patient-tailored follow-up. Telehealth holds the potential to drive substantial qualitative improvement in clinical practice through the development of patient-centered care, facilitating resource optimization, leading to decreased outpatient visits, hospitalizations, and lengths of hospital stays. Different technologies are rising to offer the best possible care to many subsets of patients, facing any stage of HF, and challenging extreme scenarios such as heart transplantation and ventricular assist devices. This article aims to thoroughly examine the potential advantages and obstacles presented by both existing and emerging telehealth technologies, including artificial intelligence.

Impact of a clinician-to-clinician electronic consultation in heart failure patients with previous hospital admissions

Aims

To evaluate the impact of an outpatient care management programme that includes a clinician-to-clinician e-consultation on delay time in care, hospital admissions, and mortality in a high-risk group of patients with heart failure (HF) and previous episodes of HF hospitalization (HFH).

Methods and results

We selected 6444 HF patients who visited the cardiology service at least once between 2010 and 2021. Of these, 4851 were attended in e-consult, and 2230 had previous HFH. Using an interrupted time series regression model, we analysed the impact of incorporating e-consult into the healthcare model in the group of patients with HFH and evaluated the elapsed time to cardiology care, HF, cardiovascular (CV), and all-cause hospital admissions and mortality, calculating the incidence relative risk (iRR). In the group of patients with HFH, the introduction of e-consult substantially decreased waiting times to cardiology care (8.6 [8.7] vs. 55.4 [79.9] days, P < 0.001). In that group of patients, after e-consult implantation, hospital admissions for HF were reduced (iRR [95%CI]: 0.837 [0.840-0.833]), 0.900 [0.862-0.949] for CV and 0.699 [0.678-0.726] for all-cause hospitalizations. There was also lower mortality (iRR [95%CI]: 0.715 [0.657-0.798] due to HF, 0.737 [0.764-0.706] for CV and 0.687 [0.652-0.718] for all-cause). The improved outcomes after e-consultation implementation were significantly higher in the group of patients with previous HFH.

Conclusion

In patients with HFH, an outpatient care programme that includes an e-consult significantly reduced waiting times to cardiology care and was safe, with a lower rate of hospital admissions and mortality in the first year.

COVID-19 and Cardiovascular Diseases: From Cellular Mechanisms to Clinical Manifestations

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), quickly spread worldwide and led to over 581 million confirmed cases and over 6 million deaths as 1 August 2022. The binding of the viral surface spike protein to the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor is the primary mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Not only highly expressed in the lung, ACE2 is also widely distributed in the heart, mainly in cardiomyocytes and pericytes. The strong association between COVID-19 and cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been demonstrated by increased clinical evidence. Preexisting CVD risk factors, including obesity, hypertension, and diabetes etc., increase susceptibility to COVID-19. In turn, COVID-19 exacerbates the progression of CVD, including myocardial damage, arrhythmia, acute myocarditis, heart failure, and thromboembolism. Moreover, cardiovascular risks post recovery and the vaccination-associated cardiovascular problems have become increasingly evident. To demonstrate the association between COVID-19 and CVD, this review detailly illustrated the impact of COVID-19 on different cells (cardiomyocytes, pericytes, endothelial cells, and fibroblasts) in myocardial tissue and provides an overview of the clinical manifestations of cardiovascular involvements in the pandemic. Finally, the issues related to myocardial injury post recovery, as well as vaccination-induced CVD, has also been emphasized.

Telemedicine for the treatment of heart failure: new opportunities after COVID-19

ABSTRACT

During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the epidemiology of heart failure significantly changed with reduced access to health system resources and a worsening of patients' outcome. Understanding the causes of these phenomena could be important to refine the management of heart failure during and after the pandemic. Telemedicine was associated with an improvement in heart failure outcomes in several studies; therefore, it may help in refining the out-of-hospital care of heart failure. In this review, the authors describe the changes in heart failure epidemiology during the COVID-19 pandemic; analyse available evidence on use and benefit of telemedicine during the pandemic and prepandemic periods; and discuss approaches to optimize the home-based or outpatient heart failure management in the future, beyond the pandemic.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic upon a universal electronic consultation program (e-consultation) between general practitioners and cardiologists

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Virtual healthcare models, usually between healthcare professionals and patients, have developed strongly during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, but there are no data corresponding to models between clinicians. An analysis was made of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic upon the activity and health outcomes of the universal e-consultation program for patient referrals between primary care physicians and the Cardiology Department in our healthcare area.

METHODS

Patients with at least one e-consultation between 2018 and 2021 were selected. We analyzed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic upon activity and waiting time for care, hospitalizations and mortality, taking as reference the consultations carried out during 2018.

RESULTS

A total of 25,121 patients were analyzed. Logistic regression analysis showed a shorter delay in care and resolution of the e-consultation without the need for face-to-face care to be associated to a better prognosis. The COVID-19 pandemic periods (2019-2020 and 2020-2021) were not associated to poorer health outcomes compared to 2018.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of our study show a significant reduction in e-consultation referrals during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a subsequent recovery in the demand for care, and without the pandemic periods being associated to poorer outcomes. The reduction in time elapsed for resolving the e-consultations and no need for face-to-face visits were associated to improved outcomes.

[Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic above a universal electronic consultation program (e-consultation) between general practitioners and cardiologists]

Blackground and objective

Virtual healthcare models, usually between healthcare professionals and patients, have developed strongly during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, but there are not data of models between clinicians. Our objective is to analyse the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the activity and health outcomes of the universal e-consultation program for patient referrals between primary care physicians and the Cardiology Department in our area.

Methods

Patients with at least one e-consultation between 2018 and 2021 were selected. We analysed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on activity and waiting time for care, hospitalizations and mortality, taking as a reference the consultations carried out during 2018.

Results

We analysed 25,121 patients. Through logistic regression analysis, it was observed that a shorter delay in care and resolution of the e-consultation without the need for face-to-face care were associated with a better prognosis. The COVID-19 pandemic periods (2019-2020 and 2020-2021) were not associated with worse health outcomes compared to 2018.

Conclusions

The results of our study show a significant reduction in e-consult referrals during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic with a subsequent recovery in the demand for care without the pandemic periods being associated with worse outcomes. The reduction in the time elapsed for solving the e-consult and no need for in-person visit were associated with better outcomes.

Virtual Cardiology: Past, Present, Future Directions, and Considerations

Purpose of Review

Through this review, we attempt to explore the role of telemedicine and virtual visits in the field of cardiology pre-COVID-19 and during COVID-19 pandemic, their limitations and their future scope for delivery of care.

Recent Findings

Telemedicine, which rose to prominence during COVID-19 pandemic, helped not only in reducing the burden on the healthcare system during a time of crisis but also in improving patient outcomes. Patients and physicians also favored virtual visits when feasible. Virtual visits were found to have the potential to be continued beyond the pandemic and play a significant role in patient care alongside conventional face-to-face visits.

Summary

Although tele-cardiology has proven beneficial in terms of patient care, convenience, and access, it comes with its fair share of limitations-both logistical and medical. Whilst there remains a great scope for improvement in the quality of patient care provided through telemedicine, it has shown the potential to become an integral part of medical practice in the future.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12170-023-00719-0.

The Evolving Phenotypes of Cardiovascular Disease during COVID-19 Pandemic

COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the management of patients with acute and chronic cardiovascular disease: acute coronary syndrome patients were often not timely reperfused, heart failure patients not adequately followed up and titrated, atrial arrhythmias not efficaciously treated and became chronic. New phenotypes of cardiovascular patients were more and more frequent during COVID-19 pandemic and are expected to be even more frequent in the next future in the new world shaped by the pandemic. We therefore aimed to briefly summarize the main changes in the phenotype of cardiovascular patients in the COVID-19 era, focusing on new clinical challenges and possible therapeutic options.

Motivational Interviewing for Enhancing Self-care in Patients With Heart Failure: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Heart failure (HF) is characterized by an increasing prevalence, representing a public health problem and a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Self-care is a cornerstone approach for optimizing therapy for patients with HF. Patients play a crucial role in managing their condition, given that several adverse health outcomes might be avoided with adequate self-care. In this regard, the literature describes motivational interviewing (MI) as highly favorable for treating chronic diseases, with promising results supporting its efficacy in enhancing self-care. Moreover, caregivers' availability constitutes a fundamental supporting factor among the strategies to improve self-care behaviors in people with HF.

OBJECTIVE

The primary study aim is to test the efficacy of a structured program, including scheduled MI interventions, in improving self-care maintenance in the 3-month follow-up from the enrollment. Secondary aims comprehend the assessment of the effectiveness of the above intervention on secondary outcomes (eg, self-care monitoring, quality of life, sleep disturbance) and the corroboration of the superiority of caregivers' participation to the intervention over the program administrated only to individual patients in enhancing self-care behaviors and other outcomes at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months from the enrollment.

METHODS

This study protocol designed a prospective, parallel-arm, open-label, 3-arm, controlled trial. The MI intervention will be administered by nurses trained in HF self-care and MI; the education program will be provided to nurses by an expert psychologist. Analyses will be performed within the framework of intention-to-treat analysis. Comparisons between groups will be based on an alpha of 5% and 2-tailed null hypotheses. In the case of missingness, analyzing the extent of the missingness and identifying underlying mechanisms and patterns will guide imputation methods.

RESULTS

The data collection was started in May 2017. We completed the data collection with the last follow-up in May 2021. We plan to perform data analysis by December 2022. We plan to publish the study results within March 2023.

CONCLUSIONS

MI enhances potential self-care practices in patients with HF and their caregivers. Although MI is effectively largely employed either alone or combined with other treatments and is administered in different settings and ways, face-to-face interventions seem to be more effective. Dyads with higher shared HF knowledge are more efficient in promoting self-care adherence behaviors. Moreover, patients and caregivers may perceive proximity with health care professionals, resulting in a better ability to follow the received health professionals' directions. The scheduled in-person meetings with patients and caregivers will be exploited to administer MI, respecting all the safety regulations for infection containment. The conduction of this study may support changes in clinical practice to include MI to improve self-care for patients with HF.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05595655; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05595655.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/44629.

Management and outcomes of chest pain telemedicine visits in a cardiology clinic during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background

Beginning in March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced many outpatient chest pain evaluations to be performed via telemedicine. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of telemedicine on management and outcomes of patients who presented with chest pain.

Methods

This retrospective chart review study included 771 unique patients, age >18 years, who were seen face-to-face in cardiology clinic visits from March 2019 through September 2019 with an encounter diagnosis of chest pain or angina, compared with 172 unique patients of age >18 who were seen via telehealth visit from March 2020 through September 2020. Data were extracted on patients' clinical outcomes up to 1 year after the initial visit, including emergency department visit or hospital admission for chest pain, any hospital admission, additional diagnostic testing, revascularization, and death (cardiovascular or any).

Results

The telehealth group had higher rates of emergency department visits (19.2% vs 11.7%, P = 0.008), hospital admissions for chest pain (16.9% vs 10.5%, P = 0.019), as well as all hospital admissions (36.1% vs 28.2%, P = 0.04) compared with the face-to-face group. More patients in the face-to-face group received a stress test (41.1% vs 21.5% for the telehealth group; P < 0.001). There were no other statistically significant differences for diagnostic evaluations, revascularization, or death.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that in-person evaluation for chest pain may aid in reducing the number of emergency department visits and hospital admissions when compared to telehealth evaluation.

Effects of COVID-19 pandemic on the management of pulmonary hypertension

The coronavirus of 2019 (COVID-19) disrupted delivery of healthcare. Patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH), especially pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), require significant resources for both diagnosis and management and are at high risk for decompensation due to disruption in their care. A survey consisting of 47 questions related to the care of patients with PH was designed by the American College of Chest Physicians 2020-2021 Pulmonary Vascular Disease (PVD) NetWork Steering Committee and sent to all members of the PVD NetWork, as well as the multiple other professional networks for PH. Participation was voluntary and anonymous. Responses were collected from November 2020 through February 2021. Ninety-five providers responded to this survey. The majority (93%) believe that care of PH patients has been affected by the pandemic. Sixty-seven percent observed decreased referrals for PH evaluation. Prior to the pandemic, only 15% used telemedicine for management of PH patients compared to 84% during the pandemic. Telemedicine was used most for follow up of selected low-risk patients (49%). While 22% respondents were completely willing to prescribe new PAH therapy via telemedicine, 11% respondents were completely unwilling. Comfort levels differed based on type of medication being prescribed. Over 90% of providers experienced disruptions in obtaining testing and 31% experienced disruptions in renewal or approval of medications. Overall, providers perceived that the COVID-19 pandemic caused significant disruption of care for PH patients. Telemedicine utilization increased but was used mostly in low-risk patients. Some providers had a decreased level of comfort prescribing PAH therapy via telemedicine encounters.

The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Hospitalization and Interventional Procedures for Cardiovascular Diseases during the First Wave in Italy

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been responsible for an epidemic of devastating proportion, and it has represented a challenge for worldwide healthcare systems with the need of resources reallocation in order to face epidemic spread. Italy was one of the hardest hit countries by COVID-19, and the Italian government adopted strict rules to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as national lockdown and home quarantine; moreover, the Italian healthcare system had to rapidly re-organize the diagnostic and therapeutic pathways, with a reallocation of health resources and hospital beds, in order to manage COVID-19 patients. The aim of the present review is to provide an overview of the effects of the first pandemic wave on cardiovascular assistance in Italy with the purpose of evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the Italian health system.

An electronic consultation program impacts on heart failure patients' prognosis: implications for heart failure care

AIMS

e-consults are asynchronous, clinician-to-clinician exchanges that answer focused, non-urgent, patient-specific questions using the electronic medical record. We instituted an e-consultation programme (2013-2019) for all general practitioners (GPs) referrals to cardiologists that preceded patients' in-person consultations when considered. In our study, we aimed to analyse the clinical characteristics, 1 year prognosis and the prognostic determinants of patients with a previous diagnosis of HF referred for an e-consult, categorized by their previous HF-related hospitalization status (recent hospitalization, <1 year before; remote hospitalization, >1 year before or never been hospitalized because of HF), and to analyse the impact of reducing the time elapsed between e-consultation and response by the cardiologist in terms of prognosis.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Epidemiological and clinical data were obtained from 4851 HF patients referred by GPs to the cardiology department for an e-consultation 2013 and 2020. The delay of time to e-consults were solved was 8.6 + 8.6 days with 84.3% solved in <14 days. For the 1 year prognosis evaluation after the e-consult were assessed the cardiovascular hospitalizations, HF-related hospitalizations, HF-related mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and all-cause mortality. Compared with the group without a previous hospitalization, patients with recent and remote HF hospitalization were at higher risk of a new HF-related hospitalization (OR: 19.41 [95% CI: 12.95-29.11]; OR: 8.44 [95% CI: 5.14-13.87], respectively), HF-related mortality (OR: 2.47 [95% CI: 1.43-4.27]; OR: 1.25 [95% CI: 0.51-3.06], respectively), as well as cardiovascular hospitalizations and mortality and all-cause mortality. Reduction in the time elapsed because e-consultation was solved was associated with lower risk of HF-related mortality (OR: 0.94 [95% CI: 0.89-0.99]), cardiovascular mortality (OR: 0.96 [95% CI: 0.93-0.98]), and all-cause mortality (OR: 0.98 [95% CI: 0.97-1.00]).

CONCLUSIONS

A clinician-to-clinician e-consultation programme between GPs and cardiologists in patients with HF allows to solve the demand of care in around 25% e-consults without an in-person consultation; the patients with a previous history of HF-related hospitalization showed a worse 1 year outcome. A reduction in the time elapsed because e-consultation was solved was associated with a mortality reduction.

The Association Between Telemedicine Use and Changes in Health Care Usage and Outcomes in Patients With Congestive Heart Failure: Retrospective Cohort Study

Background

Telemedicine use has become widespread owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, but its impact on patient outcomes remains unclear.

Objective

We sought to investigate the effect of telemedicine use on changes in health care usage and clinical outcomes in patients diagnosed with congestive heart failure (CHF).

Methods

We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study using administrative data in Ontario, Canada. Patients were included if they had at least one ambulatory visit between March 14 and September 30, 2020, and a heart failure diagnosis any time prior to March 14, 2020. Telemedicine users were propensity score–matched with unexposed users based on several baseline characteristics. Monthly use of various health care services was compared between the 2 groups during 12 months before to 3 months after their index in-person or telemedicine ambulatory visit after March 14, 2020, using generalized estimating equations.

Results

A total of 11,131 pairs of telemedicine and unexposed patients were identified after matching (49% male; mean age 78.9, SD 12.0 years). All patients showed significant reductions in health service usage from pre- to postindex visit. There was a greater decline across time in the unexposed group than in the telemedicine group for CHF admissions (ratio of slopes for high- vs low-frequency users 1.02, 95% CI 1.02-1.03), cardiovascular admissions (1.03, 95% CI 1.02-1.04), any-cause admissions (1.03, 95% CI 1.02-1.04), any-cause ED visits (1.03, 95% CI 1.03-1.04), visits with any cardiologist (1.01, 95% CI 1.01-1.02), laboratory tests (1.02, 95% CI 1.02-1.03), diagnostic tests (1.04, 95% CI 1.03-1.05), and new prescriptions (1.02, 95% CI 1.01-1.03). However, the decline in primary care visit rates was steeper among telemedicine patients than among unexposed patients (ratio of slopes 0.99, 95% CI 0.99-1.00).

Conclusions

Overall health care usage over time appeared higher among telemedicine users than among low-frequency users or nonusers, suggesting that telemedicine was used by patients with the greatest need or that it allowed patients to have better access or continuity of care among those who received it.

Provider and Patient Satisfaction with Telemedicine Voice Therapy During the COVID-19 Pandemic

OBJECTIVES

The COVID-19 pandemic expanded the use of telemedicine, but there is no literature exploring both patient and provider satisfaction specifically in the provision of voice therapy. This study aims to investigate patient and provider satisfaction with virtual voice therapy, its associated factors, and any correlation between the two.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study. Participants included 226 adults who underwent voice therapy delivered via telepractice at the USC Voice Center between April and October 2020. Patients and providers self-reported their level of satisfaction on a visual analog scale (VAS; range 0-100). Patient satisfaction was additionally measured using a previously validated Telemedicine Satisfaction Questionnaire (TSQ; range 1-5), and a binary question about their desire to choose telemedicine over in-person therapy in the future. Three speech-language pathologists rated provider satisfaction for all 226 patients. Patient satisfaction survey was completed by 55 patients. Multivariable linear regression analyses and linear mixed-effects models were used to assess the results.

RESULTS

Patient and provider mean (SD) VAS satisfaction scores were 86.8 (18.6) and 80.6 (19.7), respectively. The mean (SD) TSQ score was 4.4 (0.6). In a multivariable model, patient satisfaction levels were significantly higher for hypofunctional than for hyperfunctional dysphonia diagnoses. Forty-four (73%) patients reported they would prefer telemedicine voice therapy over in-person appointments, which was significantly correlated with internet reliability (P = 0.04). For providers, satisfaction was significantly lower for patients whose diagnosis had changed after initiation of voice therapy (Δ = -16.0 [95% CI: -28.7 to -3.2]) and for encounters with Asian patients compared to White patients (Δ = -11.6 [95% CI: -18.9 to -4.2]). Patient and provider satisfaction scores were weakly correlated (r = 0.19).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that virtual voice therapy is not simply an alternative to in-person service, but rather an effective method useful beyond the current pandemic with proper diagnosis and technical support.

Changes in Acute Myocardial Infarction, Stroke, and Heart Failure Hospitalizations During COVID-19 Pandemic in Tuscany-An Interrupted Time Series Study

Objectives: We evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on unplanned hospitalization rates for patients without COVID-19, including their length of stay, and in-hospital mortality, overall, and for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), stroke, and heart failure in the Tuscany region of Italy. Methods: We carried out a population-based controlled interrupted time series study using segmented linear regression with an autoregressive error term based on admissions data from all public hospitals in Tuscany. The primary outcome measure was weekly hospitalization rates; secondary outcomes included length of stay, and in-hospital mortality. Results: The implementation of the pandemic-related mitigation measures and fear of infection was associated with large decreases in inpatient hospitalization rates overall (-182 [-234, -130]), unplanned hospitalization (-39 [-51, -26]), and for AMI (-1.32 [-1.98, -0.66]), stroke (-1.51 [-2.56, -0.44]), and heart failure (-8.7 [-11.1, -6.3]). Average length of stay and percent in-hospital mortality for select acute medical conditions did not change significantly. Conclusion: In Tuscany, Italy, the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with large reductions in hospitalization rates overall, as well as for heart failure, and the time sensitive conditions of AMI and stroke during the months January to July 2020.

ESC guidance for the diagnosis and management of cardiovascular disease during the COVID-19 pandemic: part 2-care pathways, treatment, and follow-up

AIMS

Since its emergence in early 2020, the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has reached pandemic levels, and there have been repeated outbreaks across the globe. The aim of this two part series is to provide practical knowledge and guidance to aid clinicians in the diagnosis and management of cardiovascular (CV) disease in association with COVID-19.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A narrative literature review of the available evidence has been performed, and the resulting information has been organized into two parts. The first, which was reported previously, focused on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and diagnosis of CV conditions that may be manifest in patients with COVID-19. This second part addresses the topics of: care pathways and triage systems and management and treatment pathways, both of the most commonly encountered CV conditions and of COVID-19; and information that may be considered useful to help patients with CV disease (CVD) to avoid exposure to COVID-19.

CONCLUSION

This comprehensive review is not a formal guideline but rather a document that provides a summary of current knowledge and guidance to practicing clinicians managing patients with CVD and COVID-19. The recommendations are mainly the result of observations and personal experience from healthcare providers. Therefore, the information provided here may be subject to change with increasing knowledge, evidence from prospective studies, and changes in the pandemic. Likewise, the guidance provided in the document should not interfere with recommendations provided by local and national healthcare authorities.

Effects of COVID-19 lockdown on arrhythmias in patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators in southern Italy

Background

The effects of lockdown on non-COVID patients are varied and unexpected. The aim is to evaluate the burden of cardiac arrhythmias during a lockdown period because of COVID-19 pandemics in a population implanted with cardiac defibrillators and followed by remote monitoring.

Methods

In this retrospective, multicentre cohort study, we included 574 remotely monitored implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) and cardiac resynchronization therapy-defibrillator (CRT-D) recipients implanted before January 1, 2019, at seven hospitals in the Campania region, comparing the burden of arrhythmias occurred during the lockdown period because of COVID-19 epidemics (from March 9 to May 1, 2020) with the arrhythmias burden of the corresponding period in 2019 (reference period). Data collection was performed through remote monitoring.

Results

During the lockdown period, we observed ventricular tachyarrhythmias (ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation) in 25 (4.8%) patients while in seasonal reference period we documented ventricular tachyarrhythmias in 12 (2.3%) patients; the comparison between the periods is statistically significant (P < .04). Atrial arrhythmias were detected in 38 (8.2%) subjects during the lockdown period and in 24 (5.2%) during the reference period (P < .004).

Conclusion

In seven hospitals in the Campania region, during the pandemic lockdown period, we observed a higher burden of arrhythmic events in ICD/CRT-D patients through device remote monitoring.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on in-hospital mortality in cardiovascular disease: a meta-analysis

AIMS

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in excess mortality due to both COVID-19 directly and other conditions, including cardiovascular (CV) disease. We aimed to explore the excess in-hospital mortality, unrelated to COVID-19 infection, across a range of CV diseases.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A systematic search was performed for studies investigating in-hospital mortality among patients admitted with CV disease without SARS-CoV-2 infection compared with a period outside the COVID-19 pandemic. Fifteen studies on 27 421 patients with CV disease were included in the analysis. The average in-hospital mortality rate was 10.4% (n = 974) in the COVID-19 group and 5.7% (n = 1026) in the comparator group. Compared with periods outside the COVID-19 pandemic, the pooled risk ratio (RR) demonstrated increased in-hospital mortality by 62% during COVID-19 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.20-2.20, P = 0.002]. Studies with a decline in admission rate >50% during the COVID-19 pandemic observed the greatest increase in mortality compared with those with <50% reduction [RR 2.74 (95% CI 2.43-3.10) vs. 1.21 (95% CI 1.07-1.37), P < 0.001]. The observed increased mortality was consistent across different CV conditions (P = 0.74 for interaction).

CONCLUSIONS

In-hospital mortality among patients admitted with CV diseases was increased relative to periods outside the pandemic, independent of co-infection with COVID-19. This effect was larger in studies with the biggest decline in admission rates, suggesting a sicker cohort of patients in this period. However, studies were generally poorly conducted, and there is a need for further well-designed studies to establish the full extent of mortality not directly related to COVID-19 infection.

Clinical Support through Telemedicine in Heart Failure Outpatients during the COVID-19 Pandemic Period: Results of a 12-Months Follow Up

Background: Heart failure (HF) patients are predisposed to recurrences and disease destabilizations, especially during the COVID-19 outbreak period. In this scenario, telemedicine could be a proper way to ensure continuous care. The purpose of the study was to compare two modalities of HF outpatients’ follow up, the traditional in-person visits and telephone consultations, during the COVID-19 pandemic period in Italy. Methods: We conducted an observational study on consecutive HF outpatients. The follow up period was 12 months, starting from the beginning of the COVID-19 Italy lockdown. According to the follow up modality, and after the propensity matching score, patients were divided into two groups: those in G1 (n = 92) were managed with traditional in-person visits and those in G2 (n = 92) were managed with telephone consultation. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were the primary endpoints. Secondary endpoints were overall mortality, cardiovascular death, cardiovascular hospitalization, and hospitalization due to HF. Results: No significant differences between G1 and G2 have been observed regarding MACE (p = 0.65), cardiovascular death (p = 0.39), overall mortality (p = 0.85), hospitalization due to acute HF (p = 0.07), and cardiovascular hospitalization (p = 0.4). Survival analysis performed by the Kaplan–Meier method also did not show significant differences between G1 and G2. Conclusions: Telephone consultations represented a valid option to manage HF outpatients during COVID-19 pandemic, comparable to traditional in-person visits.

Lean Management Approach for Reengineering the Hospital Cardiology Consultation Process: A Report from AORN "A. Cardarelli" of Naples

Background: Consultations with specialists are essential for safe and high-quality care for all patients. Cardiology consultations, due to a progressive increase in cardiology comorbidities, are becoming more common in hospitals prior to any type of treatment. The appropriateness and correctness of the request, the waiting time for delivery and the duration of the visit are just a few of the elements that can affect the quality of the process. Methods: In this work, a Lean approach and Telemedicine are used to optimize the cardiology consultancy process provided by the Cardiology Unit of “Antonio Cardarelli” Hospital of Naples (Italy), the largest hospital in the southern Italy. Results: The application of corrective actions, with the introduction of portable devices and telemedicine, led to a reduction in the percentage of waiting for counseling from 29.6% to 18.3% and an increase in the number of patients treated. Conclusions: The peculiarity of the study is to apply an innovative methodology such as Lean Thinking in optimizing the cardiology consultancy process, currently little studied in literature, with benefits for both patients and medical staff.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis telemedicine management during COVID-19 outbreak

The present report investigates the impact of a Telemedicine Service (TMS) on the management of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) during coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in Italy. The TMS comprised 3 phone numbers, active 12 h per day, and an email address, monitored every 4 h by trained physicians; chat- and videoconference-services were also offered. At the end of the study period, our staff contacted all patients, to get information about the final outcome (i.e. composite hospitalisations/all causes of death). Outcomes were compared with a cohort of patients who attended our unit in the same period of the previous year (when no TMS was available). 189 patients participated in the present study. From 11th March to 4th May 2020, 61% of patients made at least one TMS access, mostly by emails (53%), followed by phone calls (33%). With regard to the primary outcome, TMS patients experienced a significant lower rate of events of the 182 patients of the no-TMS cohort (p < 0.001). Specifically, a significant difference was observed for IPF hospitalisation (p < 0.001) whereas no differences were observed with regard to deaths (p = 0.64). TMS permits patients to be followed up even during COVID-19 lockdown, with an encouraging impact on outcomes.

Effectiveness of Telemedicine Visits in Reducing 30-Day Readmissions Among Patients With Heart Failure During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a rapid implementation of telemedicine into clinical practice. This study examined whether early outpatient follow-up via telemedicine is as effective as in-person visits for reducing 30-day readmissions in patients with heart failure. Methods and Results Using electronic health records from a large health system, we included patients with heart failure living in North Carolina (N=6918) who were hospitalized between March 16, 2020 and March 14, 2021. All-cause readmission within 30 days after discharge was examined using weighted logistic regression models. Overall, 7.6% (N=526) of patients received early telemedicine follow-up, 38.8% (N=2681) received early in-person follow-up, and 53.6% (N=3711) did not receive follow-up within 14 days of discharge. Compared with patients without early follow-up, those who received early follow-up were younger, were more likely to be Medicare beneficiaries, had more comorbidities, and were less likely to live in an disadvantaged neighborhood. Relative to in-person visits, those with telemedicine follow-up were of similar age, sex, and race but with generally fewer comorbidities. Overall, the 30-day readmission rate (19.0%) varied among patients who received telemedicine visits (15.0%), in-person visits (14.0%), or no follow-up (23.1%). After covariate adjustment, patients who received either telemedicine (odds ratio [OR], 0.55; 95% CI, 0.44-0.72) or in-person (OR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.45-0.60) visits were similarly less likely to be readmitted within 30 days compared with patients with no follow-up. Conclusions During the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of telemedicine visits for early follow-up increased rapidly. Patients with heart failure who received outpatient follow-up either via telemedicine or in-person had better outcomes than those who received no follow-up.

ESC guidance for the diagnosis and management of cardiovascular disease during the COVID-19 pandemic: part 2-care pathways, treatment, and follow-up

AIMS

Since its emergence in early 2020, the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has reached pandemic levels, and there have been repeated outbreaks across the globe. The aim of this two part series is to provide practical knowledge and guidance to aid clinicians in the diagnosis and management of cardiovascular (CV) disease in association with COVID-19.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A narrative literature review of the available evidence has been performed, and the resulting information has been organized into two parts. The first, which was reported previously, focused on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and diagnosis of CV conditions that may be manifest in patients with COVID-19. This second part addresses the topics of: care pathways and triage systems and management and treatment pathways, both of the most commonly encountered CV conditions and of COVID-19; and information that may be considered useful to help patients with CV disease (CVD) to avoid exposure to COVID-19.

CONCLUSION

This comprehensive review is not a formal guideline but rather a document that provides a summary of current knowledge and guidance to practicing clinicians managing patients with CVD and COVID-19. The recommendations are mainly the result of observations and personal experience from healthcare providers. Therefore, the information provided here may be subject to change with increasing knowledge, evidence from prospective studies, and changes in the pandemic. Likewise, the guidance provided in the document should not interfere with recommendations provided by local and national healthcare authorities.

Contents and sentiment analysis of newspaper articles and comments on telemedicine in Korea: Before and after of COVID-19 outbreak

Telemedicine is rapidly growing to meet the increased needs for high-quality health care during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, telemedicine is still a sensitive issue as it is related to medical privatization. The use of telemedicine after the COVID-19 outbreak might be influenced by public opinion, and this may be an important key in implementing telemedicine. In this study, we aimed to assess if telemedicine-related newspaper articles and comments changed positively during the COVID-19 pandemic. From January 1, 2019, to March 1, 2020 (before COVID-19), a total of 1073 telemedicine-related articles were found in the Korean news network. Although the post-COVID-19 article collection period (from March 2, 2020, to September 30, 2020) was about half that of the pre-COVID-19, about twice the number (1934) of telemedicine-related articles were collected. And telemedicine-related news articles had a more positive tone post-COVID-19 than pre-COVID-19 (52.9% after vs 40.4% before). In conclusion, this study presented the association between the COVID-19 outbreak and changes in the media's perception of telemedicine in Korea. This study presented that, as telemedicine begins to be utilized due to COVID-19, news media and readers who embrace it are beginning to view telemedicine positively, suggesting that COVID-19 has a positive foundation for the spread of telemedicine.

A Narrative Review of the Launch and the Deployment of Telemedicine in Italy during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Telemedicine is making an important contribution to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and to supporting the health domain. Its use has registered initial problems with often-patchy practise. The objective of this study was to analyze the launch and deployment of telemedicine in Italy through a narrative review. The narrative review faced two points of view: (a) the first point of view revised the institutional initiatives of the Italian government developed to promote the use of telemedicine; (b) the second point of view reviewed the evolution of scientific literature in the sector, with reference to the Italian situation. In the second point of view, we applied both a standard narrative checklist and an eligibility approach. The first point of view reported an analysis of national documents aimed at promoting, through indications and recommendations, the use of telemedicine. The second point of view analyzed 39 qualified references. The analysis highlighted: (a) that initially, there was a disorientation, followed by reflections that emerged immediately after; (b) a telemedicine application not only in the traditional sectors (e.g., diabetology, cardiology, oncology, neurology) but also in new and fields never explored before; and (c) a high level of acceptance and a desire to continue in the after-pandemic future (which emerged in some studies through dedicated questionnaires). The study offers stimuli for both stakeholders and scholars to improve the use of telemedicine during the pandemic and in the future.

The worldwide impact of telemedicine during COVID-19: current evidence and recommendations for the future

During the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine has emerged worldwide as an indispensable resource to improve the surveillance of patients, curb the spread of disease, facilitate timely identification and management of ill people, but, most importantly, guarantee the continuity of care of frail patients with multiple chronic diseases. Although during COVID-19 telemedicine has thrived, and its adoption has moved forward in many countries, important gaps still remain. Major issues to be addressed to enable large scale implementation of telemedicine include: (1) establishing adequate policies to legislate telemedicine, license healthcare operators, protect patients' privacy, and implement reimbursement plans; (2) creating and disseminating practical guidelines for the routine clinical use of telemedicine in different contexts; (3) increasing in the level of integration of telemedicine with traditional healthcare services; (4) improving healthcare professionals' and patients' awareness of and willingness to use telemedicine; and (5) overcoming inequalities among countries and population subgroups due to technological, infrastructural, and economic barriers. If all these requirements are met in the near future, remote management of patients will become an indispensable resource for the healthcare systems worldwide and will ultimately improve the management of patients and the quality of care.

Home Blood Pressure and Telemedicine: A Modern Approach for Managing Hypertension During and After COVID-19 Pandemic

Hypertension is the most common cardiovascular risk factor for acute cardiovascular outcomes, including acute coronary disease, stroke, chronic kidney disease and congestive heart failure. Despite the fact that it represents the most prevalent risk factor in the general population, mostly in elderly individuals, its awareness is still relatively low, being about one third of patients living with undiagnosed hypertension and high risk of experiencing acute cardiovascular events. In addition, though recent improvement in pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapeutic options, hypertension is largely uncontrolled, with about 35-40% of treated hypertensive patients achieving the recommended therapeutic targets. Among different modern interventions proposed for improving blood pressure control in treated hypertensive patients, a systematic adoption of home BP monitoring has demonstrated to be one of the most effective. Indeed, it improves patients' awareness of the disease and adherence to prescribed medications and allows tailoring and personalizing BP lowering therapies. Home BP monitoring is particularly suitable for telemedicine and mobile-health solutions. Indeed, in specific conditions, when face-to-face interactions between patients and physicians are not allowed or even suspended, as in case of COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine may ensure effective management of hypertension, as well as other cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular comorbidities. This review will summarize strengths and limitations of telemedicine in the clinical management of hypertension with a particular focus on the lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Impact of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic on Healthcare Provision in Italy to non-COVID Patients: a Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Italy has been one of the countries most affected by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, and the regional healthcare system has had to quickly adapt its organization to meet the needs of infected patients. This has led to a drastic change in the routine management of non-communicable diseases with a potential long-term impact on patient health care. Therefore, we investigated the management of non-COVID-19 patients across all medical specialities in Italy.

METHODS

A PRISMA guideline-based systematic review of the literature was performed using PubMed, Embase, and Scopus, restricting the search to the main outbreak period in Italy (from February 20 to June 25 2020). We selected articles in English or Italian that detailed changes in the Italian hospital care for non-COVID-19 patients due to the pandemic. Our keywords included all medical specialities combined with our geographical focus (Italy) and COVID-19.

RESULTS

Of the 4643 potentially eligible studies identified by the search, 247 were included. A decrease in the management of emergencies in non-COVID patients was found together with an increase in mortality. Similarly, non-deferrable conditions met a tendency toward decreased diagnosis. All specialities have been affected by the re-organization of healthcare provision in the hub-and-spoke system and have benefited from telemedicine.

CONCLUSIONS

Our work highlights the changes in the Italian public healthcare system to tackle the developing health crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings of our review may be useful to analyse future directions for the healthcare system in the case of new pandemic scenarios.

Telehealth Management and Risk Stratification of Older Patients With Chronic Heart Failure During COVID-19 Pandemic: Prognostic Evaluation of the TeleHFCovid19-Score

Objectives

To evaluate 6-month risk stratification capacity of the newly developed TeleHFCovid19-Score for remote management of older patients with heart failure (HF) during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Design

Monocentric observational prospective study.

Setting and Participants

Older HF outpatients remotely managed during the first pandemic wave.

Methods

The TeleHFCovid19-Score (0-29) was obtained by an ad hoc developed multiparametric standardized questionnaire administered during telephone visits to older HF patients (and/or caregivers) followed at our HF clinic. Questions were weighed on the basis of clinical judgment and review of current HF literature. According to the score, patients were divided in progressively increasing risk groups: green (0-3), yellow (4-8), and red (≥9).

Results

A total of 146 patients composed our study population: at baseline, 112, 21, and 13 were classified as green, yellow, and red, respectively. Mean age was 81±9 years, and women were 40%. Compared to patients of red and yellow groups, those in the green group had a lower use of high-dose loop diuretics (P < .001) or thiazide-like diuretics (P = .027) and had reported less frequently dyspnea at rest or for basic activities, new or worsening extremity edema, or weight increase (all P < .001). At 6 months, compared with red (62.2%) and yellow patients (33.3%), green patients (8.9%) presented a significantly lower rate of the composite outcome of cardiovascular death and/or HF hospitalization (P < .001). Moreover, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed a high sensibility and specificity of our score at 6 months (area under the curve = 0.789, 95% CI 0.682-0.896, P < .001) with a score <4.5 (very close to green group cutoff) that identified lower-risk subjects.

Conclusions and Implications

The TeleHFCovid19-Score was able to correctly identify patients with midterm favorable outcome. Therefore, our questionnaire might be used to identify low-risk chronic HF patients who could be temporarily managed remotely, allowing to devote more efforts to the care of higher-risk patients who need closer and on-site clinical evaluations.

Outpatient Management of Heart Failure During the COVID-19 Pandemic After Adoption of a Telehealth Model

OBJECTIVES

This study sought to determine whether the increased use of telehealth was associated with a difference in outcomes for outpatients with heart failure.

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic led to dramatic changes in the delivery of outpatient care. It is unclear whether increased use of telehealth affected outcomes for outpatients with heart failure.

METHODS

In March 2020, a large Midwestern health care system, encompassing 16 cardiology clinics, 16 emergency departments, and 12 hospitals, initiated a telehealth-based model for outpatient care in the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic. A propensity-matched analysis was performed to compare outcomes between outpatients seen in-person in 2018 and 2019 and via telemedicine in 2020.

RESULTS

Among 8,263 unique patients with heart failure with 15,421 clinic visits seen from March 15 to June 15, telehealth was employed in 88.5% of 2020 visits but in none in 2018 or 2019. Despite the pandemic, more outpatients were seen in 2020 (n = 5,224) versus 2018 and 2019 (n = 5,099 per year). Using propensity matching, 4,541 telehealth visits in 2020 were compared with 4,541 in-person visits in 2018 and 2019, and groups were well matched. Mortality was similar for telehealth and in-person visits at both 30 days (0.8% vs 0.7%) and 90 days (2.9% vs 2.4%). Likewise, there was no excess in hospital encounters or need for intensive care with telehealth visits.

CONCLUSIONS

A telehealth model for outpatients with heart failure allowed for distanced encounters without increases in subsequent acute care or mortality. As the pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic abate, these data suggest that telehealth outpatient visits in patients with heart failure can be safely incorporated into clinical practice.

Navigating between Scylla and Charybdis: challenges and strategies for implementing guideline-directed medical treatment in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction

Guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) has the potential to reduce the risks of mortality and hospitalisation in patients with heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). However, real-world data indicate that many patients with HFrEF do not receive optimised GDMT, which involves several different medications, many of which require up-titration to target doses. There are many challenges to implementing GDMT, the most important being patient-related factors (comorbidities, advanced age, frailty, cognitive impairment, poor adherence, low socioeconomic status), treatment-related factors (intolerance, side-effects) and healthcare-related factors that influence availability and accessibility of HF care. Accordingly, international disparities in resources for HF management and limited public reimbursement of GDMT, coupled with clinical inertia for treatment intensification combine to hinder efforts to provide GDMT. In this review paper, authors aim to provide solutions based on available evidence, practical experience, and expert consensus on how to utilise evolving strategies, novel medications, and patient profiling to allow the more comprehensive uptake of GDMT. Authors discuss professional education, motivation, and training, as well as patient empowerment for self-care as important tools to overcome clinical inertia and boost GDMT implementation. We provide evidence on how multidisciplinary care and institutional accreditation can be successfully used to increase prescription rates and adherence to GDMT. We consider the role of modern technologies in advancing professional and patient education and facilitating patient-provider communication. Finally, authors emphasise the role of novel drugs (especially sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors), and a tailored approach to drug management as evolving strategies for the more successful implementation of GDMT. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

What is the lived experience of patients with left ventricular assist devices during the COVID-19 pandemic? A qualitative analysis

Background

During the COVID-19 outbreak, patients with left ventricular assist device (LVAD) faced several changes in their daily life. However, the effects of these changes on the patients’ lived experiences are not still investigated.

Aims

The current study explored the lived experience of people with left ventricular assist device (LVAD) during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the COVID-19 outbreak, people with LVADs faced several changes in their daily life. However, the effects of these changes on the patients’ lived experiences are not still investigated.

Methods and results

Qualitative data analysis was conducted employing the interpretative phenomenological analysis approach. We followed the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research guidelines. Eight male participants with LVAD aged from 65 to 82 were interviewed. Overall, two main themes (‘Worsening of psychological distress’ and ‘Moving forward’) and eight sub-themes emerged from the qualitative analysis.

Conclusions

People with LVADs experienced feelings of worry and solitude related to the risk of being infected or not receiving adequate treatment due to changes in the healthcare system during the pandemic; however, they managed to move forward with their lives using different strategies for dealing with the difficult situation.

Telehealth utilization during the Covid-19 pandemic: A systematic review

During the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, different technologies, including telehealth, are maximised to mitigate the risks and consequences of the disease. Telehealth has been widely utilised because of its usability and safety in providing healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, a systematic literature review which provides extensive evidence on the impact of COVID-19 through telehealth and which covers multiple directions in a large-scale research remains lacking. This study aims to review telehealth literature comprehensively since the pandemic started. It also aims to map the research landscape into a coherent taxonomy and characterise this emerging field in terms of motivations, open challenges and recommendations. Articles related to telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic were systematically searched in the WOS, IEEE, Science Direct, Springer and Scopus databases. The final set included (n = 86) articles discussing telehealth applications with respect to (i) control (n = 25), (ii) technology (n = 14) and (iii) medical procedure (n = 47). Since the beginning of the pandemic, telehealth has been presented in diverse cases. However, it still warrants further attention. Regardless of category, the articles focused on the challenges which hinder the maximisation of telehealth in such times and how to address them. With the rapid increase in the utilization of telehealth in different specialised hospitals and clinics, a potential framework which reflects the authors' implications of the future application and opportunities of telehealth has been established. This article improves our understanding and reveals the full potential of telehealth during these difficult times and beyond.

[Telemedicine and care coordination : the two cornerstones of optimising the cardiology care pathway]

Telemedicine is considered as an appropriate solution to a large number of challenges in the health care field. The legal recognition of telemedicine by the French "Hospital, Patient, Health, Territory" law of July 21th, 2009 marks the implementation of a public strategy for the deployment of the activity in France and gives it an official definition. As a tool for producing remote care, telehealth offers an optimal response to the medical desert issues. In that way, in a context of cost effectiveness, telehealth provides a new model of healthcare organization within the health territories. Thus, telemedicine leads to interprofessional cooperation, as authorized and regulated by the hospital-health-territory law. However, it requires effective coordination implying professional qualification for the coordinator's job.

Telehealth at scale can improve chronic disease management in the community during a pandemic: An experience at the time of COVID-19

Background

During the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth became a vital resource to contain the virus’s spread and ensure continuity of care of patients with a chronic condition, notably arterial hypertension and heart disease. This paper reports the experience based on a telehealth platform used at scale to manage chronic disease patients in the Italian community.

Methods and findings

Patients’ health status was remotely monitored through ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), resting or ambulatory electrocardiogram (ECG), spirometry, sleep oximetry, and cardiorespiratory polysomnography performed in community pharmacies or general practitioners’ offices. Patients also monitored their blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), blood oxygen saturation (SpO₂), body temperature, body weight, waist circumference, blood glucose, and lipids at home through a dedicated smartphone app. All data conveyed to the web-based telehealth platform were used to manage critical patients by doctors promptly. Data were analyzed and compared across three consecutive periods of 2 months each: i) before the national lockdown, ii) during the lockdown (from March 9 to May 17, 2020), and iii) after the end of the containment measures. Overall, 13,613 patients visited community pharmacies or doctors’ offices. The number of overall tests dropped during and rose after the lockdown. The overall proportion of abnormal tests was larger during the outbreak. A significant increase in the prevalence of abnormal ECGs due to myocardial ischemia, contrasted by a significantly improved BP control, was observed. The number of home users and readings exchanged increased during the pandemic. In 226 patients, a significant increase in the proportion of SpO₂ readings and a significant reduction in the entries for all other parameters, except BP, was observed. The proportion of abnormal SpO₂ and BP values was significantly lower during the lockdown. Following the lockdown, the proportion of abnormal body weight or waist circumference values increased.

Conclusions

Our study results support the usefulness of a telehealth solution to detect deterioration of the health status during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Trial registration

The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov at number NCT03781401.

Digital literacy as a potential barrier to implementation of cardiology tele-visits after COVID-19 pandemic: the INFO-COVID survey

BACKGROUND

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the implementation of telemedicine has represented a new potential option for outpatient care. The aim of our study was to evaluate digital literacy among cardiology outpatients.

METHODS

From March to June 2020, a survey on telehealth among cardiology outpatients was performed. Digital literacy was investigated through six main domains: age; sex; educational level; internet access; availability of internet sources; knowledge and use of teleconference software programs.

RESULTS

The study included 1067 patients, median age 70 years, 41.3% females. The majority of the patients (58.0%) had a secondary school degree, but among patients aged ≥ 75 years old the most represented educational level was primary school or none. Overall, for internet access, there was a splitting between "never" (42.1%) and "every day" (41.0%), while only 2.7% answered "at least 1/month" and 14.2% "at least 1/week". In the total population, the most used devices for internet access were smartphones (59.0%), and WhatsApp represented the most used app (57.3%). Internet users were younger compared to non-internet users (63 vs. 78 years old, respectively) and with a higher educational level. Age and educational level were associated with non-use of internet (age-per 10-year increase odds ratio (OR) = 3.07, 95% CI: 2.54-3.71, secondary school OR = 0.18, 95% CI: 0.12-0.26, university OR = 0.05, 95% CI: 0.02-0.10).

CONCLUSIONS

Telemedicine represents an appealing option to implement medical practice, and for its development it is important to address the gaps in patients' digital skills, with age and educational level being key factors in this setting.

Overview of Technologies Implemented During the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

Technologies have been extensively implemented to provide health care services for all types of clinical conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. While several reviews have been conducted regarding technologies used during the COVID-19 pandemic, they were limited by focusing either on a specific technology (or features) or proposed rather than implemented technologies.

OBJECTIVE

This review aims to provide an overview of technologies, as reported in the literature, implemented during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

We conducted a scoping review using PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses) Extension for Scoping Reviews. Studies were retrieved by searching 8 electronic databases, checking the reference lists of included studies and relevant reviews (backward reference list checking), and checking studies that cited included studies (forward reference list checking). The search terms were chosen based on the target intervention (ie, technologies) and the target disease (ie, COVID-19). We included English publications that focused on technologies or digital tools implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide health-related services regardless of target health condition, user, or setting. Two reviewers independently assessed the eligibility of studies and extracted data from eligible papers. We used a narrative approach to synthesize extracted data.

RESULTS

Of 7374 retrieved papers, 126 were deemed eligible. Telemedicine was the most common type of technology (107/126, 84.9%) implemented in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the most common mode of telemedicine was synchronous (100/108, 92.6%). The most common purpose of the technologies was providing consultation (75/126, 59.5%), followed by following up with patients (45/126, 35.7%), and monitoring their health status (22/126, 17.4%). Zoom (22/126, 17.5%) and WhatsApp (12/126, 9.5%) were the most commonly used videoconferencing and social media platforms, respectively. Both health care professionals and health consumers were the most common target users (103/126, 81.7%). The health condition most frequently targeted was COVID-19 (38/126, 30.2%), followed by any physical health conditions (21/126, 16.7%), and mental health conditions (13/126, 10.3%). Technologies were web-based in 84.1% of the studies (106/126). Technologies could be used through 11 modes, and the most common were mobile apps (86/126, 68.3%), desktop apps (73/126, 57.9%), telephone calls (49/126, 38.9%), and websites (45/126, 35.7%).

CONCLUSIONS

Technologies played a crucial role in mitigating the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. We did not find papers describing the implementation of other technologies (eg, contact-tracing apps, drones, blockchain) during the first wave. Furthermore, technologies in this review were used for other purposes (eg, drugs and vaccines discovery, social distancing, and immunity passport). Future research on studies on these technologies and purposes is recommended, and further reviews are required to investigate technologies implemented in subsequent waves of the pandemic.

The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency department visits for serious cardiovascular conditions

OBJECTIVE

We examine how emergency department (ED) visits for serious cardiovascular conditions evolved in the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic over January-October 2020, compared to 2019, in a large sample of U.S. EDs.

METHODS

We compared 2020 ED visits before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, relative to 2019 visits in 108 EDs in 18 states in 115,716 adult ED visits with diagnoses for five serious cardiovascular conditions: ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), ischemic stroke (IS), hemorrhagic stroke (HS), and heart failure (HF). We calculated weekly ratios of ED visits in 2020 to visits in 2019 in the pre-pandemic (Jan 1-March 10), early-pandemic (March 11-April 21), and later-pandemic (April 22-October 31) periods.

RESULTS

ED visit ratios show that NSTEMI, IS, and HF visits dropped to lows of 56%, 64%, and 61% of 2019 levels, respectively, in the early-pandemic and gradually returned to 2019 levels over the next several months. HS visits also dropped early pandemic period to 60% of 2019 levels, but quickly rebounded. We find mixed evidence on whether STEMI visits fell, relative to pre-pandemic rates. Total adult ED visits nadired at 57% of 2019 volume during the early-pandemic period and have only party recovered since, to approximately 84% of 2019 by the end of October 2020.

CONCLUSION

We confirm prior studies that ED visits for serious cardiovascular conditions declined early in the COVID-19 pandemic for NSTEMI, IS, HS, and HF, but not for STEMI. Delays or non-receipt in ED care may have led to worse outcomes.

Opportunities and Challenges of Telehealth in Disease Management during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review

OBJECTIVE

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is an unexpected universal problem that has changed health care access across the world. Telehealth is an effective solution for health care delivery during disasters and public health emergencies. This study was conducted to summarize the opportunities and challenges of using telehealth in health care delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

A structured search was performed in the Web of Science, PubMed, Science Direct, and Scopus databases, as well as the Google Scholar search engine, for studies published until November 4, 2020. The reviewers analyzed 112 studies and identified opportunities and challenges. This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) protocols. Quality appraisal was done according to the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) version 2018. Thematic analysis was applied for data analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 112 unique opportunities of telehealth application during the pandemic were categorized into 4 key themes, such as (1) clinical, (2) organizational, (3) technical, and (4) social, which were further divided into 11 initial themes and 26 unique concepts. Furthermore, 106 unique challenges were categorized into 6 key themes, such as (1) legal, (2) clinical, (3) organizational, (40 technical, (5) socioeconomic, and (6) data quality, which were divided into 16 initial themes and 37 unique concepts altogether. The clinical opportunities and legal challenges were the most frequent opportunities and challenges, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly accelerated the use of telehealth. This study could offer useful information to policymakers about the opportunities and challenges of implementing telehealth for providing accessible, safe, and efficient health care delivery to the patient population during and after COVID-19. Furthermore, it can assist policymakers to make informed decisions on implementing telehealth in response to the COVID-19 pandemic by addressing the obstacles ahead.

Screening, detection, and management of heart failure in the SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19) pandemic

Observational studies suggest that a heart failure (HF) diagnosis carries a poor prognosis in subjects with severe SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19) infection, but it is unknown whether this association reflects direct myocardial damage due to COVID-19 or the consequence of preexisting cardiac defects and related cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk burden. Although the close relation between CVD and COVID-19 outcomes is well established, contrasting data exists about the occurrence of HF complications during COVID-19 infection. Therefore, a specific algorithm focused on diagnostic differentiation in acute patients distinguishing between acute HF and acute respiratory distress syndrome related to COVID-19 is needed. Further, several concerns exist for the management of patients with an uncertain diagnosis and acute dyspnea, the exact relationship existing between COVID-19 and HF. Therefore, the treatment for subjects with both COVID-19 and HF and which criteria may be defined for domiciliary or hospital management, remain poorly defined. Herein, we describe practices to be adopted in order to address these concerns and avoid further virus spread among patients, l and their familiars involved in such patients' care.

Multiparameter diagnostic sensor measurements in heart failure patients presenting with SARS-CoV-2 infection

Aims

Implantable device‐based sensor measurements including heart sounds, markers of ventilation, and thoracic impedance have been shown to predict heart failure (HF) hospitalizations. We sought to assess how these parameters changed prior to COVID‐19 (Cov‐19) and how these compared with those presenting with decompensated HF or pneumonia.

Methods and results

This retrospective analysis explores patterns of changes in daily measurements by implantable sensors in 10 patients with Cov‐19 and compares these findings with those observed prior to HF (n = 88) and pneumonia (n = 12) hospitalizations from the MultiSENSE, PREEMPT‐HF, and MANAGE‐HF trials. The earliest sensor changes prior to Cov‐19 were observed in respiratory rate (6 days) and temperature (5 days). There was a three‐fold to four‐fold greater increase in respiratory rate, rapid shallow breathing index, and night heart rate compared with those presenting with HF or pneumonia. Furthermore, activity levels fell more in those presenting with Cov‐19, a change that was often sustained for some time. In contrast, there were no significant changes in 1st or 3rd heart sound (S₁ and S₃) amplitude in those presenting with Cov‐19 or pneumonia compared with the known changes that occur in HF decompensation.

Conclusions

Multi‐sensor device diagnostics may provide early detection of Cov‐19, distinguishable from worsening HF by an extreme and fast rise in respiratory rate along with no changes in S3.

Telemonitoring and Care Program for Left Ventricular Assist Device Patients During COVID-19 Outbreak: A European Experience

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) radically modified the organization of healthcare systems with shutdown of routine activities and outpatient clinics. Herein, we report our institutional experience with a Telemonitoring and Care Program (TC-Program) to monitor and support left ventricular assist device (LVAD) patients during COVID-19 outbreak. This single-arm cohort study analyzed 156 patients who entered the TC-Program at our institution between April and August 2020. The TC-Program was based on routine phone calls to patients and a 24/7 emergency line. In November 2020, patients were asked for feedback on the TC-Program and checked for survival, transplant, or explant. The primary endpoint was the rate of TC-Program-driven interventions. Patients (males: 82.8%) were 61 years old (interquartile range [IQR]: 53.0-67.5) and on LVAD support for 1,266 days (IQR: 475-2,211). Patients were included in the TC-Program for a median time of 99 days (min:15, max:120) and received a median number of six phone calls (min:1, max:14). Twenty-three patients (14.7%) were referred for clinical evaluation after phone contact. Two patients (1.27%) were diagnosed with COVID-19: one of them died after intensive care, and one remained paucisymptomatic and recovered. Three patients asked to exit the program considering it not useful while the others gave high rates in terms of usefulness (median: 9, IQR: 8-10), information (median: 9, IQR: 8-10), good medical care (median: 9, IQR: 8-10), and psychologic support (median: 8, IQR: 7-10). A TC-Program based on the four ICSA principles (Inform, Care, Support, and Adapt) is feasible in LVAD patients and can be rapidly implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Telemedicine in Peru as a Result of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Perspective from a Country with Limited Internet Access

The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the worldwide implementation of telemedicine because of the need for medical care for patients, especially those with chronic diseases. This perspective paper presents the current situation of telemedicine in Peru, showing advances in regulation, cases of successful implementation, and the current challenges. Access to health should be available to all, and more efforts need to be implemented to offer access to the internet to achieve high-quality telemedicine to all the vulnerable groups in Peru.

Overview of Technologies Implemented During the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Scoping Review (Preprint).. [DOI: 10.2196/preprints.29136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0]

BACKGROUND

Technologies have been extensively implemented to provide health care services for all types of clinical conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. While several reviews have been conducted regarding technologies used during the COVID-19 pandemic, they were limited by focusing either on a specific technology (or features) or proposed rather than implemented technologies.

OBJECTIVE

This review aims to provide an overview of technologies, as reported in the literature, implemented during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

We conducted a scoping review using PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses) Extension for Scoping Reviews. Studies were retrieved by searching 8 electronic databases, checking the reference lists of included studies and relevant reviews (backward reference list checking), and checking studies that cited included studies (forward reference list checking). The search terms were chosen based on the target intervention (ie, technologies) and the target disease (ie, COVID-19). We included English publications that focused on technologies or digital tools implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide health-related services regardless of target health condition, user, or setting. Two reviewers independently assessed the eligibility of studies and extracted data from eligible papers. We used a narrative approach to synthesize extracted data.

RESULTS

Of 7374 retrieved papers, 126 were deemed eligible. Telemedicine was the most common type of technology (107/126, 84.9%) implemented in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the most common mode of telemedicine was synchronous (100/108, 92.6%). The most common purpose of the technologies was providing consultation (75/126, 59.5%), followed by following up with patients (45/126, 35.7%), and monitoring their health status (22/126, 17.4%). Zoom (22/126, 17.5%) and WhatsApp (12/126, 9.5%) were the most commonly used videoconferencing and social media platforms, respectively. Both health care professionals and health consumers were the most common target users (103/126, 81.7%). The health condition most frequently targeted was COVID-19 (38/126, 30.2%), followed by any physical health conditions (21/126, 16.7%), and mental health conditions (13/126, 10.3%). Technologies were web-based in 84.1% of the studies (106/126). Technologies could be used through 11 modes, and the most common were mobile apps (86/126, 68.3%), desktop apps (73/126, 57.9%), telephone calls (49/126, 38.9%), and websites (45/126, 35.7%).

CONCLUSIONS

Technologies played a crucial role in mitigating the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. We did not find papers describing the implementation of other technologies (eg, contact-tracing apps, drones, blockchain) during the first wave. Furthermore, technologies in this review were used for other purposes (eg, drugs and vaccines discovery, social distancing, and immunity passport). Future research on studies on these technologies and purposes is recommended, and further reviews are required to investigate technologies implemented in subsequent waves of the pandemic.

Remote monitoring for heart failure management during COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

COVID-19 pandemic impacted on heart failure patients' lifestyle and quality of life, affecting both physical activity levels and state of health.

METHODS

Demographic data and device records were extracted for patients with heart failure in the 16 weeks at the turn of lockdown during pandemic. To explore the variability across the lockdown period, a week-to-week analysis was performed. Patients were interviewed to investigate physical activity and psychological insights. The primary endpoint was the variation in physical activity at the turn of lockdown.

RESULTS

At our facility, 2225 patients implanted with a cardiac device were screened and data were collected for 211 patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria. Patients' physical activity significantly decreased in the lockdown period compared with the control period (active time per day 8.0% vs. 10.8%; relative reduction [RRR] 25.9%; p < 0.0001). A small decrease was noted for mean heart rate (70.1 vs. 71.7 beats per minute [bpm]; RRR 2.2%; p < 0.0001), while thoracic impedance slightly increased (82.2 vs. 82.7 ohm; RRR 0.6%; p = 0.001). Patients' physical activity decreased from week 7 to week 11 (10.9% vs. 6.9%; RRR 36.7%; P < 0.0001) with an increase between week 11 and week 16 (6.9% vs. 8.5%; RRR 18.8%; P < 0.0001). Patients' perceptions about physical activity showed a very low correlation with remote monitoring-assessed physical activity levels (r2 = 0.035, p = 0.039).

CONCLUSIONS

Telemedicine and remote monitoring can explore the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on vital signs and physical activity levels of heart failure patients, playing a crucial role in the prediction of heart failure worsening during circumstances discouraging outpatient visits.