Mortality and morbidity 1 year after stopping a remote patient management intervention: extended follow-up results from the telemedical interventional management in patients with heart failure II (TIM-HF2) randomised trial

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction management: a systematic review of clinical practice guidelines and recommendations

Multiple guidelines exist for the diagnosis and management of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). We systematically reviewed current guidelines and recommendations, developed by national and international medical organizations, on the management of HFpEF in adults to aid clinical decision-making. We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE on 28 February 2024 for publications over the last 10 years as well as websites of organizations relevant to guideline development. Of the 10 guidelines and recommendations retrieved, 7 showed considerable rigour of development and were subsequently retained for analysis. There was consensus on the definition of HFpEF and the diagnostic role of serum natriuretic peptides and resting transthoracic echocardiography. Discrepancies were identified in the thresholds of serum natriuretic peptides and transthoracic echocardiography parameters used to diagnose HFpEF. There was agreement on the general pharmacological and supportive management of acute and chronic HFpEF. However, differences exist in strategies to identify and address specific phenotypes. Contemporary guidelines for HFpEF management agree on measures to avoid its development and the consideration of cardiac transplantation in advanced diseases. There were discrepancies in recommended frequency of surveillance for patients with HFpEF and sparse recommendations on screening for HFpEF in the general population, use of diagnostic scoring systems, and the role of newly emerging therapies.

Effect of the i2TransHealth e-health intervention on psychological distress among transgender and gender diverse adults from remote areas in Germany: a randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people in remote areas face challenges accessing health-care services, including mental health care and gender-affirming medical treatment, which can be associated with psychological distress. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a 4-month TGD-informed e-health intervention to improve psychological distress among TGD people from remote areas in northern Germany.

METHODS

In a randomised controlled trial done at a single centre in Germany, adults (aged ≥18 years) who met criteria for gender incongruence or gender dysphoria and who lived at least 50 km outside of Hamburg in one of the northern German federal states were recruited and randomly assigned (1:1) to i2TransHealth intervention or a wait list control group. Randomisation was performed with the use of a computer-based code. Due to the nature of the intervention, study participants and clinical staff were aware of treatment allocation, but researchers responsible for data analysis were masked to allocation groups. Study participants in the intervention group (service users) started the i2TransHealth intervention immediately after completing the baseline survey after enrolment. Participants assigned to the control group waited 4 months before they were able to access i2TransHealth services or regular care. The primary outcome was difference in the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI)-18 summary score between baseline and 4 months, assessed using a linear model analysis. The primary outcome was assessed in the intention-to-treat (ITT) population, which included all randomly assigned participants. The trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04290286.

FINDINGS

Between May 12, 2020, and May 2, 2022, 177 TGD people were assessed for eligibility, of whom 174 were included in the ITT population (n=90 in the intervention group, n=84 in the control group). Six participants did not provide data for the primary outcome at 4 months, and thus 168 people were included in the analysis population (88 participants in the intervention group and 80 participants in the control group). At 4 months, in the intervention group, the adjusted mean change in BSI-18 from baseline was -0·65 (95% CI -2·25 to 0·96; p=0·43) compared with 2·34 (0·65 to 4·02; p=0·0069) in the control group. Linear model analysis identified a significant difference at 4 months between the groups with regard to change in BSI-18 summary scores from baseline (between-group difference -2·98 [95% CI -5·31 to -0·65]; p=0·012). Adverse events were rare: there were two suicide attempts and one participant was admitted to hospital in the intervention group, and in the control group, there was one case of self-harm and one case of self-harm followed by hospital admission.

INTERPRETATION

The intervention was clinically significant in averting worsening psychological distress in service users, outperforming the wait list control group. These findings support the effectiveness of e-health services in TGD health care, specifically for people from remote areas.

FUNDING

Innovation Committee at the Federal Joint Committee.

TRANSLATION

For the German translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Artificial intelligence based real-time prediction of imminent heart failure hospitalisation in patients undergoing non-invasive telemedicine

Background

Remote patient management may improve prognosis in heart failure. Daily review of transmitted data for early recognition of patients at risk requires substantial resources that represent a major barrier to wide implementation. An automated analysis of incoming data for detection of risk for imminent events would allow focusing on patients requiring prompt medical intervention.

Methods

We analysed data of the Telemedical Interventional Management in Heart Failure II (TIM-HF2) randomized trial that were collected during quarterly in-patient visits and daily transmissions from non-invasive monitoring devices. By application of machine learning, we developed and internally validated a risk score for heart failure hospitalisation within seven days following data transmission as estimate of short-term patient risk for adverse heart failure events. Score performance was assessed by the area under the receiver-operating characteristic (ROCAUC) and compared with a conventional algorithm, a heuristic rule set originally applied in the randomized trial.

Results

The machine learning model significantly outperformed the conventional algorithm (ROCAUC 0.855 vs. 0.727, p < 0.001). On average, the machine learning risk score increased continuously in the three weeks preceding heart failure hospitalisations, indicating potential for early detection of risk. In a simulated one-year scenario, daily review of only the one third of patients with the highest machine learning risk score would have led to detection of 95% of HF hospitalisations occurring within the following seven days.

Conclusions

A machine learning model allowed automated analysis of incoming remote monitoring data and reliable identification of patients at risk of heart failure hospitalisation requiring immediate medical intervention. This approach may significantly reduce the need for manual data review.

Evaluation of a New Telemedicine System for Early Detection of Cardiac Instability in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure: Real-Life Out-of-Hospital Study

BACKGROUND

For a decade, despite results from many studies, telemedicine systems have suffered from a lack of recommendations for chronic heart failure (CHF) care because of variable study results. Another limitation is the hospital-based architecture of most telemedicine systems. Some systems use an algorithm based on daily weight, transcutaneous oxygen measurement, and heart rate to detect and treat acute heart failure (AHF) in patients with CHF as early on as possible.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to determine the efficacy of a telemonitoring system in detecting clinical destabilization in real-life settings (out-of-hospital management) without generating too many false positive alerts.

METHODS

All patients self-monitoring at home using the system after a congestive AHF event treated at a cardiology clinic in France between March 2020 and March 2021 with at least 75% compliance on daily measurements were included retrospectively. New-onset AHF was defined by the presence of at least 1 of the following criteria: transcutaneous oxygen saturation loss, defined as a transcutaneous oxygen measurement under 90%; rise of cardiac frequency above 110 beats per minute; weight gain of at least 2 kg; and symptoms of congestive AHF, described over the phone. An AHF alert was generated when the criteria reached our definition of new-onset acute congestive heart failure (HF).

RESULTS

A total of 111 consecutive patients (n=70 men) with a median age of 76.60 (IQR 69.5-83.4) years receiving the telemonitoring system were included. Thirty-nine patients (35.1%) reached the HF warning level, and 28 patients (25%) had confirmed HF destabilization during follow-up. No patient had AHF without being detected by the telemonitoring system. Among incorrect AHF alerts (n=11), 5 patients (45%) had taken inaccurate measurements, 3 patients (27%) had supraventricular arrhythmia, 1 patient (9%) had a pulmonary bacterial infection, and 1 patient (9%) contracted COVID-19. A weight gain of at least 2 kg within 4 days was significantly associated with a correct AHF alert (P=.004), and a heart rate of more than 110 beats per minute was more significantly associated with an incorrect AHF alert (P=.007).

CONCLUSIONS

This single-center study highlighted the efficacy of the telemedicine system in detecting and quickly treating cardiac instability complicating the course of CHF by detecting new-onset AHF as well as supraventricular arrhythmia, thus helping cardiologists provide better follow-up to ambulatory patients.

Cost-Utility Analysis of 3-Month Telemedical Intervention for Heart Failure Patients: A Preliminary Study from Poland

Heart failure (HF) is a common clinical syndrome in which the cardiac systolic and/or diastolic functions are significantly insufficient, resulting in an inadequate pump function. Currently, it is one of the leading causes of human death and/or hospitalization, and it has become a serious global public health problem. Approximately 1.2 million people in Poland suffer from HF, and approximately 140,000 of them die every year. In this article, we present the result of telemedicine intervention and its cost-effectiveness in a group of patients from a pilot program on telemedicine and e-health solutions reducing social inequalities in the field of cardiology. Based on the EQ-5D-5L questionnaire administered in the beginning of the project and after approximately 3 months, used for the health state utility values calculation, cost estimates of the project, and inclusion of supplementary data, the economic rationale behind telemedical intervention in HF patients using a cost-utility analysis was corroborated. The choice of a 3-month project duration was due to the top-down project assumptions approved by the bioethics committee. The average improvement in health state utility values was statistically significant, implying a 0.01 QALY improvement per patient. The cost of the telemedical intervention per QALY was well within the official limit adopted as a cost-effective therapy measure in Poland.

Telemedical Intervention and Its Effect on Quality of Life in Chronic Heart Failure Patients: The Results from the Telemedicine and e-Health Solution Pilot Program

(1) Background: Heart failure (HF) is not only a common cardiovascular disease with a poor prognosis. Its prevalence in developed countries equals 1-2% of the general population of adults, while in Poland HF, patients constitute 3.2% of the total population. Modern heart failure treatment should be focused not only on reducing the risk of death and the number of readmissions due to HF exacerbation but quality of life as well. Telemedicine has been suggested as a viable tool for enhancing HRQL. Therefore, we present the results of telemedical intervention in a group of HF patients and its effect on quality of life in chronic heart failure patients from a pilot study dedicated to reducing social inequalities in health through the use of telemedicine and e-health solutions. (2) Method: The project was a multicenter, open, non-controlled trial conducted by the University of Rzeszów, Poland. The data points were collected in the June 2023-December 2023 period from fourteen primary care units from five voivodeships, mostly considered social exclusion areas. A total of 52.7% of the patients recruited were Podkarpackie Voivodeship inhabitants. The result and discussion are presented based on the Chronic Heart Failure Questionnaire (CHFQ) and the EuroQol Visual Analogue Scale (EQVAS). (3) Results: During the program, a total of over 100,000 telemedicine examinations were conducted in the form of body weight measurement, heart rate, blood pressure tests, and 7-day Holter or 14-day event Holter assessment. Over the course of this study, coordinating the pilot program medical staff has ordered 570 changes in the patient's pharmacotherapy, confirming the positive impact on quality of life in the study group. (4) Conclusions: A comprehensive telemedical intervention can contribute to an improvement in the quality of life of patients with HF beyond what was achieved with the basic standard of care in the group of HF patients from the social exclusion region. It is now unclear if the result of the basic telemedical intervention would be constant after discontinuation of the mentioned pilot program.

An Era of Digital Healthcare-A Comprehensive Review of Sensor Technologies and Telehealth Advancements in Chronic Heart Failure Management

Heart failure (HF) is a multi-faceted, complex clinical syndrome characterized by significant morbidity, high mortality rate, reduced quality of life, and rapidly increasing healthcare costs. A larger proportion of these costs comprise both ambulatory and emergency department visits, as well as hospital admissions. Despite the methods used by telehealth (TH) to improve self-care and quality of life, patient outcomes remain poor. HF management is associated with numerous challenges, such as conflicting evidence from clinical trials, heterogeneity of TH devices, variability in patient inclusion and exclusion criteria, and discrepancies between healthcare systems. A growing body of evidence suggests there is an unmet need for increased individualization of in-hospital management, continuous remote monitoring of patients pre and post-hospital admission, and continuation of treatment post-discharge in order to reduce re-hospitalizations and improve long-term outcomes. This review summarizes the current state-of-the-art for HF and associated novel technologies and advancements in the most frequently used types of TH (implantable sensors), categorizing devices in their preclinical and clinical stage, bench-to-bedside implementation challenges, and future perspectives on remote HF management to improve long-term outcomes of HF patients. The Review also highlights recent advancements in non-invasive remote monitoring technologies demonstrated by a few pilot observational prospective cohort studies.

Comparative Effectiveness of Complex Telemedicine Support in Prevention of Hospitalizations and Mortality in Patients with Heart Failure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Heart failure is one of the leading causes of hospitalizations and mortality all over the world. There are literature data about the favorable influence of telemedicine support on mortality and hospitalization rate in patients with heart failure, and thus, the results of different studies are controversial.

AIM

To estimate the effect of telemedicine support on hospitalization and mortality in patients with heart failure.

METHODS

The literature search was conducted in databases Google Scholar, MedLine, Clinical Trials, PubMed, Embase, and Crossref with the following key words: "heart failure", "telemedicine", "telemonitoring", "hospitalisation (hospitalization)", "mortality". We included studies that were conducted during the last 10 years. In total, we analyzed 1151 records. After screening, 14 randomized control trials were included in the final analysis.

RESULTS

The conducted meta-analysis showed that telemedicine support is accompanied by a decrease in heart failure-related hospitalizations (risk ratio (RR) 0.78 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.68-0.89)) and a decrease in all-cause mortality (RR 0.84 (95% CI 0.75-0.94)). We did not find a significant association between telemedicine support and all-cause hospitalizations. We did not analyze heart failure-related mortality because of insufficient data.

CONCLUSION

Telemedicine support is accompanied by a decrease in heart failure-related hospitalizations and a decrease in all-cause mortality in patients with heart failure.

Nurse-led home-based detection of cardiac dysfunction by ultrasound: results of the CUMIN pilot study

Aims

Access to echocardiography is a significant barrier to heart failure (HF) care in many low- and middle-income countries. In this study, we hypothesized that an artificial intelligence (AI)-enhanced point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) device could enable the detection of cardiac dysfunction by nurses in Tunisia.

Methods and results

This CUMIN study was a prospective feasibility pilot assessing the diagnostic accuracy of home-based AI-POCUS for HF conducted by novice nurses compared with conventional clinic-based transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). Seven nurses underwent a one-day training program in AI-POCUS. A total of 94 patients without a previous HF diagnosis received home-based AI-POCUS, POC N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) testing, and clinic-based TTE. The primary outcome was the sensitivity of AI-POCUS in detecting a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <50% or left atrial volume index (LAVI) >34 mL/m2, using clinic-based TTE as the reference. Out of seven nurses, five achieved a minimum standard to participate in the study. Out of the 94 patients (60% women, median age 67), 16 (17%) had an LVEF < 50% or LAVI > 34 mL/m2. AI-POCUS provided an interpretable LVEF in 75 (80%) patients and LAVI in 64 (68%). The only significant predictor of an interpretable LVEF or LAVI proportion was the nurse operator. The sensitivity for the primary outcome was 92% [95% confidence interval (CI): 62-99] for AI-POCUS compared with 87% (95% CI: 60-98) for NT-proBNP > 125 pg/mL, with AI-POCUS having a significantly higher area under the curve (P = 0.040).

Conclusion

The study demonstrated the feasibility of novice nurse-led home-based detection of cardiac dysfunction using AI-POCUS in HF patients, which could alleviate the burden on under-resourced healthcare systems.

Effects of remote patient management on self-care behaviour in heart failure patients: results from the randomized TIM-HF2 trial

AIMS

Remote patient management (RPM) in heart failure (HF) patients has beneficial clinical effects. This analysis investigates the effects of RPM used in the Telemedical Interventional Management in Heart Failure II (TIM-HF2) trial on HF-specific self-care.

METHODS AND RESULTS

From 2013 to 2017, 1538 HF outpatients (age 70.3 ± 10.5 years, 70% men, 52%/47% NYHA II/III, 65% LVEF ≤45%) with a recent HF hospitalization were included to the study and randomized to usual care (UC) plus RPM (n = 796) or UC only (n = 775), with a 12-month follow-up. Self-reported self-care behaviour at baseline and at end of study was assessed with the 9-item European Heart Failure Self-care Behaviour Scale (EHFScBS-9), obtaining 1321 patients with valid baseline and follow-up questionnaires for the analysis. EHFScBS-9 sum scores increased in the RPM group (n = 667) from 78.7 ± 17 to 84.5 ± 14 and in the UC group (n = 654) from 79.0 ± 17 to 80.0 ± 16 from baseline to 12 months [difference in means (MD) 4.58 (3.02, 6.14); P < 0.001] with highest improvement [8.66 (3.52; 13.81)] in patients living alone and having an inadequate (<70) baseline EHFScBS-9. There were differences between both groups in item 'I weight myself every day' [MD -1.13 (-1.24, -1.02); P < 0.001] and item 'I take my medication as prescribed' [MD -0.06 (-0.10, -0.01); P = 0.014]. No correlation was found between the EHFScBS-9 score and the efficacy of RPM on the TIM-HF2 primary endpoint of percentage of days lost due to unplanned cardiovascular hospitalization or death of any cause.

CONCLUSIONS

RPM improves HF-specific self-care behaviour by achieving a better adherence to recommended HF regimen.

REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01878630.

Dipeptidyl peptidase 3 plasma levels predict cardiogenic shock and mortality in acute coronary syndromes

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Dipeptidyl peptidase 3 (DPP3) is a protease involved in the degradation of angiotensin II which disturbs peripheral blood pressure regulation and compromises left ventricular function. This study examined the relationship of circulating DPP3 (cDPP3) with cardiogenic shock (CS) and mortality in patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes (ACS).

METHODS

Plasma cDPP3 levels were assessed at baseline and 12-24 h after presentation in patients with ACS prospectively enrolled into the multi-centre SPUM-ACS study (n = 4787).

RESULTS

Circulating DPP3 levels were associated with in-hospital CS when accounting for established risk factors including the ORBI risk score [per log-2 increase, hazard ratio (HR) 1.38, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05-1.82, P = .021]. High cDPP3 was an independent predictor of mortality at 30 days (HR 1.87, 95% CI 1.36-2.58, P < .001) and at one year (HR 1.61, 95% CI 1.28-2.02, P < .001) after adjustment for established risk factors and the GRACE 2.0 score. Compared to values within the normal range, persistently elevated cDPP3 levels at 12-24 h were associated with 13.4-fold increased 30-day mortality risk (HR 13.42, 95% CI 4.86-37.09, P < .001) and 5.8-fold increased 1-year mortality risk (HR 5.79, 95% CI 2.70-12.42, P < .001). Results were consistent across various patient subgroups.

CONCLUSIONS

This study identifies cDPP3 as a novel marker of CS and increased mortality in patients with ACS. Circulating DPP3 offers prognostic information beyond established risk factors and improves early risk assessment.

[Legal aspects of telemedicine in cardiology in Germany]

Since 2016, quarterly telemedical remote monitoring of patients with an implanted defibrillator or cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) system is part of the Einheitlichen Bewertungsmaßstab (EBM, physician's fee schedule) and is the first telemedical service to be reimbursed in German cardiology. Many publications like the TIM-HF2 or the InTime trial have shown a significant benefit for different endpoints in patients with advanced heart failure. Therefore, the German Society of Cardiology (DGK) has published different recommendations that emphasize an obvious indication of telemedical care with daily control of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) information, parameters like blood pressure and weight, and telemedical counselling of patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. This recommendation is also part of the guidelines of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) published in 2021. It has a level IIb for patients with heart failure. In December 2020 the "Gemeinsame Bundesausschuss" (G-BA) decided to accept telemonitoring as a diagnostic tool and treatment option for patients with heart failure. This service of physicians became part of the EBM and ever since may be offered to patients. This development is accompanied with many questions regarding a physician's accountability, protection of data privacy, and also regarding the structures given by the G‑BA and the "Kassenärztlichen Vereinigungen" (KV). Thus, this paper tries to give an overview of these topics. It will also provide a critical discussion of these structures and their legal foundation because there are many constraints that need to be taken into consideration as a cardiologist. These constraints may ultimately hinder the expansion of this service to patients in Germany.

Patients' Experiences Using a Mobile Health App for Self-Care of Heart Failure in a Real-World Setting: Qualitative Analysis

BACKGROUND

Publicly available patient-focused mobile health (mHealth) apps are being increasingly integrated into routine heart failure (HF)-related self-care. However, there is a dearth of research on patients' experiences using mHealth apps for self-care in real-world settings.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to explore patients' experiences using a commercially available mHealth app, OnTrack to Health, for HF self-care in a real-world setting.

METHODS

Patient satisfaction, measured with a 5-point Likert scale, and an open-ended survey were used to gather data from 23 patients with HF who were provided the OnTrack to Health app as a part of routine HF management. A content analysis of patients' responses was conducted with the qualitative software Atlas.ti (version 8; ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH).

RESULTS

Patients (median age 64, IQR 57-71 years; 17/23, 74% male) used OnTrack to Health for a median 164 (IQR 51-640) days before the survey. All patients reported excellent experiences related to app use and would recommend the app to other patients with HF. Five themes emerged from the responses to the open-ended questions: (1) features that enhanced self-care of HF (medication tracker, graphic performance feedback and automated alerts, secured messaging features, and HF self-care education); (2) perceived benefits (provided assurance of safety, improved HF self-care, and decreased hospitalization rates); (3) challenges with using apps for self-care (giving up previous self-care strategies); (4) facilitators (perceived ease of use and availability of technical support); and (5) suggested improvements (streamlining data entry, integration of apps with an electronic medical record, and personalization of app features).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients were satisfied with using OnTrack to Health for self-care. They perceived the features of the app as valuable tools for improving self-care ability and decreasing hospitalization rates. The development of apps in collaboration with end users is essential to ensure high-quality patient experiences related to app use for self-care.

Longer-Term Effects of Remote Patient Management Following Hospital Discharge After Acute Systolic Heart Failure: The Randomized E-INH Trial

BACKGROUND

The randomized INH (Interdisciplinary Network Heart Failure) trial (N = 715) reported that 6 months' remote patient management (RPM) (HeartNetCare-HF) did not reduce the primary outcome (time to all-cause death/rehospitalization) vs usual care (UC) in patients discharged after admission for acute heart failure, but suggested lower mortality and better quality of life in the RPM group.

OBJECTIVES

The Extended (E)-INH trial investigated the effects of 18 months' HeartNetCare-HF on the same primary outcome in an expanded population (N = 1,022) and followed survivors up to 60 months (primary outcome events) or up to 120 months (mortality) after RPM termination.

METHODS

Eligible patients aged ≥18 years, hospitalized for acute heart failure, and with predischarge ejection fraction ≤40% were randomized to RPM (RPM+UC; n = 509) or control (UC; n = 513). Follow-up visits were every 6 months during RPM, and then at 36, 60, and 120 months.

RESULTS

The primary outcome did not differ between groups at 18 months (60.7% [95% CI: 56.5%-65.0%] vs 61.2% [95% CI: 57.0%-65.4%]) or 60 months (78.1% [95% CI: 74.4%-81.6%] vs 82.8% [95% CI: 79.5%-86.0%]). At 60 and 120 months, all-cause mortality was lower in patients previously undergoing RPM (41.1% [95% CI: 37.0%-45.5%] vs 47.4% [95% CI: 43.2%-51.8%]; P = 0.040 and 64.0% [95% CI: 59.8%-68.2%] vs 69.6% [95% CI: 65.6%-73.5%]; P = 0.019). At all visits, health-related quality of life was better in patients exposed to HeartNetCare-HF vs UC.

CONCLUSIONS

Although 18 months' HeartNetCare-HF did not significantly reduce the primary outcome of death or rehospitalization at 60 months, lower 120-month mortality in patients previously undergoing HeartNetCare-HF suggested beneficial longer-term effects, although the possibility of a chance finding remains.

Impact of patient engagement in a French telemonitoring programme for heart failure on hospitalization and mortality

AIMS

Management of patients with recently decompensated heart failure by hospital services is expensive, complicated to plan, and not always effective. Telemedicine programmes in heart failure may improve the quality of care, but their effectiveness is poorly documented in real-world settings. The study aims to evaluate the impact of patient engagement in home-based telemonitoring for heart failure (SCAD programme) on rehospitalization and mortality rates.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A retrospective observational study was performed in 659 SCAD participants. SCAD is a patient-oriented service of home-based interactive telemonitoring offered to heart failure patients during hospitalization who agree to participate in a therapeutic education programme. Patients were telemonitored for at least 3 months, and rehospitalization and mortality were documented at 12 months and 5 years. During the telemonitoring period, patients provided daily information on health and lifestyle through an internet-based interface. Data were linked on a patient-by-patient basis between the SCAD database and the French national health insurance database (Système National des Données de Santé). Outcomes were compared as a function of use of the programme. Low, intermediate, and high users were classified by tercile of data return during telemonitoring. Patients were followed for a median of 32.9 months. Rehospitalization rates for cardiovascular disease decreased from 79.4% in the year preceding enrolment to 41.1% in the following year and from 52.8% to 18.8% for hospitalizations for heart failure. The 12 month mortality rate was 11.2%. Significant associations were observed between level of use of the SCAD programme and all-cause rehospitalization (P = 0.0085), rehospitalization for cardiovascular disease (P = 0.0010), rehospitalization for heart failure (27.8% in low users, 12.9% in intermediate users, and 13.5% in high users; P < 0.0001), and mortality (26.8%, 15.2%, and 15.9% respectively; P = 0.0157) in the 12 months following enrolment. The mean number of days alive outside hospital were 279 ± 111 in low users, 312 ± 90 in intermediate users, and 304 ± 100 in high users (P = 0.0022).

CONCLUSIONS

Educational home telemonitoring of patients with heart failure following hospitalization provides long-term clinical benefits in terms of rehospitalization and death in real-world settings, according to the level of use of the programme by the patient. These benefits would be expected to have a major impact on the burden of this disease. Low engagement in telemonitoring could be used as a signal of poor prognosis and taken into account in the management strategy.

Efficacy of telehealth in integrated chronic disease management for older, multimorbid adults with heart failure: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

We conducted a systematic review to assess the comparative efficacy of integrated telehealth versus other strategies of chronic disease management in older, multimorbid adults with heart failure (HF) in primary care and community settings. Specific efficacy outcomes included CVD-related hospitalizations, rehospitalizations, and mortality.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE, CINAHL, and CENTRAL from the date of each database's inception to January 2020. The literature search retrieved 9,181 articles, which were screened by two independent raters. Twenty-two of these articles were included in the systematic review. Data extraction, risk of bias assessment, and narrative synthesis followed article screening.

RESULTS

This systematic review found that integrated telehealth is efficacious in reducing CVD-related hospitalizations, rehospitalizations, and mortality in older, multimorbid adults within primary care and community settings. However, numerous discrepancies existed between the studies, due largely to differences in telehealth modalities and risk of bias. Overall, the combinations of modalities were so diverse that the reviewed literature did not suggest an optimal integrated telehealth strategy. At most, no more than three studies featured the same combination of telehealth modalities and outcomes. Furthermore, only 3 of the 22 included RCTs scored low on the Cochrane risk of bias tool.

CONCLUSIONS

Researchers should focus on the quality of future RCTs to better assess the efficacy of different telehealth modalities in multimorbid older adults with HF. Also, since all the included RCTs focused on HF, a knowledge gap exists with regard to the efficacy of using integrated telehealth to manage other cardiovascular diseases (CVD).

The First Year of Noninvasive Remote Telemonitoring in Chronic Heart Failure Is not Cost Saving but Improves Quality of Life: The Randomized Controlled CardioBBEAT Trial

Introduction: Remote telemonitoring (RTM) for patients with chronic heart failure (HF) holds promise to improve prognosis and well-being beyond the standard of care (SoC). The CardioBBEAT trial assessed the health economic and clinical impact of an interactive bidirectional RTM system (Motiva®) versus SoC for patients with HF and a reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), in Germany. Methods: This multicenter, randomized controlled trial enrolled 621 patients with HFrEF (mean age 63.0 ± 11.5 years, 88% men). The primary endpoint was the integrated effect of the intervention on total costs and nonhospitalized days alive after 12 months, reported as incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). Costs (in k€) were based on actual charges of patients' statutory health insurance. Among secondary outcome measures were mortality and disease-specific quality of life. Results: We found a neutral effect on nonhospitalized days alive (RTM mean 341 ± 59 days, SoC 346 ± 45 days; p = 0.298) associated with increased total costs (RTM 18.5 ± 39.5 k€, SoC 12.8 ± 22.0 k€; p = 0.046). This yielded an ICER of -1.15 k€/day. RTM did not impact mortality risk. All quality of life scales were consistently and meaningfully improved in the RTM group at 12 months compared to SoC (all p < 0.01). Conclusions: The first 12 months of RTM were not cost-effective compared to SoC in patients with HFrEF, but associated with a relevant improvement in disease-specific quality of life. The balanced assessment of the potential benefit of RTM requires integration of both the societal and patient perspective. ClinTrials.gov (NCT02293252).

Identification of Digital Health Priorities for Palliative Care Research: Modified Delphi Study

BACKGROUND

Developments in digital health have the potential to transform the delivery of health and social care to help citizens manage their health. Currently, there is a lack of consensus about digital health research priorities in palliative care and a lack of theories about how these technologies might improve care outcomes. Therefore, it is important for health care leaders to identify innovations to ensure that an increasingly frail population has appropriate access to palliative care services. Consequently, it is important to articulate research priorities as the first step in determining how finite resources should be allocated to a field saturated with rapidly developing innovation.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to identify research priority areas for digital health in palliative care.

METHODS

We selected digital health trends, most relevant to palliative care, from a list of emerging trends reported by a leading institute of quantitative futurists. We conducted 2 rounds of the Delphi questionnaire, followed by a consensus meeting and public engagement workshop to establish a final consensus on research priorities for digital technology in palliative care. We used the views of public representatives to gain their perspectives on the agreed priorities.

RESULTS

A total of 103 experts (representing 11 countries) participated in the first Delphi round. Of the 103 experts, 55 (53.3%) participated in the second round. The final consensus meetings were attended by 10.7% (11/103) of the experts. We identified 16 priority areas, which involved many applications of technologies, including care for patients and caregivers, self-management and reporting of diseases, education and training, communication, care coordination, and research methodology. We summarized the priority areas into eight topics: big data, mobile devices, telehealth and telemedicine, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, smart home, biotechnology, and digital legacy.

CONCLUSIONS

The priorities identified in this study represent a wide range of important emerging areas in the fields of digital health, personalized medicine, and data science. Human-centered design and robust governance systems should be considered in future research. It is important that the risks of using these technologies in palliative care are properly addressed to ensure that these tools are used meaningfully, wisely, and safely and do not cause unintentional harm.

[Telemedicine in chronic heart failure-From clinical studies to standard care]

Telemedicine has the potential to solve many current and especially future challenges in medical care. Using the example of heart failure (HF), the transition of telemedicine from clinical studies to standard care is presented. In patients with chronic HF, randomized controlled trials have shown that telemedicine-based care leads to a reduction in mortality and cardiovascular morbidity. Based on these data, the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) decided that for the first time a digital method should be introduced into standard care for high-risk patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction. In the future, this group of patients will be entitled to telemedical care using active rhythm devices or noninvasive measuring devices. The indications are assessed by the primary treating physician (PBA), who works together with a telemedicine center (TMZ) managed through cardiology that receives daily telemetric data and notifies the PBA of abnormal findings. Alternatively, a cardiologist PBA with an associated TMZ infrastructure can also provide telemedical care. In the future, advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence or mobile communication standard 5G will help to make telemedicine both widely available and usable for alternative sensor technology.

Post-ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Follow-Up Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Possible Benefit of Telemedicine: An Observational Study

Background: Infectious control measures during the COVID-19 pandemic have led to the propensity toward telemedicine. This study examined the impact of telemedicine during the pandemic on the long-term outcomes of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients.

Methods: This study included 288 patients admitted 1 year before the pandemic (October 2018–December 2018) and during the pandemic (January 2020–March 2020) eras, and survived their index STEMI admission. The follow-up period was 1 year. One-year primary safety endpoint was all-cause mortality. Secondary safety endpoints were cardiac readmissions for unplanned revascularisation, non-fatal myocardial infarction, heart failure, arrythmia, unstable angina. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) was defined as the composite outcome of each individual safety endpoint.

Results: Despite unfavorable in-hospital outcomes among patients admitted during the pandemic compared to pre-pandemic era, both groups had similar 1-year all-cause mortality (11.2 vs. 8.5%, respectively, p = 0.454) but higher cardiac-related (14.1 vs. 5.1%, p < 0.001) and heart failure readmissions in the pandemic vs. pre-pandemic groups (7.1 vs. 1.7%, p = 0.037). Follow-up was more frequently conducted via teleconsultations (1.2 vs. 0.2 per patient/year, p = 0.001), with reduction in physical consultations (2.1 vs. 2.6 per patient/year, p = 0.043), during the pandemic vs. pre-pandemic era. Majority achieved guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) during pandemic vs. pre-pandemic era (75.9 vs. 61.6%, p = 0.010). Multivariable Cox regression demonstrated achieving medication target doses (HR 0.387, 95% CI 0.164–0.915, p = 0.031) and GDMT (HR 0.271, 95% CI 0.134–0.548, p < 0.001) were independent predictors of lower 1-year MACE after adjustment.

Conclusion: The pandemic has led to the wider application of teleconsultation, with increased adherence to GDMT, enhanced medication target dosing. Achieving GDMT was associated with favorable long-term prognosis.

ANMCO POSITION PAPER: The reorganization of cardiology in times of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic represents an unprecedented event that has brought deep changes in hospital facilities with reshaping of the health system organization, revealing inadequacies of current hospital and local health systems. When the COVID-19 emergency will end, further evaluation of the national health system, new organization of acute wards, and a further evolution of the entire health system will be needed to improve care during the chronic phase of disease. Therefore, new standards for healthcare personnel, more efficient organization of hospital facilities for patients with acute illnesses, improvement of technological approaches, and better integration between hospital and territorial services should be pursued. With experience derived from the COVID-19 pandemic,new models, paradigms, interventional approaches, values and priorities should be suggested and implemented.

Telemedizin bei Herzinsuffizienz – Translation von klinischen Studien in die Regelversorgung

Für telemedizinische Mitbetreuung von Patient*innen mit chronischer Herzinsuffizienz besteht Evidenz bezüglich der Senkung von Letalität und kardiovaskulärer Morbidität. Nach aktuellem Beschluss des Gemeinsamen Bundesausschusses (G-BA) wird erstmals eine digitale Methode in die Regelversorgung überführt. Hochrisikopatient*innen mit reduzierter linksventrikulärer Ejektionsfraktion haben künftig einen Leistungsanspruch, entweder mittels aktiver Implantate (ICD, CRT-P und CRT-D) oder mittels telemedizinischer Heimmessgeräte betreut zu werden. Die Indikation zum Telemonitoring stellt der/die primär behandelnde Arzt/Ärztin (PBA). Der tägliche Vitaldatentransfer erfolgt an ein kardiologisch geführtes Telemedizinzentrum (TMZ), welches den/die PBA bei auffälligen Befunden zeitnah benachrichtigt. Der/die PBA entscheidet im Einzelfall über den Bedarf einer telemedizinischen 24/7-Mitbetreuung. Ein/e kardiologische/r PBA mit einer TMZ-Infrastruktur kann die telemedizinische Mitbetreuung der eigenen Patient*innen übernehmen.

Testing the Feasibility of Sensor-Based Home Health Monitoring (TEC4Home) to Support the Convalescence of Patients With Heart Failure: Pre-Post Study

Background

Patients with heart failure (HF) can be affected by disabling symptoms and low quality of life. Furthermore, they may frequently need to visit the emergency department or be hospitalized due to their condition deteriorating. Home telemonitoring can play a role in tracking symptoms, reducing hospital visits, and improving quality of life.

Objective

Our objective was to conduct a feasibility study of a home health monitoring (HHM) solution for patients with HF in British Columbia, Canada, to prepare for conducting a randomized controlled trial.

Methods

Patients with HF were recruited from 3 urban hospitals and provided with HHM technology for 60 days of monitoring postdischarge. Participants were asked to monitor their weight, blood pressure, and heart rate and to answer symptomology questions via Bluetooth sensors and a tablet computer each day. A monitoring nurse received this data and monitored the patient’s condition. In our evaluation, the primary outcome was the combination of unscheduled emergency department revisits of discharged participants or death within 90 days. Secondary outcomes included 90-day hospital readmissions, patient quality of life (as measured by Veterans Rand 12-Item Health Survey and Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Scale), self-efficacy (as measured by European Heart Failure Self-Care Behaviour Scale 9), end-user experience, and health system cost-effectiveness including cost reduction and hospital bed capacity. In this feasibility study, we also tested the recruitment strategy, clinical protocols, evaluation framework, and data collection methods.

Results

Seventy participants were enrolled into this trial. Participant engagement to monitoring was measured at 94% (N=70; ie, data submitted 56/60 days on average). Our evaluation framework allowed us to collect sound data, which also showed encouraging trends: a 79% reduction of emergency department revisits post monitoring, an 87% reduction in hospital readmissions, and a 60% reduction in the median hospital length of stay (n=36). Cost of hospitalization for participants decreased by 71%, and emergency department visit costs decreased by 58% (n=30). Overall health system costs for our participants showed a 56% reduction post monitoring (n=30). HF-specific quality of life (Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Scale) scores showed a significant increase of 101% (n=35) post monitoring (P<.001). General quality of life (Veterans Rand 12-Item Health Survey) improved by 19% (n=35) on the mental component score (P<.001) and 19% (n=35) on the physical component score (P=.02). Self-efficacy improved by 6% (n=35). Interviews with participants revealed that they were satisfied overall with the monitoring program and its usability, and participants reported being more engaged, educated, and involved in their self-management.

Conclusions

Results from this small-sample feasibility study suggested that our HHM intervention can be beneficial in supporting patients post discharge. Additionally, key insights from the trial allowed us to refine our methods and procedures, such as shifting our recruitment methods to in-patient wards and increasing our scope of data collection. Although these findings are promising, a more rigorous trial design is required to test the true efficacy of the intervention. The results from this feasibility trial will inform our next step as we proceed with a randomized controlled trial across British Columbia.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03439384; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03439384

[The wearable cardioverter defibrillator as diagnostic tool : Case report from remote monitoring daily practice]

Eine telemedizinische Versorgung kann neue Einsatzmöglichkeiten bereits etablierter Therapeutika wie einer tragbaren Defibrillator-Weste (WCD) ermöglichen und über ein verbessertes Management von hierüber abgeleiteten Vitaldaten die Versorgungsqualität von chronisch kranken Patienten mit Herzinsuffizienz (HI) erhöhen. Im aktuellen Fallbericht wird der klinische Verlauf eines 71 Jahre alten Patienten beschrieben, der nach einer akuten kardialen Dekompensation und neudiagnostizierter hochgradiger Einschränkung der kardialen Pumpfunktion im Rahmen einer ischämischen Kardiomyopathie leitliniengerecht mit einer WCD bis zur endgültigen Entscheidung über eine ICD-Implantation versorgt wurde. Die durch die WCD gesammelten Vitalwerte wurden über ein Telemedizinzentrum (TMZ) strukturiert ausgewertet und hierbei ein Rezidiv des vorbekannten paroxysmalen Vorhofflimmerns (VHF) entdeckt, was vor einer möglichen Dekompensation durch Anpassung der Medikation und frühzeitiger Initiierung einer Pulmonalvenenisolation (PVI) therapiert werden konnte. Dieser Fall zeigt exemplarisch die Sinnhaftigkeit strukturierter telemedizinischer Intervention auf, die es ermöglicht, etablierte Konzepte der Patientenversorgung sinnvoll zu ergänzen, bestehende Konzepte zu optimieren und die Patientenversorgung signifikant zu verbessern.

Effectiveness of Mobile Health Technology Interventions for Patients With Heart Failure: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Heart failure (HF) is a complex and serious condition associated with substantial morbidity, mortality, and health care costs. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of mobile health (mHealth) interventions compared with usual care in patients with HF.

METHODS

We searched MEDLINE, CENTRAL, CINAHL, and EMBASE databases to identify eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of mHealth interventions. Primary outcomes included: all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, HF-related hospitalizations, and all-cause hospitalizations. Meta-analyses using a random effects model were performed for all outcomes. Risk of bias and quality of evidence were evaluated using the Cochrane Tool and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) framework.

RESULTS

Sixteen RCTs involving 4389 patients were included. Compared with usual care, mHealth interventions reduced the risk of all-cause mortality (risk ratio [RR], 0.80; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.65-0.97; absolute risk reduction [ARR], 2.1%; high-quality evidence), cardiovascular mortality (RR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.53-0.91; ARR, 2.9%; high-quality evidence), and HF hospitalizations (RR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.67-0.88; ARR, 5%; high-quality evidence), but had no effect on all-cause hospitalizations. Results were driven by mHealth interventions with remote monitoring and clinical feedback, which were associated with larger reductions than stand-alone mHealth interventions. However, subgroup differences were not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

mHealth interventions with remote monitoring and clinical feedback reduce mortality and HF-related hospitalizations, but might not reduce all-cause hospitalizations in patients with HF. Additional studies are needed to determine the efficacy of stand-alone mHealth interventions as well as active features of mHealth that contribute to efficacy.