Impact of Telemedical Care and Monitoring on Morbidity in Mild to Moderate Chronic Heart Failure

Abstract

Objective: We investigated in a pilot study whether telemedicine is beneficial in mild to moderate chronic heart failure. Methods: A total of 128 patients with an ejection fraction ≤60% and NYHA class II or III chronic heart failure were evaluated. Thirty-two patients were enrolled prospectively in a staged telemedical service program. Ninety-six controls were matched 3:1 to each telemedicine patient. Results: Median follow-up was 307 days (range 104–459). All-cause hospitalization duration [317 vs. 693 days/100 patient years; relative risk (RR) 0.46; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.37–0.58; p < 0.0001) and rate (38 vs. 77/100 patient years; RR 0.49; 95% CI 0.25–0.95; p = 0.034) as well as cardiac hospitalization duration (49 vs. 379 days/100 patient years; RR 0.13; 95% CI 0.08–0.23; p < 0.0001] were significantly lower, cardiac hospitalization rate (11 vs. 35/100 patient years; RR 0.31; 95% CI 0.11–1.02; p = 0.058) tended to be lower in the telemedicine compared with the control group. Conclusion: These preliminary data suggest that telemedical care and monitoring may reduce morbidity in patients with NYHA class II and III chronic heart failure.

Journal

Journal ID (publisher-id): CRD

Journal ID (nlm-ta): Cardiology

Journal ID (doi): 10.1159/issn.0008-6312

Title: Cardiology

Publisher: S. Karger AG

ISSN (Print): 0008-6312

ISSN (Electronic): 1421-9751

Publication date Subscription-year: 2008

Publication date (Print): August 2008

Publication date (Electronic): 31 March 2008

Volume: 111

Issue: 2

Pages: 134-139

Affiliations

Department of Cardiology and Pulmonology, Charité-Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany

Article

Publisher ID: 119701 Other ID: Cardiology 2008;111:134–139

DOI: 10.1159/000119701

PubMed ID: 18376125

Copyright statement: © 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel

License:

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Page count

Figures: 1, Tables: 2, References: 12, Pages: 6

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Categories

Subject: Original Research