title: Efficacy of telecardiology in improving the results of cardiac rehabilitation after acute myocardial infarction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was addressed to verify if Telecardiology (TC) improves the results of Cardiac Rehabilitation in patients following a home-based Cardiac Rehabilitation Program (CRP) after acute myocardial infarction (AMI).
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied three groups of patients after AMI: Group A (control group): 15 patients, who followed a standard in-hospital CRP of 3 weekly sessions of 2 months duration; Group B (study group): 15 patients, who were enrolled in a home-based CRP of similar duration and were monitored by TC with the aid of an ecg-device (Sorin Life Watch CG 6106); Group C (second control group): 15 patients, who followed a home-based CRP without ecg-monitoring by TC. All patients performed a symptom-limited exercise testing at the beginning of the CRP. Psychometric data (STAI-Y1, STAI-Y2, BDI) were also evaluated. At the end of the CRP all patients underwent repeated exercise testing and psychometric evaluation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  TC applied to the home-based CRP was associated with a good compliance to the program. Compared to Group C, in Group B we observed an increase of maximal heart rate, exercise duration, maximal work-load, and an improvement of anxiety, a trend to reduction of depression, and an improvement of quality of life. These results were very similar to Group A patients following a hospital-based CRP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TC improves compliance, functional capacity and psychological profile of patients undergoing a home-based CRP, compared to patients enrolled in a home-based CRP without ecg-monitoring by Telecardiology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, Cardiovascular and Immunological Sciences, Cardiac Rehabilitation Unit, University of Naples Federico II, via S. Pansini 5, 80131 Napoli, Italy. vigorito@unina.it
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giallauria
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lucci
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pilerci
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Lorenzo
authors.forename: Athanasio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manakos
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Psaroudaki
authors.forename: Mariantonietta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dagostino
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vitelli
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Maresca
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Del Forno
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vigorito
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory / Q000379:methods*; D005080:Exercise Test; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D017216:Telemedicine