Five years of Telemedicine in Cystic Fibrosis Disease.
OBJECTIVE
We studied the effect of Telehomecare (THC) in a group of Cystic Fibrosis (CF) patients, with the aim to early recognize the relapses of pulmonary infections. Data obtained with Vivisol (OXYTEL) instrumentation were collected from 2001 to 2005.


METHODS
The study has involved 17 patients (11 f, 6 m) affected by CF, treated with THC, in addition to the usual therapeutic protocol, for an average period of 29.6 months +/- 13.5. The mean age for THC enrollment was 15.74 years +/- 5.8. As controls, the study has involved the same patients during the 12 months prior to THC start-up and 28 patients affected by CF treated at our Unit (13 f, 15 m; average age 14.77 +/- 5.22).


RESULTS
The results show a statistically significant decrease of outpatient accesses and increase of therapy cycles, and a trend of higher stability of the respiratory function, in THC treated subjects compared to controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study suggests that THC programs may not be optimally accepted by CF patients, and that its use seems to increase in general the rate of access to health care without demonstrating any clear effect of pulmonary function.
Bella
S
S
Cystic Fibrosis diagnosis and treatment Unit, Children's Hospital Bambino Gesù, Research and Care Institute, Rome, Italy. bella@opbg.net
Murgia
F
F
Tozzi
A E
AE
Cotognini
C
C
Lucidi
V
V
D000293:Adolescent; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017216:Telemedicine; D013997:Time Factors