title: Automated home telephone self-monitoring reduces hospitalization in patients with advanced heart failure.
abstract: We studied 138 patients admitted for heart failure (HF). Patients were allocated one of three treatment strategies. Group 1 (G1, n = 50) were given usual care for HF, Group 2 (G2, n = 56) received a multi-disciplinary team approach, while Group 3 (G3, n = 32) had home telephone self-monitoring. Telemonitoring was based on the answers to three simple queries about bodyweight change, dyspnoea and general health. The system stratified the HF severity of each patient once a week, and recommended a prompt medical appointment or simple follow-up. Over a 12-month follow-up period, there were 43 adverse events (cardiovascular deaths and rehospitalizations for HF: G1 = 22, G2 = 14, G3 = 7). There was no difference between G2 and G3 (P = 0.78) but there was significant disadvantage with usual care (P = 0.02 vs. G2 and P = 0.04 vs. G3). Time to re-admission for HF increased in G2 and G3 compared to G1 (188 and 198 days vs. 95 days, P = 0.03 and P = 0.02 respectively). Automated home telephone self-monitoring reduced rehospitalization in patients with advanced HF.
authors.affiliation: Heart Failure Clinic and Cardiac Ultrasound Laboratory, Department of Cardiology, Rouen University Hospital, 1 rue de Germont, Rouen, France. baptiste.kurtz@chu-rouen.fr
authors.forename: Baptiste
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kurtz
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lemercier
authors.forename: Sophie Cordier
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Pouchin
authors.forename: Emmanuelle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Benmokhtar
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vallet
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cribier
authors.forename: Fabrice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bauer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001835:Body Weight; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006699:Home Care Services; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000379:methods*; D013689:Telephone