title: Mobile telemonitoring for arrhythmias in outpatients in the Republic of Georgia: a brief report of a pilot study.
abstract: As the very first trial of mobile telemedicine in the Republic of Georgia, in June-December 2010 we investigated 35 outpatients with different types of arrhythmia (male/female ratio=16/19; 12-80 years old), among them 5 patients with concomitant epilepsy. The control group comprised 7 clinically healthy sportsmen (soccer players, all men; 15-17 years old), during a 30-min velo ergometer stress test. A three-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) loop recorder (Vitaphone BT 3300; Vitasystems GmbH, Mannheim, Germany) was used in automatic mode, using special LRMA software (MDT, Lázně Bohdaneč, Czech Republic) and a Nokia (Espoo, Finland) model 6730 Symbian phone. Automatically recorded arrhythmia events were transmitted from the loop recorder by Bluetooth(®) (Bluetooth SIG, Inc., Kirkland, WA) to a phone and then by 3G (through our partner mobile operator, MagtiCom Ltd. [Tbilsi, Georgia]) to the Vitasystems server in Germany and were available to Georgian physicians via e-mail/Internet. Arrhythmias were recorded/monitored during 7-68 h of observation. The number of automatically recorded ECG events varied between 3 and 170 per observation, or 0.4-10.7 hourly. Cases of sinus brady- and tachyarrhythmia, sinus node weakness syndrome, atrial fibrillation, supraventricular tachycardia, supraventricular premature complexes, and ventricular premature complexes were correctly recognized by automatic recognition software and recorded. In 3 patients and 1 sportsman previously unspecified (despite multiple investigations), arrhythmias were recorded: paroxysmal tachycardia (n=1), sinus node weakness syndrome (n=1), and ventricular premature complexes (n=2). In 3 cases (all women) light insomnia and nervousness were reported. In 2 patients with neurosis (both elderly men, 1 with epilepsy) we had to stop investigation prematurely because of anxiety/agitation. Mobile telecardiology represents feasible methodology to monitor arrhythmias in outpatients in Georgia, promoting earlier discharge of non-life-threatening cases, improving patients' comfort of life, and increasing their mobility with enhanced safety. Mobile telehealth might also represent significant cost-saving for insurance companies (this is an ongoing study). Finally, in remote areas mobile telemonitoring of patients will improve quality of care by timely provision of a second opinion in cases when local expertise is not sufficient.
authors: Partners for Health NGO, Tbilisi, Georgia. zkirtava@nilc.org.ge
authors: Zviad
authors: Z
authors: Kirtava
authors: Thea
authors: T
authors: Gegenava
authors: Maka
authors: M
authors: Gegenava
authors: Zviad
authors: Z
authors: Matoshvili
authors: Sofia
authors: S
authors: Kasradze
authors: Pavle
authors: P
authors: Kasradze
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005846:Georgia (Republic); D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013686:Telemetry; D055815:Young Adult