Heart Failure Telemonitoring in Japan and Sweden: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Background

Telemonitoring of heart failure (HF) patients is increasingly discussed at conferences and addressed in research. However, little is known about actual use in specific countries.

Objective

We aimed to (1) describe the use of non-invasive HF telemonitoring, (2) clarify expectations of telemonitoring among cardiologists and nurses, and (3) describe barriers to the implementation of telemonitoring in Japan and Sweden.

Methods

This study used a cross-sectional survey of non-invasive HF telemonitoring. A total of 378 Japanese (120 cardiologists, 258 nurses) and 120 Swedish (39 cardiologists, 81 nurses) health care professionals from 165 Japanese and 61 Swedish hospitals/clinics nationwide participated in the study (210 in Japan and 98 in Sweden were approached). Data were collected between November 2013 and May 2014 with a questionnaire that was adapted from a previous Dutch study on telemonitoring.

Results

The mean age of the cardiologists and nurses was 47 years and 41 years, respectively. Experience at the current position caring for HF patients was 19 years among the physicians and 15 years among the nurses. In total, 7 Japanese (4.2%) and none of the Swedish health care institutions used telemonitoring. One fourth (24.0%, 118/498) of the health care professionals were familiar with the technology (in Japan: 21.6%, 82/378; in Sweden: 30.0%, 36/120). The highest expectations of telemonitoring (rated on a scale from 0-10) were reduced hospitalizations (8.3 in Japan and 7.5 in Sweden), increased patient self-care (7.8 and 7.4), and offering high-quality care (7.8 and 7.0). The major goal for introducing telemonitoring was to monitor physical condition and recognize signs of worsening HF in Japan (94.1%, 352/374) and Sweden (88.7%, 102/115). The following reasons were also high in Sweden: to monitor effects of treatment and adjust it remotely (86.9%, 100/115) and to do remote drug titration (79.1%, 91/115). Just under a quarter of Japanese (22.4%, 85/378) and over a third of Swedish (38.1%, 45/118) health care professionals thought that telemonitoring was a good way to follow up stable HF patients. Three domains of barriers were identified by content analysis: organizational barriers “how are we going to do it?” (categories include structure and resource), health care professionals themselves “what do we need to know and do” (reservation), and barriers related to patients “not everybody would benefit” (internal and external shortcomings).

Conclusions

Telemonitoring for HF patients has not been implemented in Japan or Sweden. However, health care professionals have expectations of telemonitoring to reduce patients’ hospitalizations and increase patient self-care. There are still a wide range of barriers to the implementation of HF telemonitoring.     

Epidemiology,pathophysiology and contemporary management of cardiogenic shock – a position statement from the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology

Cardiogenic shock (CS) is a complex multifactorial clinical syndrome with extremely high mortality, developing as a continuum, and progressing from the initial insult (underlying cause) to the subsequent occurrence of organ failure and death. There is a large spectrum of CS presentations resulting from the interaction between an acute cardiac insult and a patient's underlying cardiac and overall medical condition. Phenotyping patients with CS may have clinical impact on management because classification would support initiation of appropriate therapies. CS management should consider appropriate organization of the health care services, and therapies must be given to the appropriately selected patients, in a timely manner, whilst avoiding iatrogenic harm. Although several consensus‐driven algorithms have been proposed, CS management remains challenging and substantial investments in research and development have not yielded proof of efficacy and safety for most of the therapies tested, and outcome in this condition remains poor. Future studies should consider the identification of the new pathophysiological targets, and high‐quality translational research should facilitate incorporation of more targeted interventions in clinical research protocols, aimed to improve individual patient outcomes. Designing outcome clinical trials in CS remains particularly challenging in this critical and very costly scenario in cardiology, but information from these trials is imperiously needed to better inform the guidelines and clinical practice. The goal of this review is to summarize the current knowledge concerning the definition, epidemiology, underlying causes, pathophysiology and management of CS based on important lessons from clinical trials and registries, with a focus on improving in‐hospital management.     

Learning Self-care After Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation

The number of heart failure (HF) patients living with a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) as destination therapy is increasing. Successful long-term LVAD support includes a high degree of self-care by the patient and their caregiver, and also requires long-term support from a multidisciplinary team. All three components of self-care deserve special attention once an HF patient receives an LVAD, including activities regarding self-care maintenance (activities related both to the device and lifestyle), self-care monitoring (e.g., monitoring for complications or distress), and self-care management (e.g., handling alarms or coping with living with the device). For patients to perform optimal self-care once they are discharged, they need optimal education that focuses on knowledge and skills through a collaborative, adult learning approach.     

MRI findings in people with epilepsy and nodding syndrome in an area endemic for onchocerciasis: an observational study

Background

Onchocerciasis has been implicated in the pathogenesis of epilepsy. The debate on a potential causal relationship between Onchocerca volvulus and epilepsy has taken a new direction in the light of the most recent epidemic of nodding syndrome.

Objective

To document MRI changes in people with different types of epilepsy and investigate whether there is an association with O. volvulus infection.

Methods

In a prospective study in southern Tanzania, an area endemic for O. volvulus with a high prevalence of epilepsy and nodding syndrome, we performed MRI on 32 people with epilepsy, 12 of which suffered from nodding syndrome. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of O. volvulus was performed in skin and CSF.

Results

The most frequent abnormalities seen on MRI was atrophy (twelve patients (37.5%)) followed by intraparenchymal pathologies such as changes in the hippocampus (nine patients (28.1%)), gliotic lesions (six patients (18.8%)) and subcortical signal abnormalities (three patients (9.4%)). There was an overall trend towards an association of intraparenchymal cerebral pathologies and infection with O. volvulus based on skin PCR (Fisher''s Exact Test p=0.067) which was most pronounced in children and adolescents with nodding syndrome compared to those with other types of epilepsy (Fisher''s Exact Test, p=0.083). Contrary to skin PCR results, PCR of CSF was negative in all patients.

Conclusion

The observed trend towards an association of intraparenchymal cerebral pathological results on MRI and a positive skin PCR for O. volvulus despite negative PCR of CSF is intriguing and deserves further attention.     

Association between prehospital delay and subsequent clinical course in patients with/hospitalized for heart failure

BackgroundThe clinical consequences of prehospital delay in heart failure (HF) patients are unknown. This study explores the relationship between prehospital delay of HF patients and length of hospital stay, plasma values of brain natriuretic peptides (BNP) as well as the association of delay with all-cause mortality, readmission for HF, or all-cause readmissions during short- (60 days) and long-term (18 months) follow-up.MethodsData from 1023 hospitalized HF patients mean aged 71 years from the Coordinating study evaluating Outcomes of Advising and Counselling in HF study were analyzed.ResultsPatients who delayed less than 1 day had significantly shorter stay in hospital (10 days vs. 11 days, P = 0.033). They also had significantly (P = 0.004) lower median plasma values of BNP (377 pg/mL) at discharge compared to patients who delayed >24 hours (492 pg/mL). Delay was not related to all-cause mortality and/or readmissions for HF.ConclusionAlthough patients with a prehospital delay less than 1 day were more symptomatic on admission, they had a shorter hospital stay as well as lower plasma values of BNP at discharge. Delay was not associated hospital readmissions or mortality after discharge.