Development and implementation of a heart failure telemonitoring system: the single centre experience

Abstract

Aim      To evaluate the efficacy of remote monitoring by the compliance with body weight control and drug therapy in patients with CHF, using a specially developed software module for chronic heart failure (CHF) monitoring.Material and methods  During 2018–2020, 79 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (mean age, 36.1 [34.2; 38.4] years) and NYHA II-IV functional class CHF were included in the outpatient telemonitoring (TM) program.Results The duration of monitoring was 965 [768; 1065] days. During the monitoring time, the compliance with outpatient body weight control significantly improved: 73.3 [70; 80] % at baseline vs. 86.7 [76.7; 86.7] % at the end of the 31st month (p<0.001). The proportion of patients measuring their body weight at least 6 times a week significantly increased: 8.9 % at baseline vs. 58.1 % by the end of the monitoring (p<0.001). There was no significant association between the time-related changes in the compliance with body weight control and drug therapy and the patient’s gender. In addition, during long-term TM, a small but statistically significant increase in left ventricular ejection fraction was noted (36.3 [35.5; 37.2] % at baseline vs. 37.2 [35.8; 38.3] % at the end of monitoring; p=0.0008). The involvement of staff physicians in the remote correction of therapy for CHF decreased during the study: the number of system notifications that required a physician’s response reduced over two years from 26.6 to 13 % (p=0.011).Conclusion      Participation of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and CHF in the structured TM program was associated with a significant increase in the compliance with regular self-control of body weight and drug therapy for heart failure.