Key result
Trial evaluates teleconsultation support against usual care for HF mortality and hospital admissions.
Why the study?
Teleconsultation support from cardiologists to primary care physicians managing heart failure may improve care, but its effect on patient-relevant outcomes remains unclear.
Does teleconsultation support from cardiologists to primary care physicians reduce mortality and hospital admissions in patients recently discharged for heart failure?
RCT (n=800)
1:1 cluster-randomized
Yes
Does teleconsultation support from cardiologists to primary care physicians reduce mortality and hospital admissions in patients recently discharged for heart failure?
This study protocol describes a cluster-randomized trial evaluating whether cardiologist teleconsultation support for primary care physicians improves 6-month clinical outcomes in patients recently hospitalized for heart failure.
Teleconsultation support efficacy for post-discharge HF remains unproven; this RCT will test effects on 6-month mortality and admissions.
Heart failure is a prevalent condition and a frequent cause of hospital readmissions and poor quality of life. Teleconsultation support from cardiologists to primary care physicians managing patients with heart failure may improve care, but the effect on patient-relevant outcomes is unclear. We aim to evaluate whether collaboration through a novel teleconsultation platform in the Brazilian Heart Insufficiency with Telemedicine (BRAHIT) project, tested on a previous feasibility study, can improve patient-relevant outcomes. We will conduct a parallel-group, two-arm, cluster-randomised superiority trial with a 1:1 allocation ratio, with primary care practices from Rio de Janeiro as clusters. Physicians from the intervention group practices will receive teleconsultation support from a cardiologist to assist patients discharged from hospitals after admission for heart failure. In contrast, physicians from the control group practices will perform usual care. We will include 10 patients per each of the 80 enrolled practices (n = 800). The primary outcome will be a composite of mortality and hospital admissions after six months. Secondary outcomes will be adverse events, symptoms frequency, quality of life, and primary care physicians' compliance with treatment guidelines. We hypothesise that teleconsulting support will improve patient outcomes.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Graever et al. (2023) conducted an RCT in Heart failure (n=800). Teleconsultation support from a cardiologist to primary care physicians vs. Usual care was evaluated on Composite of mortality and hospital admissions. Teleconsultation support from cardiologists to primary care physicians will be evaluated against usual care for its effect on 6-month mortality and hospital admissions in 800 heart failure patients.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: