Performance of a HeartLogicTM Based Care Path in the Management of a Real-World Chronic Heart Failure Population

Aim Early detection of impending fluid retention and timely adjustment of (medical) therapy can prevent heart failure related hospitalizations. The multisensory cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) based algorithm HeartLogic TM aims to alert in case of impending fluid retention. The aim of the current analysis is to evaluate the performance of the HeartLogic TM guided heart failure care path in a real-world heart failure population and to investigate whether the height of the index and the duration of the alert state are indicative of the degree of fluid retention. Methods Consecutive adult heart failure patients with a CIED and an activated HeartLogic TM algorithm were eligible for inclusion. Patients were followed up according to the hospital's heart failure care path. The device technician reviewed alerts for a technical CIED checkup. Afterwards, the heart failure nurse contacted the patient to identify impending fluid retention. An alert was either true positive or false positive. Without an alert a patient was true negative or false negative. Results Among 107 patients, [82 male, 70 (IQR 60–77) years, left ventricular ejection fraction 37 ± 11%] 130 HeartLogic TM alerts were available for analysis. Median follow up was 14 months [IQR 8–23]. The sensitivity to detect impending fluid retention was 79%, the specificity 88%. The positive predictive was value 71% and the negative predictive value 91%. The unexplained alert rate was 0.23 alerts/patient year and the false negative rate 0.17 alerts/patient year. True positive alerts [42 days (IQR 28–63)] lasted longer than false positive alerts [28 days (IQR 21–44)], p = 0.02. The maximal HeartLogic TM index was higher in true positive alerts [26 (IQR 21–34)] compared to false positive alerts [19 (IQR 17–24)], p < 0.01. Patients with higher HeartLogic TM indexes required more intense treatment (index height in outpatient setting 25 [IQR 20–32], day clinic treatment 28 [IQR 24–36] and hospitalized patients 45 [IQR 35–58], respectively), p < 0.01. Conclusion The CIED-based HeartLogic TM algorithm facilitates early detection of impending fluid retention and thereby enables clinical action to prevent this at early stage. The current analysis illustrates that higher and persistent alerts are indicative for true positive alerts and higher index values are indicative for more severe fluid retention.