Smart technology facilitating patient-centered venous thromboembolism management : pilot study on the adherence (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Mobile health (mHealth) technologies show promise in addressing suboptimal anticoagulation adherence among venous thromboembolism (VTE) patients OBJECTIVE To evaluate the impact of a mobile VTE application (mVTEA) on thromboprophylaxis adherence in VTE or moderate-to-high-risk patients. METHODS This single-center pilot study enrolled 88 patients at the Chinese PLA General Hospital (August–December 2023). Participants used mVTEA for automated medication reminders and self-management. Adherence was assessed using the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale-8 (MMAS-8) and Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire-Specific (BMQ-Specific). Real-time adherence data were analyzed at 1 month (Trial registration: ChiCTR2200063206). RESULTS Among 45 completers (age 60.8±15.2 years; 35.6% female), baseline adherence was suboptimal (good: 28.9%; moderate/poor: 71.1%). Primary non-adherence drivers included forgetfulness (Q2: 0.69±0.47) and premature discontinuation (Q6: 0.78±0.42). BMQ-Specific revealed higher necessity than concern scores (17.58±3.12 vs. 14.58±3.34, p<0.001). At 1-month follow-up, 100% achieved perfect adherence, with 80% completing mVTEA check-ins. Patients utilizing check-in features demonstrated superior necessity-concern differentials (NCD>0: 80.6% vs. 0%, p<0.001). No adverse events occurred. CONCLUSIONS mVTEA significantly improved short-term anticoagulation adherence through behavioral nudges and real-time monitoring. Individualized patient education may further optimize outcomes. CLINICALTRIAL ChiCTR2200063206