scholarly journals Performance of a Mobile Single-Lead Electrocardiogram Technology for Atrial Fibrillation Screening in a Semirural African Population: Insights From “The Heart of Ethiopia: Focus on Atrial Fibrillation” (TEFF-AF) Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bradley M Pitman ◽  
Sok-Hui Chew ◽  
Christopher X Wong ◽  
Amenah Jaghoori ◽  
Shinsuke Iwai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Sensitivity And Specificity ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Limited Data ◽  
Automated Algorithm ◽  
Variable Sensitivity ◽  
Clinical Trials Registry ◽  
Study Participants ◽  
Electrocardiogram Ecg ◽  
Manual Verification

BACKGROUND Atrial fibrillation (AF) screening using mobile single-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) devices has demonstrated variable sensitivity and specificity. However, limited data exists on the use of such devices in low-resource countries. OBJECTIVE The goal of the research was to evaluate the utility of the KardiaMobile device’s (AliveCor Inc) automated algorithm for AF screening in a semirural Ethiopian population. METHODS Analysis was performed on 30-second single-lead ECG tracings obtained using the KardiaMobile device from 1500 TEFF-AF (The Heart of Ethiopia: Focus on Atrial Fibrillation) study participants. We evaluated the performance of the KardiaMobile automated algorithm against cardiologists’ interpretations of 30-second single-lead ECG for AF screening. RESULTS A total of 1709 single-lead ECG tracings (including repeat tracing on 209 occasions) were analyzed from 1500 Ethiopians (63.53% [953/1500] male, mean age 35 [SD 13] years) who presented for AF screening. Initial successful rhythm decision (normal or possible AF) with one single-lead ECG tracing was lower with the KardiaMobile automated algorithm versus manual verification by cardiologists (1176/1500, 78.40%, vs 1455/1500, 97.00%; <i>P</i>&lt;.001). Repeat single-lead ECG tracings in 209 individuals improved overall rhythm decision, but the KardiaMobile automated algorithm remained inferior (1301/1500, 86.73%, vs 1479/1500, 98.60%; <i>P</i>&lt;.001). The key reasons underlying unsuccessful KardiaMobile automated rhythm determination include poor quality/noisy tracings (214/408, 52.45%), frequent ectopy (22/408, 5.39%), and tachycardia (&gt;100 bpm; 167/408, 40.93%). The sensitivity and specificity of rhythm decision using KardiaMobile automated algorithm were 80.27% (1168/1455) and 82.22% (37/45), respectively. CONCLUSIONS The performance of the KardiaMobile automated algorithm was suboptimal when used for AF screening. However, the KardiaMobile single-lead ECG device remains an excellent AF screening tool with appropriate clinician input and repeat tracing. CLINICALTRIAL Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12619001107112; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=378057&amp;isReview=true

scholarly journals Performance of a Mobile Single-Lead Electrocardiogram Technology for Atrial Fibrillation Screening in a Semirural African Population: Insights From “The Heart of Ethiopia: Focus on Atrial Fibrillation” (TEFF-AF) Study

10.2196/24470 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. e24470
Author(s):  
Bradley M Pitman ◽  
Sok-Hui Chew ◽  
Christopher X Wong ◽  
Amenah Jaghoori ◽  
Shinsuke Iwai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Sensitivity And Specificity ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Trial Registration ◽  
Limited Data ◽  
Automated Algorithm ◽  
Variable Sensitivity ◽  
Clinical Trials Registry ◽  
Study Participants ◽  
Electrocardiogram Ecg

Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) screening using mobile single-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) devices has demonstrated variable sensitivity and specificity. However, limited data exists on the use of such devices in low-resource countries. Objective The goal of the research was to evaluate the utility of the KardiaMobile device’s (AliveCor Inc) automated algorithm for AF screening in a semirural Ethiopian population. Methods Analysis was performed on 30-second single-lead ECG tracings obtained using the KardiaMobile device from 1500 TEFF-AF (The Heart of Ethiopia: Focus on Atrial Fibrillation) study participants. We evaluated the performance of the KardiaMobile automated algorithm against cardiologists’ interpretations of 30-second single-lead ECG for AF screening. Results A total of 1709 single-lead ECG tracings (including repeat tracing on 209 occasions) were analyzed from 1500 Ethiopians (63.53% [953/1500] male, mean age 35 [SD 13] years) who presented for AF screening. Initial successful rhythm decision (normal or possible AF) with one single-lead ECG tracing was lower with the KardiaMobile automated algorithm versus manual verification by cardiologists (1176/1500, 78.40%, vs 1455/1500, 97.00%; P<.001). Repeat single-lead ECG tracings in 209 individuals improved overall rhythm decision, but the KardiaMobile automated algorithm remained inferior (1301/1500, 86.73%, vs 1479/1500, 98.60%; P<.001). The key reasons underlying unsuccessful KardiaMobile automated rhythm determination include poor quality/noisy tracings (214/408, 52.45%), frequent ectopy (22/408, 5.39%), and tachycardia (>100 bpm; 167/408, 40.93%). The sensitivity and specificity of rhythm decision using KardiaMobile automated algorithm were 80.27% (1168/1455) and 82.22% (37/45), respectively. Conclusions The performance of the KardiaMobile automated algorithm was suboptimal when used for AF screening. However, the KardiaMobile single-lead ECG device remains an excellent AF screening tool with appropriate clinician input and repeat tracing. Trial Registration Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12619001107112; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=378057&isReview=true

scholarly journals P-Wave Detection Using a Fully Convolutional Neural Network in Electrocardiogram Images

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 976
Author(s):  
Rana N. Costandy ◽  
Safa M. Gasser ◽  
Mohamed S. El-Mahallawy ◽  
Mohamed W. Fakhr ◽  
Samir Y. Marzouk
Keyword(s):  
Neural Network ◽  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Convolutional Neural Network ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Ecg Signal ◽  
P Waves ◽  
Ecg Signals ◽  
Wave Detection ◽  
Automated Algorithm ◽  
Electrocardiogram Ecg

Electrocardiogram (ECG) signal analysis is a critical task in diagnosing the presence of any cardiac disorder. There are limited studies on detecting P-waves in various atrial arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation (AFIB), atrial flutter, junctional rhythm, and other arrhythmias due to P-wave variability and absence in various cases. Thus, there is a growing need to develop an efficient automated algorithm that annotates a 2D printed version of P-waves in the well-known ECG signal databases for validation purposes. To our knowledge, no one has annotated P-waves in the MIT-BIH atrial fibrillation database. Therefore, it is a challenge to manually annotate P-waves in the MIT-BIH AF database and to develop an automated algorithm to detect the absence and presence of different shapes of P-waves. In this paper, we present the manual annotation of P-waves in the well-known MIT-BIH AF database with the aid of a cardiologist. In addition, we provide an automatic P-wave segmentation for the same database using a fully convolutional neural network model (U-Net). This algorithm works on 2D imagery of printed ECG signals, as this type of imagery is the most commonly used in developing countries. The proposed automatic P-wave detection method obtained an accuracy and sensitivity of 98.56% and 98.78%, respectively, over the first 5 min of the second lead of the MIT-BIH AF database (a total of 8280 beats). Moreover, the proposed method is validated using the well-known automatically and manually annotated QT database (a total of 11,201 and 3194 automatically and manually annotated beats, respectively). This results in accuracies of 98.98 and 98.9%, and sensitivities of 98.97 and 97.24% for the automatically and manually annotated QT databases, respectively. Thus, these results indicate that the proposed automatic method can be used for analyzing long-printed ECG signals on mobile battery-driven devices using only images of the ECG signals, without the need for a cardiologist.

scholarly journals Validation of the modified Microlife blood pressure monitor in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation

2019 ◽  
Vol 109 (7) ◽  
pp. 802-809
Author(s):  
Nina Huppertz ◽  
Gregory Y. H. Lip ◽  
Deirdre A. Lane
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Sensitivity And Specificity ◽  
Daily Routine ◽  
Limited Data ◽  
Blood Pressure Monitor ◽  
Night Time ◽  
Pressure Monitor ◽  
Movement Artefact ◽  
Detection Of Signals

Abstract Aims Undiagnosed atrial fibrillation (AF) accounts for 6% of all strokes, therefore early detection and treatment of the arrhythmia are paramount. Previous research has illustrated that the Microlife WatchBPO3 AFIB, an automated blood pressure (BP) monitor with an inbuilt AF algorithm, accurately detects permanent AF. Currently, limited data exist on whether the modified BP monitor is able to detect paroxysmal AF (PAF). Therefore, this study aims to assess the accuracy of the Microlife WatchBPO3 AFIB monitor to detect PAF against a pacemaker reference standard over a 24-h period. Methods and results Forty-eight patients with a pacemaker implanted for sick sinus syndrome and previously documented fast AF participated. Sensitivity of the atrial pacemaker lead was set to allow detection of signals of ≥ 0.5 mV. Patients engaged in their normal daily routine whilst wearing the modified BP monitor. The modified BP monitor demonstrated an overall sensitivity of 76.0% and specificity of 80.8% for detecting PAF. This sensitivity and specificity increased to 100% and 83.1%, respectively, for patients that achieved more than 80% successful BP readings. Compared to day-time readings, night-time readings also demonstrated a lower proportion of movement artefact (14.4% vs. 3.4%), and therefore, a higher sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 84.9%, respectively, for detecting PAF. Conclusion The Microlife WatchBPO3 AFIB device has an acceptable diagnostic accuracy to detect PAF; however, movement artefact affects the accuracy of the readings. This modified BP monitor may potentially be useful as a screening tool for AF in patients at high risk of developing stroke.

Feasibility of Atrial Fibrillation Screening With Mobile Health Technologies at Pharmacies

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 142-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomasz Zaprutko ◽  
Joanna Zaprutko ◽  
Artur Baszko ◽  
Dominika Sawicka ◽  
Anna Szałek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Sensitivity And Specificity ◽  
Mobile Health ◽  
Predictive Value ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Exclusion Criterion ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Fast Screening ◽  
Ischemic Attack ◽  
Electrocardiogram Ecg

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia. Thus, the aim of our study was to evaluate the smartphone-based electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings aimed at AF screening at Polish pharmacies. Methods: Prospective AF screening among patients aged ≥65 years was conducted at 10 pharmacies using Kardia Mobile with a dedicated application (Kardia app). Prior AF was a study exclusion criterion. CHA2DS2-VASc score (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age, diabetes mellitus, previous stroke/transient ischemic attack, female sex, and vascular disease) has been collected from every patient. A single-lead ECG has been acquired by the placement of fingers from each hand on the pads. Kardia app diagnosis has been evaluated by the cardiologist. Results: A total of 525 ECGs were performed. Kardia app diagnosis was provided in 490 cases. In 437 (89.18%) cases, it was “normal” rhythm, in 17 (3.47%) recordings “possible AF,” in 23 (4.69%) ECGs “unreadable,” and in 13 (2.65%) “unclassified”. After the cardiologist reevaluation, the new AF was identified in 7 (1.33%) patients. Sensitivity and specificity of Kardia app in detecting AF was 100% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 71.5%-100%) and 98.7% (95% CI: 97.3%-99.5%), respectively. The positive predictive value was 64.7% (95% CI: 38.3%-85.7%) and the negative predictive value was 100% (95% CI: 99.2%-100%). CHA2DS2-VASc score was 2.14 ± 0.69 for those with new AF and 3.33 ± 1.26 in the non-AF group. Conclusion: Kardia app is capable of fast screening and detecting AF with high sensitivity and specificity. The possible diagnosis of AF deserves additional cardiological evaluation. The results obtained in patients with low CHA2DS2-VASc score and “silent” AF confirm the importance of routine AF screening. Cardiovascular screening with the use of mobile health technology is feasible at pharmacies.

RESEARCH ON VALUE OF INTRAOPERATIVE FROZEN SECTION EXAMINATION OF THE COMMON TUMORS AT HUE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

2011 ◽  
pp. 67-73
Author(s):  
Cong Thuan Dang ◽  
Thi Thu Thao Le
Keyword(s):  
Sensitivity And Specificity ◽  
Frozen Section ◽  
Analysis Data ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Frozen Sections ◽  
Intraoperative Frozen Section ◽  
Frozen Section Examination ◽  
Incorrect Diagnosis ◽  
The Common

Background: To evaluate the accuracy and the pitfalls of frozen section examination in diagnosis the common tumors at Hue University Hospital. Materials and method: A retrospective analysis data of 99 consecutive patients from 2007 to 2009 were evaluated and analyzed the major pitfalls. In our 99 patients, 100% cases we compared histological diagnosis on frozen sections with those on paraffin sections. Results: The majority of frozen section examinations were the thyroid lesions 37.4%, breast lesions 25.2%, lymph nodes 16.1%, ovary 9.1% and less common in other diseases (12.1%). The accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of the intraoperative frozen section examination were 93.9%, 89.1% and 98.1% respectively. The main factors causing incorrect diagnosis in frozen section are: Misinterpretation, poor quality of frozen sections, improper sampling in sectioning and difficult to result interpretation. Conclusion: The frozen section analysis of suspect lesions displays good sensitivity and specificity characteristics.

Use of SAMe-TT₂R₂ Score to Predict the Quality of Anticoagulation Control in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation Receiving Warfarin in Thailand

2020 ◽  
Vol 103 (6) ◽  
pp. 548-552
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Therapeutic Range ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Discrimination Performance ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Exact Test ◽  
Time In Therapeutic Range ◽  
Anticoagulation Control

Objective: To predict the quality of anticoagulation control in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) receiving warfarin in Thailand. Materials and Methods: The present study retrospectively recruited Thai AF patients receiving warfarin for three months or longer between June 2012 and December 2017 in Central Chest Institute of Thailand. The patients were classified into those with SAMe-TT₂R₂ of 2 or less, and 3 or more. The Chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test was used to compare the proportion of the patients with poor time in therapeutic range (TTR) between the two groups of SAMe-TT₂R₂ score. The discrimination performance of SAMe-TT₂R₂ score was demonstrated with c-statistics. Results: Ninety AF patients were enrolled. An average age was 69.89±10.04 years. Most patients were persistent AF. An average CHA₂DS₂-VASc, SAMe-TT₂R₂, and HAS-BLED score were 3.68±1.51, 3.26±0.88, and 1.98±0.85, respectively. The present study showed the increased proportion of AF patients with poor TTR with higher SAMe-TT₂R₂ score. The AF patients with SAMe-TT₂R₂ score of 3 or more had a larger proportion of patients with poor TTR than those with SAMe-TT₂R₂ score of 2 or less with statistical significance when TTR was below 70% (p=0.03) and 65% (p=0.04), respectively. The discrimination performance of SAMe-TT₂R₂ score was demonstrated with c-statistics of 0.60, 0.59, and 0.55 when TTR was below 70%, 65% and 60%, respectively. Conclusion: Thai AF patients receiving warfarin had a larger proportion of patients with poor TTR when the SAMe-TT₂R₂ score was higher. The score of 3 or more could predict poor quality of anticoagulation control in those patients. Keywords: Time in therapeutic range, Poor quality of anticoagulation control, Warfarin, SAMe-TT₂R₂, Labile INR

scholarly journals Kardia Mobile and ISTEL HR applicability in clinical practice: A comparison of Kardia Mobile, ISTEL HR and standard 12-lead electrocardiogram records in 98 consecutive patients of a tertiary cardiovascular care centre

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bartosz Krzowski ◽  
Kamila Skoczylas ◽  
Gabriela Osak ◽  
Natalia Żurawska ◽  
Michał Peller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Cardiovascular Diseases ◽  
Sinus Rhythm ◽  
Sensitivity And Specificity ◽  
Heart Rhythm ◽  
Everyday Practice ◽  
Portable Devices ◽  
Care Centre ◽  
Cardiovascular Care

Abstract Aims Mobile, portable ECG-recorders allow the assessment of heart rhythm in out-of-hospital conditions and may prove useful for monitoring patients with cardiovascular diseases. However, the effectiveness of these portable devices has not been tested in everyday practice. Methods and results A group of 98 consecutive cardiology patients (62 males [63%], mean age 69 ± 12.9 years) were included in an academic care centre. For each patient, a standard 12-lead electrocardiogram (SE), as well as a Kardia Mobile 6L (KM) and Istel (IS) HR-2000 ECG were performed. Two groups of experienced physycians analyzed obtained recordings. After analyzing ECG tracings from SE, KM, and IS, quality was marked as good in 82%, 80%, and 72% of patients, respectively (p &lt; 0.001). There were no significant differences between devices in terms of detecting sinus rhythm (SE [60%, n = 59], KM [58%, n = 56], and IS [61%, n = 60]; SE vs KM p = 0.53; SE vs IS p = 0.76) and atrial fibrillation (SE [22%, n = 22], KM [22%, n = 21], and IS [18%, n = 18]; (SE vs KM p = 0.65; SE vs IS = 0.1). KM had a sensitivity of 88.1% and a specificity of 89.7% for diagnosing sinus rhythm. IS showed 91.5% and 84.6% sensitivity and specificity, respectively. The sensitivity of KM in detecting atrial fibrillation was higher than IS (86.4% vs. 77.3%), but their specificity was comparable (97.4% vs. 98.7%). Conclusion Novel, portable devices are useful in showing sinus rhythm and detecting atrial fibrillation in clinical practice. However, ECG measurements concerning conduction and repolarisation should be clarified with a standard 12-lead electrocardiogram.

scholarly journals Screening for atrial fibrillation during automated blood pressure measurement among patients admitted to internal medicine ward

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giacomo Pucci ◽  
Edoardo Santoni ◽  
Valeria Bisogni ◽  
Camilla Calandri ◽  
Alberto Cerasari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Internal Medicine ◽  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Blood Pressure Measurement ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Daily Routine ◽  
Internal Medicine Ward ◽  
Clinical Conditions ◽  
Electrocardiogram Ecg

AbstractAtrial fibrillation (AF), the commonest sustained cardiac arrhythmia affecting the adult population, is often casually discovered among hospitalized people. AF onset is indeed triggered by several clinical conditions such as acute inflammatory states, infections, and electrolyte disturbance, frequently occurring during the hospitalization. We aimed to evaluate whether systematic AF screening, performed through an automated oscillometric blood pressure (BP) device (Microlife WatchBP Office AFIB, Microlife AG, Switzerland), is effective for detecting AF episodes in subjects admitted to an Internal Medicine ward. 163 patients consecutively hospitalized at the Unit of Internal Medicine of the “Santa Maria” Terni University Hospital between November 2019 and January 2020 (mean age ± standard deviation: 77 ± 14 years, men proportion: 40%) were examined. Simultaneously with BP measurement and AF screening, a standard 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) was performed in all subjects. AF was diagnosed by ECG in 29 patients (18%). AF screening showed overall 86% sensitivity and 96% specificity. False negatives (n = 4) had RR-interval coefficient of variation lower than true positives (n = 25, p < 0.01), suggesting a regular ventricular rhythm during AF. The repeated evaluation substantially confirmed the same level of agreement. AF screening was positive in all patients with new-onset AF (n = 6, 100%). Systematic AF screening in patients admitted to Internal Medicine wards, performed using the Microlife WatchBP Office AFIB, is feasible and effective. The opportunity to implement such technology in daily routine clinical practice to prevent undiagnosed AF episodes in hospitalized patients should be the subject of further research.

Abstract TP31: Atrial Cardiopathy: Incidence in Endovascular Thrombectomy Patients

Stroke ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katerina D Arvanitakis ◽  
Jason Wenderoth ◽  
Andrew Cheung ◽  
Khalid Alsahli ◽  
Alessandro Zagami ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Stroke Risk ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Large Vessel Occlusion ◽  
Vessel Occlusion ◽  
Stroke Risk Factor ◽  
Endovascular Thrombectomy ◽  
P Wave Duration ◽  
Total Cohort ◽  
Electrocardiogram Ecg

Background: Emerging evidence suggests that underlying atrial cardiopathy (AC) may result in thromboembolism formation in the absence of atrial fibrillation (AF). This may explain a proportion of large vessel occlusion (LVO) cryptogenic strokes. The prevalence of AC in endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) patients has not been assessed. Methods: A prospectively maintained database of EVT patients treated at a comprehensive stroke centres between January 2016 and September 2018 was retrospectively screened. Patients undergoing EVT for acute ischemic stroke with admission electrocardiogram (ECG) were selected. Subjects were screened for AF, paroxysmal AF (pAF) and AC with previously validated ECG markers (P-wave terminal force in lead V1 - PTFV1 >4000μV/ms & prolonged P-wave duration - PWD >120 ms. Results: A total of 189 patients were included. Atrial fibrillation was present in 73 (38.6%) patients. Paroxysmal AF was recorded in 31 (16.4%) patients. Atrial cardiopathy markers were present in 88 (46.6%) of the total cohort, compared to 7.7% in a published general population reference (p < 0.001). Atrial cardiopathy was present in 23 (74%) of pAF patients. Conclusion: Atrial cardiopathy occurs frequently in EVT patients, suggesting it may be a LVO stroke risk factor. Atrial cardiopathy may be associated with pAF. Further studies in this patient population are recommended.

scholarly journals Impact of Mobile Health Devices for the Detection of Atrial Fibrillation: Systematic Review

10.2196/26161 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. e26161
Author(s):  
Tom E Biersteker ◽  
Martin J Schalij ◽  
Roderick W Treskes
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Mobile Health ◽  
Standard Care ◽  
Detection Rate ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Statistical Heterogeneity ◽  
Study Participants

Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia, and its prevalence is increasing. Early diagnosis is important to reduce the risk of stroke. Mobile health (mHealth) devices, such as single-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) devices, have been introduced to the worldwide consumer market over the past decade. Recent studies have assessed the usability of these devices for detection of AF, but it remains unclear if the use of mHealth devices leads to a higher AF detection rate. Objective The goal of the research was to conduct a systematic review of the diagnostic detection rate of AF by mHealth devices compared with traditional outpatient follow-up. Study participants were aged 16 years or older and had an increased risk for an arrhythmia and an indication for ECG follow-up—for instance, after catheter ablation or presentation to the emergency department with palpitations or (near) syncope. The intervention was the use of an mHealth device, defined as a novel device for the diagnosis of rhythm disturbances, either a handheld electronic device or a patch-like device worn on the patient’s chest. Control was standard (traditional) outpatient care, defined as follow-up via general practitioner or regular outpatient clinic visits with a standard 12-lead ECG or Holter monitoring. The main outcome measures were the odds ratio (OR) of AF detection rates. Methods Two reviewers screened the search results, extracted data, and performed a risk of bias assessment. A heterogeneity analysis was performed, forest plot made to summarize the results of the individual studies, and albatross plot made to allow the P values to be interpreted in the context of the study sample size. Results A total of 3384 articles were identified after a database search, and 14 studies with a 4617 study participants were selected. All studies but one showed a higher AF detection rate in the mHealth group compared with the control group (OR 1.00-35.71), with all RCTs showing statistically significant increases of AF detection (OR 1.54-19.16). Statistical heterogeneity between studies was considerable, with a Q of 34.1 and an I2 of 61.9, and therefore it was decided to not pool the results into a meta-analysis. Conclusions Although the results of 13 of 14 studies support the effectiveness of mHealth interventions compared with standard care, study results could not be pooled due to considerable clinical and statistical heterogeneity. However, smartphone-connectable ECG devices provide patients with the ability to document a rhythm disturbance more easily than with standard care, which may increase empowerment and engagement with regard to their illness. Clinicians must beware of overdiagnosis of AF, as it is not yet clear when an mHealth-detected episode of AF must be deemed significant.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document