A smart devices based secondary prevention program for cerebrovascular disease patients

Francesco Motolese; Fioravante Capone; Alessandro Magliozzi; Carlo Vico; Gianmarco Iaccarino; Emma Falato; Fabio Pilato; Vincenzo Di Lazzaro

doi:10.3389/fneur.2023.1176744

A smart devices based secondary prevention program for cerebrovascular disease patients

Front Neurol. 2023 Jun 2:14:1176744. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1176744. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Francesco Motolese^{1

2}, Fioravante Capone^{1

2}, Alessandro Magliozzi^{1

2}, Carlo Vico^{1

2}, Gianmarco Iaccarino^{1

2}, Emma Falato^{1

2}, Fabio Pilato^{1

2}, Vincenzo Di Lazzaro^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medicine and Surgery, Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology and Psichiatry, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Roma, Italy.
² Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Roma, Italy.

Abstract

Background: Commercially available health devices are gaining momentum and represent a great opportunity for monitoring patients for prolonged periods. This study aimed at testing the feasibility of a smart device-based secondary prevention program in a cohort of patients with cryptogenic stroke.

Methods: In this proof-of-principle study, patients with non-disabling ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attacks (TIA) in the subacute phase were provided with a smartwatch and smart devices to monitor several parameters - i.e., oxygen saturation, blood pressure, steps a day, heart rate and heart rate variability - for a 4-week period (watch group). This group was compared with a standard-of-care group. Our primary endpoint was the compliance with the use of smart devices that was evaluated as the number of measures performed during the observation period.

Results: In total, 161 patients were recruited, 87 in the WATCH group and 74 in the control group. In the WATCH group, more than 90% of patients recorded the ECG at least once a day. In total, 5,335 ECGs were recorded during the study. The median blood pressure value was 132/78 mmHg and the median oxygen saturation value was 97%. From a clinical standpoint, although not statistically significant, nine atrial fibrillation episodes (10.3%) in the WATCH group vs. 3 (4%) in the control group were detected.

Conclusion: Our study suggests that prevention programs for cerebrovascular disease may benefit from the implementation of new technologies.

Keywords: atrial fibrillation; cerebrovascular disease; mHealth; prevention; smart devices; stroke.