Telemedicine (TM) during SARS-CoV-2 Outbreak

ABSTRACT

Purpose As Italy faced SARS-CoV-2 outbreak as first country outside China, and our hospital converted most of activities into the ones for COVID-19 patients (pts), we had to manage the need for continuing care of advanced heart failure (HF), heart transplant (HT) and LVAD pts. TM was a possible strategy, but its role in this very sick cohort is unknown. Methods During the lockdown (03-05/2020), we decided to make either a phone (PV) or an in presence (IV) visit, selecting for IV pts listed for HT, with LVAD, recently HT, scheduled for a biopsy within 6 months after HT or a RHC for listing eligibility. In PV, we assessed symptoms, blood pressure, drugs, and programmed a subsequent IV. All pts in IV group were triaged by phone for COVID-19 symptoms or contacts and if scheduled for RHC or biopsy received SARS-CoV-2 swab 48 h before the procedure. Study endpoints were combined incidence at 6 months of MACE (HF hospitalization, CV death and need for anticipated IV) in HF/VAD group, and MACE, rejection and any cause- hospitalization in HT group. Results Among 448 pts (57±12y, 240 HT, 191 HF, 17 LVAD), 52% were managed by PV and a subsequent IV was scheduled after 3±2 months. Pts managed by PV were healthier in HF-VAD group they were less frequently listed, had less Afib, LVAD (2/17) (p<0.01 all);post-capillary PH (pC-PH) was similarly distributed;in HT group there were less pts transplanted in the last 5 years (15% vs 52%, p<0.01) and numerically less with 2R rejection in the previous 6 months (8.3% vs 27.1%, p=0.13).The PV group had a lower incidence of the endpoints in both HF/VAD and HT cohorts (92.3±2.3% vs 70.3±4.4%;97.0±1.7%vs82.5±4.1%, p<0.01). Overall, the predictors of the endpoints at multivariate analysis were pC-PH and PV (HR 5.2 and 0.1, p<0.03 both) and a recent 2R rejection (HR 3.6, p=0.05) in the HF/VAD and HT group respectively.There were no cases of COVID-19 in IV;5 pts got infected at home in a context of infection prevalence of 6/1000 inhabitants in our region and of 40% of hospital beds dedicated to COVID-19 pts. Conclusion In this retrospective study, by reporting an organization set up in a emergency situation, we show that TM can be safely used to manage stable HF, LVAD and HT patients, whereas pC-PH and a recent rejection may identify those needing IV. These data suggest that the availability of devices for monitoring pulmonary pressures may improve safety of PV in HF pts and that TM could be useful not only in a pandemic outbreak but also subsequently.