The comparison of Kardia Mobile and Hartmann Veroval 2 in 1 in detecting first diagnosed atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the leading cause of stroke. The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) advises opportunistic AF screening among patients aged ≥ 65 years. Considering this, the aim herein, was compare the feasibility of two different systems of smartphone-based electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings to identify AF among those without a previous arrhythmia history. METHODS: Prospective AF screening was conducted at six pharmacies using Kardia Mobile and Hartmann Veroval 2 in 1. A single-lead ECG was acquired by the placement of fingers on the pads. A cardiologist evaluated findings from both devices. RESULTS: Atrial fibrillation was identified in 3.60% and previously unknown AF was detected in 1.92% of the study participants. Sensitivity and specificity of the Kardia application in detecting AF were 66.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 38.4-88.2%) and 98.5% (95% CI 96.7-99.5%), and for Veroval 10.0% (95% CI 0.23-44.5%) and 94.96% (95% CI 92.15-96.98%), accordingly. Inter-rater agreement was k = 0.088 (95% CI 1.59-16.1%). CONCLUSIONS: Mobile devices can detect AF, but each finding must be verified by a professional. The Kardia application appeared to be more user-friendly than Veroval. Cardiovascular screening using mobile devices is feasible at pharmacies. Hence it might be considered for routine use.

Feasibility of Atrial Fibrillation Screening With Mobile Health Technologies at Pharmacies.

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.

Treatment of heart failure in the elderly in Poland. The results of the Polish part of EURObservational Research Programme: The Heart Failure Pilot Survey.

BACKGROUND: Pharmacotherapy remains the fundamental method of treating heart failure (HF). Treatment of the elderly is less based on the principles of evidence-based medicine (EBM) and doses do not reach the prescribed value. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to identify any distinct treatment of HF in the elderly compared to those under 65 years of age. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study describes the Polish part of the EURObservational Research Programme: The Heart Failure Pilot Survey (ESC-HF Pilot). Eligibility to the program was limited to people with HF in 26 centers in Poland. After the first phase, more data was collected at 3 and 12 months. It covered a total of 893 people. RESULTS: Treatment of HF is conducted largely in accordance with the applicable guidelines. The percentage of people over 65 years of age who use angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin-II receptor blockers (ACE-I/ARB), ß-blockers and mineralocorticoid-antagonists remains high. Also, during the 12-month follow-up the frequency of the use of ß-blockers did not decrease, and a decrease in the number subjects treated with ACE-I was compensated by increasing percentage of the use of ARB. A major problem also seems to be the appropriate treatment to prevent thromboembolic complications in the case of coexistence of atrial fibrillation (AF). There is a large group of older people who do not receive proper anticoagulation. CONCLUSIONS: The study showed the existence of differences in the treatment of HF in the elderly. It partly does not proceed in accordance with the guidelines, especially in the presence of multiple comorbidities.

Safety of transesophageal echocardiography­guided electrical cardioversion in patients with atrial fibrillation and inadequate anticoagulation.

INTRODUCTION    Restoring sinus rhythm in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF)/atrial flutter (AFl) requires adequate oral anticoagulation prior to direct current cardioversion (DCC). Some patients eligible for DCC are not properly anticoagulated. OBJECTIVES    The aim of the study was to assess risk factors for thrombus and spontaneous echo contrast (SEC) in the left atrium (LA) as well as the safety profile of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE)-guided DCC in patients with inadequate anticoagulation. PATIENTS AND METHODS    From the cohort of 316 patients admitted for DCC, 139 patients (mean [SD] age, 63.4 [11.5] years) had inadequate anticoagulation; 91 patients were admitted urgently for acute coronary syndrome, heart failure (HF), or poor tolerance of arrhythmia. The mean (SD) CHA2DS2­VASc score was 3.0 (1.7). RESULTS    TEE revealed a left atrial appendage (LAA) thrombus in 16 patients (11.5%), and SEC in the LA in 63 patients (45.3%). In a univariate analysis, LAA thrombus was more common in patients after myocardial infarction (odds ratio [OR], 3.92; 95% CI, 1.34-11.48; P = 0.009), while SEC in the LA was more common in patients with HF (OR, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.1-4.53; P = 0.02) and left ventricular ejection fraction of less than 40% (OR, 3.65; 95% CI, 1.66-8.06; P = 0.001). In a multivariate model, the most powerful SEC­predicting factor was the LA size exceeding 45 mm (OR, 3.08; 95% CI, 1.3-7.29). DCC was performed in 105 patients. No complications of TEE or DCC were observed. CONCLUSIONS    AF/AFl inadequately treated with oral anticoagulation predisposes to thrombus formation and SEC in the LA. Once thrombus is excluded, DCC is a safe procedure. There were no predictors of LAA thrombus; therefore, TEE before DCC should be performed in all patients with AF/AFl in accordance with the guidelines.

Hospitalisation length and prognosis in heart failure patients.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) is a chronic disease with poor prognosis, being the final stage of many cardiovascular conditions and often requiring hospitalisation. AIM: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of hospitalisation length on prognosis in patients with HF. METHODS: Between February 2012 and January 2013, in 32 cardiology centres in Poland, 1126 HF patients were included in the EURObservational Research Programme on Heart Failure Registry. A total of 765 persons were hospitalised. A follow-up (FU) of 414 ± 121 days was conducted. RESULTS: The median length of hospitalisation was seven days (interquartiles 25th-75th; 4-11), also for new onset (14.5% of patients) and chronic HF (seven days, 5-11 and 4-11, respectively). Patients who died during FU (16.5%) and those who survived were hospitalised for a median of eight days (6-12) and seven days (4-10), respectively (p < 0.001). Patients hospitalised for 8-21 and 22 or more days had an increased risk of death after discharge (hazard ratio [HR] 1.70; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.16-2.49 and HR 2.20; 95% CI 1.04-4.67, respectively) than those hospitalised for up to seven days. Predictors of death in the FU period in multivariate analysis included age (1.02; 95% CI 1.01-1.04), history of chronic kidney disease (CKD) (HR 1.55; 95% CI 1.05-2.30), and New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III (HR 2.52; 95% CI 1.22-5.18) and IV (HR 4.77; 95% CI 2.32-9.82) at admission. Patients hospitalised for 22 or more days were more often male (77%), and with a history of CKD (34%). At admission they had lower systolic (118 ± 25 mm Hg) and diastolic (72 ± 12 mm Hg) blood pressure, higher NT-proBNP (9191 ± 8776 pg/mL), lower serum sodium level (137 ± 5 mmol/l), as well as lower ejection fraction before and during hospital stay (30 ± 12% and 34 ± 14%, respectively; p < 0.05 for all factors). Factors that influenced the length of hospital stay included history of CKD (p < 0.001), current malignancy (p = 0.026), and infection at admission (p < 0.001). Most of the admitted patients presented NYHA class III (45%). The poorer the NYHA class at admission, the longer the patient's hospital stay (p < 0.001). 54% patients were re-admitted to the hospital during FU. Patients re-admitted and not re-admitted during the one-year FU had the same median duration of the index hospitalisation (seven days; 4-10 and 4-11, respectively; p = 0.957). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with HF hospitalised for 22 or more days, in comparison to patients hospitalised for less than eight days, had double the risk of death during FU. We believe that prolonged hospitalisation might be regarded as a marker of poor prognosis in patients with acute HF.