Perceptions and Acceptability of Receiving SMS Self-care Messages in Chinese Patients With Heart Failure: An Inpatient Survey.

BACKGROUND: Self-care is critical for postdischarge heart failure (HF) patients. Short message service (SMS) is a promising way to promote HF self-care. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to investigate knowledge status in Chinese HF patients, as well as the acceptance of SMS as a way to improve self-care. METHODS: A survey using a self-developed questionnaire was conducted in patients with decompensated HF 2 days before discharge. RESULTS: A total of 540 patients completed the survey. Among them, only 69.8% and 63.3% of patients were aware of their HF status and medication regimen, respectively. A total of 95.6% patients were willing to receive SMS. Patient himself/herself, caregiver, or both patient and caregiver were almost equally selected as the preferred receiver of SMS. Educational and/or reminder SMS was considered "very helpful" by 50.2% of the patients as a way of promoting self-care, similar to that of telephone education and brochure education. "Take your medicine", "avoid getting flu," and "keep follow-up" were regarded as the most important self-care contents, whereas "weigh yourself every day" and "restrict fluid intake" were considered the least important. CONCLUSION: As a way of promoting HF self-care, SMS intervention combining educational and reminder function might be well accepted by HF patients in China. The status of HF, medication, weight control, and fluid restriction should be emphasized during the practice. Caution should be drawn as the survey was not tested elsewhere. Further clinical trials would be conducted to examine the effect of SMS intervention on self-care behaviors and outcomes of HF patients.

[Clinical Application of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging in a Tertiary Referral Hospital in China].

OBJECTIVES: To review clinical application of cardiac magnetic resonace (CMR) imaging in a tertiary hospital. METHODS: A total of 344 medical records were reviewed in relation to the use of CMR imaging over one year period in a tertiary hospital in China. Data regarding indications for CMR imaging, cardiac structure and function, late gadolinium enhancement (LGE), and diagnoses made from CMR imaging were extracted and examined. RESULTS: Detection of heart failure and cardiomyopathies was the most common reason for CMR imaging requests [164 (47.7%) of requests], which was followed by diagnoses of coronary artery disease [79 (23.0%) of requests] and ventricular arrhythmia [65 (18.9%) of requests]. Quantitative analyses were made in 319 (92.7%) cases, with 208 (65.2%) patients being identified with ventricular dilatation and 46 (14.4%) patients being identified with right ventricular dilatation. Apart from 74 (21.5%) cases for which a confirmed diagnosis could not be obtained, CMR imaging assessment corrected 21.2% (73 patients) and confirmed 57.3% (197 patients) of initial referral diagnoses. CONCLUSIONS: CMR imaging is mainly used for structural and functional assessments of hearts, which can help identify abnormalities that are not detected by other imaging modalities. It can provide incremental diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic information.