Implant-based multi-parameter telemonitoring of patients with heart failure and a defibrillator with vs. without cardiac resynchronization therapy option: a subanalysis of the IN-TIME trial

Clin Res Cardiol. 2019 Oct;108(10):1117-1127. doi: 10.1007/s00392-019-01447-5. Epub 2019 Mar 14.

Abstract

Aims: In the IN-TIME trial, automatic daily implant-based multiparameter telemonitoring significantly improved clinical outcomes in patients with chronic systolic heart failure and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) or cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D). We compared IN-TIME results for ICD and CRT-D subgroups.

Methods: Patients with LVEF ≤ 35%, NYHA class II/III, optimized drug treatment, no permanent atrial fibrillation, and a dual-chamber ICD (n = 274) or CRT-D (n = 390) were randomized 1:1 to telemonitoring or no telemonitoring for 12 months. Primary outcome measure was a composite clinical score, classified as worsened if the patient died or had heart failure-related hospitalization, worse NYHA class, or a worse self-reported overall condition.

Results: The prevalence of worsened score at study end was higher in CRT-D than ICD patients (26.4% vs. 18.2%; P = 0.014), as was mortality (7.4% vs. 4.1%; P = 0.069). With telemonitoring, odds ratios (OR) for worsened score and hazard ratios (HR) for mortality were similar in the ICD [OR = 0.55 (P = 0.058), HR = 0.39 (P = 0.17)] and CRT-D [OR = 0.68 (P = 0.10), HR = 0.35 (P = 0.018)] subgroups (insignificant interaction, P = 0.58-0.91).

Conclusion: Daily multiparameter telemonitoring has a potential to reduce clinical endpoints in patients with chronic systolic heart failure both in ICD and CRT-D subgroups. The absolute benefit seems to be higher in higher-risk populations with worse prognosis.

Keywords: Remote monitoring of cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators; Remote monitoring of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators; Telemonitoring of patients with heart failure.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy / methods*
  • Cause of Death / trends
  • Defibrillators, Implantable*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Germany / epidemiology
  • Heart Failure, Systolic / mortality
  • Heart Failure, Systolic / physiopathology
  • Heart Failure, Systolic / therapy*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Stroke Volume / physiology*
  • Survival Rate / trends
  • Telemedicine / methods*
  • Treatment Outcome