Multiparametric Telemonitoring In Elderly People With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (SweetAge)

Efficacy Of Multiparametric Telemonitoring On Respiratory Outcomes In Elderly People With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) determines an important risk of disability and disease-related need of care. Selected interventions were able to reduce the number and the severity of exacerbations. Telemedicine has also been proposed for this purpose. Current evidences, however, are scant. The investigators present a randomized, parallel-group trial of a multiparametric remote monitoring system to test its ability to improve early exacerbation detection rates and impact on clinical outcomes.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: Telemonitoring

Detailed Description

All patients performed a simple spirometry that was carried out using a Stead-Wells bell spirometer (Biomedin, Padua, Italy). Upon provision of informed consent, patients in the telemonitoring group were invited to a session during which they were instructed on how to wear the wristband and to operate the cellular telephone. A study physician was available on call during office hours to assist patients needing further instructions. A technician was also available in order to solve ingoing hardware problems.

All participants were also clinically evaluated at baseline and received a multi-dimensional assessment including: Activities of daily living scale (ADL), Instrumental activities of daily living scale (IADL), Mini-mental state examination (MMSE) test. These are well validated and routinely used tools to screen geriatric patients in order to detect global, physical and instrumental autonomy and consequent degree of dependence, as well as cognitive status.

Patients in both groups were followed up for 9 months, during this period they attended the standard schedule of clinical controls. For patients in the SweetAge group, the parameters received were evaluated daily by a study physician. In case of abnormal readings, the physician systematically contacted the patient to verify whether their symptoms had worsened or new symptoms had arose. In this event, the patient's adherence to her/his therapy was checked and, if unsatisfactory, individually tailored interventions promoting adherence were carried up. Otherwise, a diagnosis of exacerbation was made and, on the basis of its severity, an outpatient clinical assessment (for mild exacerbations) or a hospital admission was scheduled.

The outcome measures of these study were: number of exacerbations (defined as a sustained worsening of the patient's condition, from the stable state and beyond normal day-to-day variations, that is acute in onset and necessitates a change in regular medications, and number of hospital admissions.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 100
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 65 years and older (Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease stage II-III (GOLD classification)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Cognitive impairment precluding the use of the experimental device.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Usual care
Experimental: Telemonitoring	Procedure: Telemonitoring; Use of wearable sensors for heart rate, haemoglobin oxygen saturation, physical activity, respiratory rate with automatic transmission to the monitoring central.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Respiratory Events	Rate of COPD exacerbations, defined as a sustained worsening of the patient's condition, from the stable state and beyond normal day-to-day variations, that is acute in onset and necessitates a change in regular medications. Rate of hospital admission for respiratory problems (COPD exacerbations, lower respiratory tract infections, respiratory failure).	9 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Campus Bio-Medico University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Raffaele Antonelli Incalzi, MD, Campus Biomedico University

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Pedone C, Chiurco D, Scarlata S, Incalzi RA. Efficacy of multiparametric telemonitoring on respiratory outcomes in elderly people with COPD: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Health Serv Res. 2013 Mar 6;13:82. doi: 10.1186/1472-6963-13-82.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: January 1, 2010
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 1, 2011
• Study Completion (Actual): June 1, 2011

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 8, 2011
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 28, 2011
• First Posted (Estimate): November 29, 2011

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): November 29, 2011
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 28, 2011
• Last Verified: November 1, 2011

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Respiratory Tract Diseases; Lung Diseases; Lung Diseases, Obstructive; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive
• Other Study ID Numbers: 29/2009 ComEt CBM - SweetAge