Are In-person Evaluations Necessary for Remote Monitored Patients With Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Devices?

For patients with cardiovascular implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) who undergo remote monitoring (RM), the odds of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) are similar whether the patient has in-person or virtual visits, according to the researchers of a study being presented at AHA 2024.

In this study, researchers analyzed 40,366 veterans who received their CIED care within VHA and were sent to at least one RM session between July 2020 and June 2021. The population of interest were placed into one of three groups based on type of clinical encounters for CIED care: (1) any in-person, (2) virtual-only (telephone and/or videoconference), or (3) no in-person or virtual visits. The primary end point was MACE, a composite of all-cause mortality, stroke, and cardiac hospitalization.

The researchers observed MACE events among 23.9% patients who had in-person visits, 22.8% among those who had only virtual visits, and 24.9% among those who had no visits. Following multivariable adjustment, the findings suggest that there was no significant association between encounter type and MACE [odds ratio 0.93 (95% CI: 0.85-1.01) for patients who had any in-person or virtual visits compared to those without.

“Although there could be unmeasured confounding, these results suggest routine in-person or virtual visits may no longer be necessary for CIED care with RM,” the researchers concluded.

Reference

Derry L, Whooley M, Raitt M, et al. Outcomes Associated with Remote Monitoring without In-person Evaluations for Patients with Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Devices. Abstract #Su3167. Presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2024; November 16-18, Chicago, Illinois.