Text Messages to Promote Secondary Prevention after Acute Coronary Syndrome (IMPACS trial)

Abstract Background Short message service (SMS) to promote healthcare improves the control of cardiovascular risk factors, but there is a lack of evidence in low and middle-income countries, particularly after acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Objective This study aims to evaluate whether the use of SMS increases risk factor control after hospital discharge for ACS. Methods IMPACS is a 2-arm randomized trial with 180 patients hospitalized due to ACS at a tertiary hospital in Brazil. Eligible patients were randomized (1:1) to an SMS intervention (G1) or standard care (G2) upon hospital discharge. The primary endpoint was set to achieve 4 or 5 points in a risk factor control score, consisting of a cluster of 5 modifiable risk factors: LDL-C <70mg/dL, blood pressure (BP) <140/90mmHg, regular exercise (≥5 days/week, 30 minutes/session), nonsmoker status, and body mass index (BMI) <25 kg/m2] at 6 months. Secondary outcomes were components of the primary outcome plus rehospitalization, cardiovascular death, and death from any cause. Results are designated as significant if p<0.05. Results From randomized patients, 147 were included in the final analysis. Mean age was 58 (51-64) years, 74% males. The primary outcome was achieved by 12 (16.2%) patients in G1 and 15 (20.8%) in G2 (OR=0.73, 95%CI 0.32-1.70, p=0.47). Secondary outcomes were also similar: LDL-C<70 mg/dl (p=0.33), BP<140/90 mmHg (p=0.32), non-smoker (p=0.74), regular exercise (p=0.97), BMI (p=0.71), and rehospitalization (p=0.06). Death from any cause occurred in three participants (2%), including one cardiovascular death in each group. Conclusion SMS intervention did not significantly improve cardiovascular risk factor control when compared to standard care in patients discharged after ACS in Brazil.

Development and testing of a text messaging (SMS) monitoring software application for acute decompensated heart failure patients / Desenvolvimento e teste de um software de monitoramento de mensagens de texto (SMS) para pacientes com insuficiência cardíaca descompensada / Desarrollo y test de un software de monitoreo de mensajes de texto (SMS) para pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca aguda descompensada

Objective: to develop and test an SMS monitoring software application for patients with acute decompensated heart failure. Method: the waterfall model was used for software development. All expected functionalities were defined, program modules were codified and tests were done so as to ensure good performance by the software application. Ten patients participated in the prototype test. Results: the system sends two types of messages: questions that should be answered by patients and unilateral educational reinforcements. In addition, the system generates alarms in case of no response or according to a flow chart to detect congestion in the patient previously created by the team. Of the 264 SMS texts sent, 247 were answered. The alarm was triggered seven times: three patients woke up with shortness of breath for two consecutive nights, and four patients felt more fatigued for two consecutive days. All patients took the prescribed medications during follow-up. The study nurse guided the patients who generated alarms in the system. Conclusion: the SMS software application was successfully developed and a high response rate and preliminary evidence of improvements in self-management of HF were observed. With this regard, telehealth is a promising alternative in the treatment of chronic diseases

Objetivo: desenvolver e testar um software de monitoramento de SMS para pacientes com insuficiência cardíaca aguda descompensada. Método: o modelo em cascata foi utilizado para o desenvolvimento do software. Todas as funcionalidades do software foram definidas, os módulos do programa foram codificados e os testes foram realizados com o objetivo de assegurar bom desempenho. Dez pacientes participaram do teste do protótipo. Resultados: o sistema envia dois tipos de mensagens: perguntas que devem ser respondidas pelos pacientes e reforços educativos unilaterais. O sistema também aciona alarmes no caso de não haver resposta por parte do paciente ou de acordo com um fluxograma criado pela equipe para detectar congestão nos pacientes. Um total de 267 mensagens foram enviadas, das quais, 247 foram respondidas. O alarme foi ativado sete vezes: três pacientes acordaram com falta de ar por duas noites consecutivas e quatro pacientes se sentiram fatigados por dois dias consecutivos. Todos os pacientes tomaram suas medicações durante o seguimento. A enfermeira do estudo instruiu os pacientes que tiveram alarme. Conclusão: o software SMS foi desenvolvido com sucesso e teve alta taxa de resposta. Também obtivemos evidência preliminar indicando melhor autogestão de IC. Neste sentido, a telessaúde se apresenta como uma alternativa promissora no tratamento de doenças crônicas.

Objetivo: desarrollar y probar un software de monitoreo de SMS para pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca descompensada aguda. Método: el modelo en cascada se utilizó para el desarrollo del software. Se definieron todas las funcionalidades esperadas, se codificaron los módulos del programa y se realizaron pruebas para garantizar un buen rendimiento del software. Diez pacientes participaron en la prueba del prototipo. Resultados: el sistema envía dos tipos de mensajes: preguntas que deben ser respondidas por los pacientes y refuerzos educativos unilaterales. Además, el sistema genera alarmas en caso de no respuesta o de acuerdo con un diagrama de flujo para detectar congestión en el paciente previamente creado por el equipo. De los 264 SMS enviados, 247 fueron respondidos. La alarma se activó siete veces: tres pacientes se despertaron con dificultad para respirar durante dos noches consecutivas y cuatro pacientes se sintieron más fatigados durante dos días consecutivos. Todos los pacientes tomaron los medicamentos recetados durante el seguimiento. La enfermera del estudio orientó a los pacientes que generaron alarma en el sistema. Conclusión: el software de SMS se desarrolló con éxito y se observó una alta tasa de respuesta y evidencia preliminar de mejoras en el autocontrol de la insuficiencia cardíaca. En este sentido, la telesalud parece ser una alternativa prometedora en el tratamiento de enfermedades crónicas.

Uso de tecnologías de la información y comunicación por pediatras argentinos / Use of information and communication technologies by argentine pediatricians

Introducción: No existen datos en la Argentina acerca de la adopción de tecnologías de información y comunicación (TIC) por parte de los pediatras. Objetivos: Estimar la prevalencia de uso de historia clínica electrónica (HCE) y de mensajería electrónica. Describir percepción de ventajas y desventajas. Población y métodos: Estudio observacional, exploratorio, descriptivo y transversal. Se envió una encuesta autoadministrada al padrón de socios de la Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría entre julio y septiembre de 2017. Resultados: De 14.604 socios, se recibieron 3468 respuestas (el 23,7 %); 2680 fueron completas (el 18,4 %). El porcentaje de uso de HCE fue del 44 %. Se destacaron ventajas: acceso a la información (el 23,2 %), agilización del trabajo (el 20,1 %), resguardo seguro de información (el 14,3 %), disponibilidad (el 11,9 %), cálculo de percentiles (el 11,1 %) y realización de estadísticas (el 9,2 %). Las desventajas percibidas fueron cuestiones técnicas (el 32 %), temor a pérdida de información (el 20 %), dudas sobre cuestiones legales (el 15,8 %). El 49,8 % consideró implementar el uso de HCE en el próximo año.El 76,9 % usaba aplicaciones para recibir consultas de sus pacientes. El WhatsApp (el 46,6 %) fue la plataforma más utilizada. El 74 % consideraba que las consultas no presenciales deberían ser remuneradas. Conclusión: El 44 % de los pediatras que respondieron utilizaba HCE. El 49,8 % consideró implementar algún sistema de HCE durante el año siguiente al estudio. La mensajería electrónica era ampliamente utilizada (el 76,9 %) en todos los rangos etarios.

Introduction: There are not data in Argentina about the percentages of use of Information and Communication Technologies by pediatricians yet. Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of the use of Electronic Health Records (EHR) and Electronic Messaging. To describe the perception of advantages and disadvantages. Population and methods: Observational, exploratory, descriptive and transversal study. Five submissions of a self-administered survey were made to the list of partners of the Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría between July and September of 2017. Results: Of 14,604 partners, 3468 responses were received (23.7 %); 2680 were complete (18.4 %). The overall percentage of use of EHR was 44 %. There were advantages: access to information (23.2 %), streamlining work (20.1 %), secure information backup (14.3 %) and availability (11.9 %), calculation of percentiles (11.1 %) and statistics (9.2 %). The perceived disadvantages: technical issues (32 %), fear of information loss (20 %), doubts about legal issues (15.8 %). The use of EHR was going to be implemented by 49.8 % of respondents in the next year. Applications to receive consultations from their patients were used by 76.9 % of pediatricians. WhatsApp (46.6 %) was the most integrated platform. It was considered by 74 % that non face to face consultations should be remunerated. Conclusion: EHR was used by 44 % of pediatricians who responded. And 49.8 % were considering the implementation of some EHR system during the next year. Electronic messaging was widespread (76.9 %) in all age ranges.

Tecnologías de la información y la comunicación como herramienta educativa en pacientes con enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles en una IPS de la ciudad de Manizales / Information and communication technologies as an educational tool in patients with non communicable chronic diseases in an outpatient health institution of Manizales

Introducción: las enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles causan gran morbilidad y mortalidad a nivel mundial por lo que se requiere de estrategias innovadoras que impacten en el autocuidado, adopción de estilos de vida saludables y manejo de ellas. En la actualidad, las Tecnologías de la información y la comunicación constituyen un recurso para mejorar la efectividad y la eficacia de programas dirigidos a pacientes con enfermedades crónicas, superar las limitaciones estructurales y la disponibilidad de recursos humanos existentes en los sistemas de salud. Objetivo: evaluar el impacto de las Tecnologías de la información y la comunicación como herramienta educativa para promover estilos de vida saludables y adherencia a la medicación, conocer la percepción de los usuarios frente a la intervención y observar el efecto sobre variables clínicas. Materiales y Métodos: estudio longitudinal, donde se incluyeron 90 pacientes de la consulta externa de una institución prestadora de salud de Manizales para recibir mensajes de texto. Fueron seleccionados hombres y mujeres mayores de 18 años con diagnóstico de hipertensión arterial o diabetes mellitus con teléfono celular propio o de un cuidador cercano que aceptaran recibir los mensajes de texto en su teléfono móvil. Los mensajes contenían información sobre estilos de vida saludable y fueron enviados entre agosto y diciembre de 2014 durante 29 semanas. 68 sujetos completaron el seguimiento. Al final de la intervención, se evaluó la aceptación, utilidad y efectos sobre parámetros de laboratorio y clínicos. Resultados: el 100% de los pacientes que confirmaron la recepción de los mensajes percibieron una mejoría en su autocuidado; evidenciándose cambios en la dieta (95,16%) y mejoría en la adherencia a la medicación (59%), además de calificarse la utilidad del servicio como excelente por el 61,5% de los sujetos. Sin embargo no se encontraron cambios estadísticamente significativos en variables clínicas y de laboratorio. Conclusiones: la percepción de los pacientes frente al uso de las Tecnologías de la información y la comunicación es positiva y genera cambios en aspectos como la alimentación y la adherencia a la medicación, por lo que constituye una herramienta en la promoción de estilos de vida saludables y manejo de enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles. Se requiere de estudios controlados estandarizados mediante un seguimiento a largo plazo para determinar el impacto real sobre variables clínicas y su costo-beneficio. Además se deberá individualizar el tipo de población que obtendría mayor beneficio. MÉD. UIS. 2016;29(2):59-70.

Introduction: chronic noncommunicable diseases cause high morbidity and mortality worldwide so it requires innovative strategies that impact on self-care, adoption of healthy lifestyles and the diseases treatment. Nowadays, the information and communication technologies compose a resource in order to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the patient's programs with chronic diseases, overcome structural limitations and the availability of human resources in the health system. Objective: to evaluate the impact of the information and communication technologies to promote healthy lifestyles and adherence to medication, to know the perception of users about the usefulness of the intervention and also their effect on clinical variables. Methods: longitudinal study, in which 90 patients outpatient health institution in Manizales were included to receive text messages, was made. There were chosen over-age-18 men and women, with arterial hypertension diagnosis or diabetes mellitus who owned a cell phone or were with a near carer assistant who would accept receiving text massages in its own mobile. The massages were about their healthy lifestyle, and these were sent between august and december during 29 weeks. 68 subject completed the follow up. At the end of the intervention, acceptance, usefulness and effects on laboratory and clinical parameters were evaluated. Results: it was found that 100% of the patients who confirmed receiving the messages perceived an improvement in self care; showing changes in diet (95.16%) and the amelioration of medication adherence (59%). Besides, the service utility was qualified as excellent. Conclusions: the patient's perceptions about the use of the information and communication technologies was positive and it could generates changes in areas such as alimentary habits and medication adherence, in promoting healthy lifestyles and management of chronic noncommunicable diseases. However, it requires controlled studies using a standardized long-term monitoring to determine the actual impact on clinical variables and cost-effective. In addition, it should identify the type of population would get greater benefit. MÉD.UIS. 2016;29(2):59-70.

Tecnologia móvel para a gestão da saúde de idosos: revisão da literatura / Mobile technology for mananging health of elderly: a literature review

Este estudo tem como objetivo identificar como a telefonia móvel tem sido utilizada no gerenciamento da saúde de idosos. MÉTODO: Realizada revisão sistemática da literatura nas bases de dados PubMed, Cinhal e BVS. RESULTADOS: Foram encontrados sete estudos desenvolvidos especificamente com a população idosa, os quais abordavam a adesão ao tratamento através do uso da tecnologia em doenças comuns na velhice, tais como insuficiência cardíaca, Parkinson, Alzheimer e doenças reumatológicas. Os achados apontam este recurso como viável, tendo aumentado a adesão ao tratamento e com boa aceitação pelos usuários. A investigação sobre a temática é recente e, apesar dos bons resultados, poucas pesquisas tem sido desenvolvidas com o foco nesta população.

This study aims to identify how the mobile phone has been used in managing the health of the elderly. METHOD: Conducted systematic review of the literature in the databases PubMed, Cinhal and BVS. RESULTS: We found seven studies specifically developed with the elderly population, which addressed the compliance through the use of technology in common diseases in old age, such as heart failure, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and rheumatologic diseases. The findings point to this as viable resource, increasing adherence to treatment, with good acceptance by users. Research on the subject is recent and, despite the good results, little research has been developed with the focus on this population.

Cervical cancer screening coverage in a high-incidence region / Cobertura do rastreamento do câncer de colo de útero em região de alta incidência

OBJECTIVE To analyze the coverage of a cervical cancer screening program in a city with a high incidence of the disease in addition to the factors associated with non-adherence to the current preventive program. METHODS A cross-sectional study based on household surveys was conducted. The sample was composed of women between 25 and 59 years of age of the city of Boa Vista, RR, Northern Brazil who were covered by the cervical cancer screening program. The cluster sampling method was used. The dependent variable was participation in a women’s health program, defined as undergoing at least one Pap smear in the 36 months prior to the interview; the explanatory variables were extracted from individual data. A generalized linear model was used. RESULTS 603 women were analyzed, with an mean age of 38.2 years (SD = 10.2). Five hundred and seventeen women underwent the screening test, and the prevalence of adherence in the last three years was up to 85.7% (95%CI 82.5;88.5). A high per capita household income and recent medical consultation were associated with the lower rate of not being tested in multivariate analysis. Disease ignorance, causes, and prevention methods were correlated with chances of non-adherence to the screening system; 20.0% of the women were reported to have undergone opportunistic and non-routine screening. CONCLUSIONS The informed level of coverage is high, exceeding the level recommended for the control of cervical cancer. The preventive program appears to be opportunistic in nature, particularly for the most vulnerable women (with low income and little information on the disease). Studies on the diagnostic quality of cervicovaginal cytology and therapeutic schedules for positive cases are necessary for understanding the barriers to the control of cervical cancer. .

OBJETIVO Analisar a cobertura do programa de rastreamento do câncer do colo uterino em município com alta incidência da doença e os fatores relacionados à não adesão ao programa preventivo vigente. MÉTODOS Foi realizado estudo transversal, com base em inquérito domiciliar. A amostra foi composta por mulheres entre 25 e 59 anos de idade do município de Boa vista, RR, Brasil, com cobertura pelo programa de rastreamento do câncer do colo uterino. Foi utilizado o método de amostragem por conglomerado. A variável dependente foi a adesão ao programa de saúde da mulher, definida como a realização de pelo menos um teste de Papanicolaou nos 36 meses anteriores à data da entrevista; as variáveis explicativas foram extraídas a partir de informações individuais. Foi utilizado modelo linear generalizado. RESULTADOS Foram analisadas 603 mulheres, com idade média de 38,2 anos (DP = 10,2). Quinhentas e dezessete mulheres realizaram o exame, sendo a prevalência de realização, nos últimos três anos, de 85,7% (IC95% 82,5;88,5). Renda familiar per capita elevada e consulta médica recente associaram-se à menor taxa de não realização do exame na análise multivariada. O desconhecimento da doença, das causas e dos meios de prevenção correlacionou-se com a chance de não adesão ao rastreamento. Vinte por cento das mulheres relataram realização do exame em caráter oportunístico, e não rotineiro. CONCLUSÕES A cobertura informada é elevada, acima do recomendado para controle do câncer do colo uterino. O programa preventivo apresenta caráter oportunístico, sobretudo para as mulheres mais vulneráveis (com baixa renda e pouca informação sobre a doença). Estudos sobre a qualidade diagnóstica da citologia cervicovaginal e dos itinerários terapêuticos dos casos positivos são necessários para compreensão das barreiras para o controle do câncer do colo uterino. .