The current study aims to investigate whether telemedical monitoring in patients with terminal heart failure and an implanted left ventricular assist device (LVAD) has an influence on LVAD-associated complications, hospitalization rates and quality of life. This is a prospective observational study. Patients with terminal heart failure and an implanted LVAD, where the indication for telemonitoring has already been stated by the attending physician are included in the study. Written informed consent is obtained from all patients. The telemedical monitoring is carried out by the West German Center for Applied Telemedicine (WZAT) and includes a standardized telephone interview every 3 days. In addition, all patients are equipped with an INR measuring device, a body scale and a clinical thermometer by WZAT. The data is documented in an electronic case file (medPower®). In the event of abnormalities, the West German Heart and Vascular Center (WHGZ) is contacted, and all necessary measures are initiated.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
50
questionnaire about hospitalisation rates, complications (bleeding, infection, thrombosis), quality of life (Kansas-Score), depression (PHQ8)
Department of Cardiology and Vascular Medicine, West German Heart and Vascular Center, University Hospital Essen
Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
RECRUITINGNumber of days spent in the hospital due to VAD-associated complications
VAD-associated complications are defined as * bleeding with the need for a transfusion * infection with the need for an antibiotic therapy * thrombosis with the need for a lysis therapy
Time frame: 6 months
Change in quality of life from baseline
Quality of life will be assessed with the "Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) " -\> The raw values of the domains are transformed to a scale from 0 to 100, where high values indicate good condition.
Time frame: 6 months
Change in depression from baseline
\- Depression will be assessed with the "Patient Health Questionnaire eight-item depression scale" (PHQ-8) -\> The raw values of the domains are transformed to a scale from 0 to 24, where high values indicate a depression.
Time frame: 6 months
Number of VAD-associated complications
VAD-associated complications are defined as * bleeding with the need for a transfusion * infection with the need for an antibiotic therapy * thrombosis with the need for a lysis therapy
Time frame: 6 months
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