iCardia4HF: Multi-component mHealth Intervention for Patients With Heart Failure

Overview

The goal of this factorial randomized trial is to examine the independent and synergistic efficacies of two mobile health technology interventions in people with chronic heart failure. The first intervention involves the use of multiple consumer mHealth apps and sensor devices (MyApps) for heart failure self-care (maintenance, monitoring, and management). The second intervention is a program of tailored text messages (Text4HF) targeting modifiable behavioral factors associated with heart failure self-care non-adherence. The main questions this study aims to answer are: 1. Can the use of consumer mHealth apps and devices (MyApps) improve heart failure self-care and reduce days lost due to cardiovascular hospitalization or death for any cause? 2. Can a program of individually tailored text messages (Text4HF) improve heart failure self-care and reduce the days lost due to cardiovascular hospitalization or death for any cause? 3. Can MyApps and Text4HF combined lead to greater improvements in heart failure self-care and days lost due to cardiovascular hospitalization or death for any cause

Heart failure (HF) remains one of the most frequent principal diagnoses for hospitalization and a leading cause of death in the United States. Up to 65% of HF readmissions are the result of insufficient self-care. Existing HF self-care interventions delivered face-to-face or via telephone have had limited impact and reach. They require significant provider time and are not always accessible to patients. There is an urgent need for accessible and scalable interventions that are designed to assist patients with HF self-care while in the community to reduce HF readmissions. Consumer mobile health (mHealth) technologies (e.g., mobile apps and sensor devices) hold promise for promoting HF self-care and expanding intervention delivery. However, their efficacy remains largely underexplored. To address this gap, our team developed a patient-centered HF self-care intervention (iCardia4HF) that combines the use of three consumer mobile health apps and connected health devices (MyApps) with a program of individually tailored text messages (Text4HF) targeting modifiable behavioral factors to promote HF self-care adherence and improve clinical outcomes. This study aims to conduct a fully powered, 2x2 factorial randomized controlled trial to determine the independent and combined efficacy of the two iCardia4HF intervention components (MyApps and Text4HF) at 6 months, as well as their maintenance efficacy at 6 months post-intervention. A total of 360 patients with HF will be recruited and randomized to one of four conditions for 12 months: (1) Usual care, (2) Text4HF, (3) MyApps, or (4) MyApps\&Text4HF. Specific aims are: Aim 1: Determine the independent and combined efficacies of MyApps and Text4HF at 6-months on the primary outcome of days lost due to cardiovascular hospitalization or death for any cause, and secondary outcomes of HF self-care and health status. Hypothesis 1a: MyApps and Text4HF will have significant main effects on the primary outcome at 6 months. Hypothesis 1b: MyApps and Text4HF will have significant main effects on objectively assessed measures of HF self-care adherence, self-reported HF self-care, and health status, at 6 months. Aim 2: Determine the independent and combined maintenance efficacies of MyApps and Text4HF at 12 months (6 months post-intervention). Hypothesis 2a: Text4HF and MyApps will have significant main effects on the primary outcome at 12 months. Hypothesis 2b: Text4HF and MyApps will have significant main effects on objectively assessed measures of HF self-care adherence, self-reported HF self-care, and health status, at 12 months. Aim 3: Investigate the mediating effect of intervention targets (health beliefs, HF knowledge, self-efficacy), and moderating effect of multi-level determinants of HF self-care adherence on the efficacy of the intervention, across individual (e.g., age, race/ethnicity), illness-related (e.g., depression, comorbidities), and socioeconomic factors (e.g., insurance, income, employment, and access to care). Impact statement: This study will provide important new knowledge that will critically shape our understanding about the potential of commercially available mHealth technologies and tailored text messages to improve HF self-care adherence and reduce hospital readmissions in patients with HF.