Outcomes of a smartphone-based application with live health-coaching post-percutaneous coronary intervention

Background: The interval between inpatient hospitalization for symptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD) and post-discharge office consultation is a vulnerable period for adverse events. Methods: Content was customized on a smartphone app-based platform for hospitalized patients receiving percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) which included education, tracking, reminders and live health coaches. We conducted a single-arm open-label pilot study of the app at two academic medical centers in a single health system, with subjects enrolled 02/2018-05/2019 and 1:3 propensity-matched historical controls from 01/2015-12/2017. To evaluate feasibility and efficacy, we assessed 30-day hospital readmission (primary), outpatient cardiovascular follow-up, and cardiac rehabilitation (CR) enrollment as recorded in the health system. Outcomes were assessed by Cox Proportional Hazards model. Findings: 118 of 324 eligible (36.4%) 21-85 year-old patients who underwent PCI for symptomatic CAD who owned a smartphone or tablet enrolled. Mean age was 62.5 (9.7) years, 87 (73.7%) were male, 40 of 118 (33.9%) had type 2 diabetes mellitus, 68 (57.6%) enrolled underwent PCI for MI and 59 (50.0%) had previously known CAD; demographics were similar among matched historical controls. No significant difference existed in all-cause readmission within 30 days (8.5% app vs 9.6% control, ARR -1.1% absolute difference, 95% CI -7.1-4.8, p = 0.699) or 90 days (16.1% app vs 19.5% control, p = 0.394). Rates of both 90-day CR enrollment (HR 1.99, 95% CI 1.30-3.06) and 1-month cardiovascular follow up (HR 1.83, 95% CI 1.43-2.34) were greater with the app. Weekly engagement at 30- and 90-days, as measured by percentage of weeks with at least one day of completion of tasks, was mean (SD) 73.5% (33.9%) and 63.5% (40.3%). Spearman correlation analyses indicated similar engagement across age, sex, and cardiovascular risk factors. Interpretations: A post-PCI smartphone app with live health coaches yielded similarly high engagement across demographics and safely increased attendance in cardiac rehabilitation. Larger prospective randomized controlled trials are necessary to test whether this app improves cardiovascular outcomes following PCI. (C) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.

Automated summary

A smartphone app with live health coaches for post-PCI patients increased attendance in cardiac rehabilitation and cardiovascular follow-up, with similar engagement across demographics. However, there was no significant difference in all-cause readmission rates within 30 and 90 days. Larger prospective randomized controlled trials are needed to further evaluate the impact of this app on cardiovascular outcomes following PCI.