LAUSR

BACKGROUND Self-care behaviour is important in avoiding hospitalization for patients with heart failure (HF) and refers to those activities performed with the intention of improving or restoring health and well-being, as well as treating or preventing disease. The purpose was to study the effects of a home-based mobile device on self-care behaviour and hospitalizations in a representative HF-population. METHODS AND RESULTS SMART-HF is a randomized controlled multi-centre clinical trial, where patients were randomized 1:1 to receive standard care (control group, CG) or intervention with a home-based tool designed to enhance self-care behaviour (intervention group, IG) and followed for 240 days. The tool educates the patient about HF, monitors objective and subjective symptoms and adjusts loop-diuretics. The primary outcome is self-care as measured by the European Heart Failure Self-care behaviour scale and the secondary outcome is HF related in-hospital days. A total of 124 patients were recruited and 118 were included in the analyses (CG: n = 60, IG: n = 58). The mean age was 79 years, 39% were female, and 45% had an EF < 40%. Self-care was significantly improved in the IG compared to the CG (21.5 [13.25; 28] vs 26 [18; 29.75], p = 0.014). Patients in the IG spent significantly less time in the hospital admitted for HF (2,2 days less, RR: 0.48; 95% CI: 0.32 - 0.74; p = 0.001) . CONCLUSION The device significantly improved self-care behaviour and reduced in-hospital days in a relevant HF population.