Smartphone ECG Monitoring System Helps Lower Emergency Room and Clinic Visits in Post-Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Patients

Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of using a smartphone-based electrocardiography (ECG) monitoring device (ECG Check) on the frequency of clinic or emergency room visits in patients who underwent ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods: Two groups of patients were identified and compared: The conventional monitoring group (CM group) included patients who were prescribed conventional event monitoring or Holter monitoring systems. The ECG Check group (EC group) included patients who were prescribed the ECG Check device for continuous monitoring in addition to conventional event monitoring. The primary outcome was the number of patient visits to clinic or emergency room. The feasibility, accuracy, and detection rate of mobile ECG Check were also evaluated.

Results: Ninety patients were studied (mean age: 66.2 ± 11 years, 64 males, mean CHA₂DS₂-VASc score: 2.6 ± 2). In the EC group, forty-five patients sent an average of 52.8 ± 6 ECG records for either routine monitoring or symptoms of potential AF during the follow-up period. The rhythm strips identified sinus rhythm (84.7%), sinus tachycardia (8.4%), AF (4.2%), and atrial flutter (0.9%). Forty-two EC transmissions (1.8%) were uninterpretable. Six patients (13%) in the EC group were seen in the clinic or emergency room over a 100-day study period versus 16 (33%) in the standard care arm (P value < 0.001).

Conclusions: Use of smartphone-based ECG monitoring led to a significant reduction in AF-related visits to clinic or emergency department in the postablation period.