Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38556540›Full record

Trial reportPacing and clinical electrophysiology : PACE2024

Informational letters or postcards to initiate remote monitoring among veterans with pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators: A randomized, controlled trial.

Allison Kratka, Thomas L Rotering, Merritt H Raitt, Mary A Whooley, Sanket S Dhruva

Open access · greenAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Pacing and clinical electrophysiology : PACE, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
0.4field-weighted citation impact, top 39% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Allison KratkaSection of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care System, San Francisco, California, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-6040-0693
Thomas L RoteringSection of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care System, San Francisco, California, USA.
Merritt H RaittVeterans Affairs Portland Health Care System, Portland, Oregon, USA.
Mary A WhooleyDepartment of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, California, USA.
Sanket S DhruvaSection of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care System, San Francisco, California, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-0674-2032
University of California, San Francisco · USOregon Health & Science University · US

Funding

Measurement Science QUERII50HX003266 · VA · VETERANS AFFAIRS MED CTR SAN FRANCISCO · PI COHEN, BETH, KALTENBACH, TONYA R · 2021 to 2021
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Improving Safety of Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Devices in VeteransIK2HX003357 · VA · VETERANS AFFAIRS MED CTR SAN FRANCISCO · PI Sanket S Dhruva · 2022 to 2026
–
HSRD VA I50 HX003266HSRD VA IK2 HX003357
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRemote monitoring (RM) of pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) is a Class 1, Level of Evidence A recommendation because of its multitude of clinical benefits. However, RM adherence rates are suboptimal, precluding patients from achieving these benefits. There is a need for direct-to-patient efforts to improve adherence.

methodsIn this national randomized, controlled trial conducted in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), 2120 patients with a pacemaker or ICD who had not sent an RM transmission for ≥1 year (and usually ≥3 years) while under VHA care for their device were randomly assigned to be mailed a postcard (n = 1076) or a detailed letter (n = 1044). The postcard described what RM does and its key benefits (reduced mortality and fewer in-person visits). The letter provided a similar message but included more details about RM benefits and the process. The primary outcome was an RM transmission sent within 90 days of mailing, and a secondary outcome was an RM transmission sent within 365 days.

resultsThe primary outcome was achieved in 121 (11.3%) in the postcard and 96 patients (9.2%) in the letter group (p = .12). The secondary outcome was achieved in 266 (24.7%) and 239 (22.9%), respectively (p = .32).

conclusionsThis randomized trial showed no significant difference in the proportion of chronically non-adherent patients who sent an RM transmission after receiving a low-cost postcard or a detailed, higher-cost letter encouraging their participation in RM. However, as only a minority of patients responded to either, further work is needed to engage patients in the life-saving benefits of RM.

Indexed as

Defibrillators, ImplantablePacemaker, ArtificialVeteransAgedCorrespondence as TopicFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPatient ComplianceUnited Statesadherenceimplantable cardioverter‐defibrillatorpacemakerremote monitoring

Identifiers

PMID38556540
PMCPMC11671304
OpenAlexW4393391163

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.