Background Telehealth is a promising intervention to reduce readmissions and healthcare-associated costs in patients with heart failure. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of the impact of telehealth on 197 heart failure patients who had successfully completed one year of home telehealth monitoring following a heart failure admission as part of a clinically mandated programme at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Outcomes were compared both within the group (one year before and one year after home telehealth monitoring), and to a contemporary control cohort of 870 heart failure patients who were admitted but not enrolled in home telehealth. The following outcomes were analysed: admissions for any cause, heart failure admissions, total hospital days per patient, average length of stay per admission, urgent care and emergency room visits, and primary care visits. Results Both the home telehealth and control cohorts consisted of older male patients. Total hospital days per patient was significantly reduced by home telehealth monitoring in the home telehealth group (2.4 ± 3.5) in comparison to the previous year without monitoring (4.1 ± 4.6, p < 0.0001) and to the control group (3.8 ± 5.3, p < 0.001). A significantly lower admission rate (1.1 ± 1.6) and length of stay (5.7 ± 11.3 days) were observed during home telehealth monitoring within the home telehealth group compared to the prior year (1.6 ± 1.7, p < 0.05 and 9.5 ± 14 days, p < 0.01 respectively) but not in comparison with the control group (1.4 ± 2.0, p < 0.07). The home telehealth group also had a significantly lower length of stay when compared to the control group (5.7 ± 11.3 vs 9.0 ± 14.9, p < 0.01). The number of urgent care and emergency room visits, or primary care visits, was not significantly different during home telehealth monitoring as compared to the prior year. Conclusions Personalised and patient-centred home telehealth monitoring in heart failure patients was successful in reducing outcomes without an increase in outpatient and urgent care visits.

Hemifacial spasm (HFS) is a common neurological disorder characterized by involuntary tonic and clonic contractions of the muscles innervated by the facial nerve. We aimed to describe clinical features, common antecedents, triggers and relieving factors in patients with hemifacial spasm to study the correlation of hypertension and HFS, and to compare clinical features of primary and secondary cases of HFS. The data for the study were collected prospectively on a predesigned and pre-tested format at the first attendance in all consecutive HFS patients attending the movement disorders clinic of a tertiary teaching hospital in India. The demographic profile, HFS symptoms, antecedent illnesses and neurological examination were recorded and analyzed. Muscle power in individual muscles innervated by the facial nerve was tested carefully before botulinum toxin injection. Hemifacial spasm occurred in 7.14% (n = 582) of 8,151 cases registered at the movement disorders clinic from 1993 to 2010. Data of 321 patients were complete and were included in the study. Females constituted 49.22% (n = 158). The mean age the patients was 46.02 ± 11.82 years; ipsilateral ear clicking was observed in 22.74% cases. The most common aggravating factor was stress (44.86%), while the most common relieving factor was sleep (44.24%). Two hundred fifty-two patients (78.5%) had primary HFS. The severity of spasm correlated significantly with disease duration (p < 0.001) and weakness of facial muscles (p < 0.001). We did not observe any correlation between HFS on the left side and hypertension, as has been reported earlier. This is one of the largest studies of HFS patients and the only one that prospectively assesses patients with HFS clinically on their first visit. Interesting observations of this study are lack of female preponderance, presence of clicking in the ipsilateral ear and facial weakness even prior to botulinum toxin injection.

Human locomotion involves a complex interplay among multiple brain regions and depends on constant feedback from the visual system. We summarize here the current understanding of the relationship among fixations, saccades, and gait as observed in studies sampling eye movements during locomotion, through a review of the literature and a synthesis of the relevant knowledge on the topic. A significant overlap in locomotor and saccadic neural circuitry exists that may support this relationship. Several animal studies have identified potential integration nodes between these overlapping circuitries. Behavioral studies that explored the relationship of saccadic and gait-related impairments in normal conditions and in various disease states are also discussed. Eye movements and locomotion share many underlying neural circuits, and further studies can leverage this interplay for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.