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Introduction: In the midst of a pandemic, apps can be used to provide close follow-up, ensure that patients are monitored at home, avoid excessive pressure on medical facilities, prevent the movement of people (both patients and health professionals), and reduce the risk of infection. Objective: To adapt and validate the use of a smartphone application for outpatient follow-up of COVID-19 patients after hospital discharge. Methods: We conducted an open-label clinical trial at Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron in Barcelona, Spain. Patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to be followed by the Farmalarm app or by their primary care center. The primary endpoint was the reduction in the need for in-person return visits. Results: From 31 March to 4 May 2020, 150 patients were enrolled in the study at hospital discharge: 74 patients were randomized to the experimental group, and 76 to the control group. All patients in the control group and all except for six in the experimental group completed the study. During hospitalization, before study inclusion, all but 4 (97.3%) had viral pneumonia, 91 (60.7%) required supplemental oxygen, and 16 (10.7%) required intensive care unit (ICU) admission. COVID-19–related return visits to the emergency department were significantly higher in the control group (7.9% vs. 0%; p = 0.028) in the per-protocol analysis. Telephone consultations with the emergency department were performed by 12 (15.8%) patients in the control group and 0 (0%) in the experimental group (p < 0.001). Satisfaction with outpatient monitoring was rated higher by the experimental group (5 vs. 4 points; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Following COVID-19 hospital discharge, home follow-up via a mobile app was effective in reducing in-person return visits without undermining patient satisfaction or perception of health, compared with standard follow-up.

Resumen S e depositaron recubrimientos multicapas de [TiN/ TiAIN]n con periodos de 2, 6, 12 y 24 bicapas mediante la tecnica PVD Magnetr6n Sputtering sobre acero al carbono AISI 1045 para evaluar su comportamiento frente a la corrosion-erosion, en una solution compuesta por 0.5M de H2SO4 y 3.5% de NaCI + silice, bajo dos angulos de impacto de 30° y 90° mediante la implementaciOn de la tecnica electroquimica de curvas de polarizaciOn Tafel.Se encontro que los recubrimientos en forma de multicapas mejoran notablemente la resistencia a la corrosion del acero 1045, lo cual se evidencio en la disminucion de los valores de velocidad de corrosion y densidad de corriente de corrosion.Palabras Cleves: recubrimientos duros, multicapas de [TiN/TiAIN]n, acero al carbono, curvas de polarizacion Tafel, velocidad de corrosion. AbstractMultilayer coatings of [TiN/TiAIN]n were deposited with periods of 2, 6, 12 and 24 bilayers by PVD magnetron sputtering technique on carbon steel AISI 1045 to evaluate its behavior against erosion corrosion in a solution composed of 0.5M H2SO4 and 3.5% NaCI + silica under two impact angles 30° and 90° by means of electrochemical technique of Tafel polarization curves.It was found that coatings in form of multilayer significantly improve the corrosion resistance of steel 1045, evidenced by the decrease in the values of corrosion rate and corrosion current density.