Clinical Implications of Remote Dielectric Sensing-Guided Management

Abstract

Background: Remote dielectric sensing (ReDS) systems can quantify the degree of pulmonary congestion rapidly and non-invasively. However, the clinical implications of ReDS-guided medication adjustment remain uncertain. Methods: Patients hospitalized to treat cardiovascular diseases, including heart failure, valvular disease, and coronary artery disease, and underwent ReDS measurement before index discharge between 2021 and 2022 were included. According to our institutional protocol, ReDS values were blinded to the attending clinicians until February 2022 (blind period). After the period, ReDS values were timely opened to the attending clinicians, and medications such as diuretics were adjusted according to the ReDS values (target value between 20% and 35%) before index discharge (open period). A composite primary outcome of all-cause death and heart failure readmissions was compared between the two groups. Results: A total of 183 patients were included (median 79 years old, 101 men), consisting of 138 patients in the blind period and 45 patients in the open period. During a median of 646 (401, 818) days after the index discharge, 33 patients experienced the primary outcome of interest. Management during the open period, where medications were adjusted according to ReDS values, was independently associated with a lower incidence of the primary outcome with an adjusted hazard ratio of 0.22 (95% confidence interval 0.05–0.94, p = 0.041), as compared with those of the blind period. Conclusions: According to the findings of the present retrospective study, ReDS-guided management may have the potential to reduce the risk of mortality and heart failure admission in individuals hospitalized for cardiovascular diagnoses. Further prospective randomized control trials involving those with a variety of background etiologies and clinical scenarios are warranted to validate our findings and establish optimal ReDS-guided management.