OBJECTIVE: HRQoL and transitional care are crucial for HFrEF patients in improving outcomes and reducing readmissions. This study aimed to investigate whether transitional care strategies would improve the health-related health of life (HRQoL) for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). METHODS: Five databases including PubMed, CENTRAL, EBSCO, Web of Science, and CNKI were searched for eligible studies on Dec 15, 2022. In this study, we mostly focused on HRQoL, mean difference (MD), and standard deviation (SD) of scores from the questionnaires that were pooled. Results were shown in forest plots, and the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool (RoB2) was used to assess the bias risk. In the meta-analysis, mean differences and standard deviations were calculated to analyze the data. Heterogeneity analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.3 software (The Cochrane Collaboration, London, United Kingdom). RESULTS: Ten randomized controlled trials were included in this study, with key inclusion criteria including specific time frames, population characteristics, and transitional care interventions considered. Three types of evaluation tools including the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36), the quality of life in a questionnaire, and patients' self-assessment were used for evaluating the HRQoL. Except for SF-36 (MD=1.05, 95% CI=-0.54 to 2.65, I2 = 0%, P = .20), transitional care had a positive effect on HRQoL in the quality of life in a questionnaire (SMD=0.50, 95% CI=0.35 to 0.66, I2 = 88%, P < .01), and patients' self-assessment (SMD=0.70, 95% CI=0.70 to 0.54, I2 = 96%, P < .01). Transitional care improved both physical health (SMD=0.20, 95% CI=0.06 to 0.34, I2 = 85%, P = .005) and emotional health (SMD=0.13, 95% CI=0.00 to 0.26, I2 = 73%, P = .05) of HFrEF patients. CONCLUSION: Transitional care significantly improved the HRQoL of HFrEF patients and should be widely promoted. The improvement in Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) is significant for HFrEF patients as it enhances their overall well-being and functional abilities. Implementing transitional care in healthcare settings can be practical by ensuring seamless coordination between different healthcare providers, providing patient education and self-management support, and facilitating smooth transitions between hospital and home care settings.

This review is aimed to assess the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) games on cognition, mobility, and emotion in elderly stroke patients. We selected relevant articles from eight databases from 2011 to 2022 and extracted articles on cognitive ability (general cognition, mini-mental state examination (MMSE), Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) et al.), mobility (modified Barthel index (MBI), Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA), Berg balance scale (BBS), functional independence measure motor (FIM MOT)), and emotion (depression/anxiety). Twenty-nine studies including 1311 participants were included in the analysis. In the results, virtual reality games were more effective in improving overall cognitive function in stroke patients compared to conventional therapies. In addition, the intervention group in the MMSE (SMD = 0.6, 95%CI = 0.26-0.95, P = 0.0007), MoCA (MD = 1.97, 95%CI = 1.3-2.64, P < 0.00001), and attention test (MD = 0.25, 95% CI = 0.01-0.49, P < 0.00001) scores were also higher. In terms of physical function, MBI (SMD = 0.61, 95%CI = 0.14-1.08, P = 0.01), FMA (SMD = 0.47, 95%CI = 0.02-0.93, P = 0.04), BBS (SMD = 0.78, 95%CI = 0.42-1.15, P < 0.0001), and FIM MOT (MD = 5.87, 95%CI = 2.57-9.17, P = 0.0005) indicators showed better results. It is also observed that virtual reality games can effectively relieve depression and improve mental health in stroke patients. Sports game training, especially with VR equipment, had a positive impact on improving the cognitive performance, mobility, and emotional state of stroke patients compared to a control group. Although the improvement in cognitive ability is relatively low, the effect of improving physical activity and depression is obvious.

PURPOSE: To summarize the classification of computerized cognitive assessment (CCA) tools for assessing stroke patients, to clarify their benefits and limitations, and to reveal strategies for future studies on CCA tools. METHODS: A literature review was performed using PubMed, Embase, Scopus, JAMA Network, Cochrane Library and PsycINFO databases from January 1st, 2010, to August 1st, 2022. Two authors independently screened the literature following the same criteria, evaluated the study quality, and collected data from the articles. RESULTS: A total of 8,697 papers were acquired from the six databases. A total of 74 potentially eligible articles were selected for review. Of these, 29 articles were not relevant to this research, 3 were reviews, 2 were not written in English, and 1 was on an ongoing trial. By screening the references of the reviews, 3 additional articles were included in this study. Thus, a total of 42 articles met the criteria for the review. In terms of the CCA tools analyzed in these studies, they included five types: virtual reality (VR)-based, robot-based, telephone-based, smartphone-based, and computer-based cognitive assessments. Patients' stages of the disease ranged from the subacute phase and rehabilitation phase to the community phase. A total of 27 studies supported the effectiveness of CCA tools, while 22 out of 42 articles mentioned their benefits and 32 revealed areas for future improvement of CCA tools. CONCLUSIONS: Although the use of CCA tools for assessing the cognition of post-stroke patients is becoming popular, there are still some limitations and challenges of using such tools in stroke survivors. More evidence is thus needed to verify the value and specific role of these tools in assessing the cognitive impairment of stroke patients.

Previous studies have reported contradictory findings on the utility of remote physiological monitoring (RPM)-guided management of patients with chronic heart failure (HF). Multiple databases were searched for studies that evaluated the clinical efficacy of RPM-guided management versus standard of care (SOC) for HF patients. The primary outcome was HF-related hospitalization (HFH). The secondary outcomes were all-cause mortality, cardiovascular-related (CV) mortality, and emergency department (ED) visits. Pooled relative risk (RR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated and combined using a random-effects model. A total of 16 randomized controlled trials, including 8679 HF patients (4574 managed with RPM-guided therapy vs. 4105 managed with SOC), were included in the final analysis. The average follow-up period was 15.2 months. There was no significant difference in HFH rate between the two groups (RR: 0.94; 95% CI: 0.84-1.07; P = 0.36). Similarly, there were no significant differences in CV mortality (RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.73-1.02, P = 0.08) or in ED visits (RR 0.80, 95% CI 0.59-1.08, P = 0.14). However, RPM-guided therapy was associated with a borderline statistically significant reduction in all-cause mortality (RR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.78-1.00; P = 0.05). Subgroup analysis based on the strategy of RPM showed that both hemodynamic and arrhythmia telemonitoring-guided management can reduce the risk of HFH (RR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.64-0.97; P = 0.02) and (RR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.67-0.94; P = 0.008) respectively. Our study demonstrated that RPM-guided diuretic therapy of HF patients did not reduce the risk of HFH but can improve survival. Hemodynamic and arrhythmia telemonitoring-guided management could reduce the risk of HF-related hospitalizations.

OBJECTIVE: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common and is associated with an increased risk of stroke. We aimed to systematically review and meta-analyse multivariable prediction models derived and/or validated in electronic health records (EHRs) and/or administrative claims databases for the prediction of incident AF in the community. METHODS: Ovid Medline and Ovid Embase were searched for records from inception to 23 March 2021. Measures of discrimination were extracted and pooled by Bayesian meta-analysis, with heterogeneity assessed through a 95% prediction interval (PI). Risk of bias was assessed using Prediction model Risk Of Bias ASsessment Tool and certainty in effect estimates by Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation. RESULTS: Eleven studies met inclusion criteria, describing nine prediction models, with four eligible for meta-analysis including 9 289 959 patients. The CHADS (Congestive heart failure, Hypertension, Age>75, Diabetes mellitus, prior Stroke or transient ischemic attack) (summary c-statistic 0.674; 95% CI 0.610 to 0.732; 95% PI 0.526-0.815), CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc (Congestive heart failure, Hypertension, Age>75 (2 points), Stroke/transient ischemic attack/thromboembolism (2 points), Vascular disease, Age 65-74, Sex category) (summary c-statistic 0.679; 95% CI 0.620 to 0.736; 95% PI 0.531-0.811) and HATCH (Hypertension, Age, stroke or Transient ischemic attack, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Heart failure) (summary c-statistic 0.669; 95% CI 0.600 to 0.732; 95% PI 0.513-0.803) models resulted in a c-statistic with a statistically significant 95% PI and moderate discriminative performance. No model met eligibility for inclusion in meta-analysis if studies at high risk of bias were excluded and certainty of effect estimates was 'low'. Models derived by machine learning demonstrated strong discriminative performance, but lacked rigorous external validation. CONCLUSIONS: Models externally validated for prediction of incident AF in community-based EHR demonstrate moderate predictive ability and high risk of bias. Novel methods may provide stronger discriminative performance.

AIMS: The integrated management was evidenced to improve the hospitalization and its associated complications in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), but the strategies of integrated care varied and results were inconsistent. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effect of integrated care on AF-related outcomes with comparison with usual care. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were searched for articles published until 10th January 2022. Eligible studies were randomized controlled trials to study the effect of integrated care on AF-related outcomes. Meta-analysis with a random-effect model was used to calculate risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) by comparing the integrated care with usual care. RESULTS: A total of five studies with 6,486 AF patients were selected. By synthesizing available data, integrated care effectively reduced the risk of all-cause mortality (RR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.42-0.69), cardiovascular hospitalization (RR = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.55-0.94), and cardiovascular mortality (RR = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.36-0.78) when compared with usual care; however, there was no superior effect on preventing AF-related hospitalization (RR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.72-1.02), cerebrovascular events (RR = 1.13, 95% CI = 0.75-1.70), and major bleeding (RR = 1.29, 95% CI = 0.86-1.94) when comparing integrated care with usual care. CONCLUSION: Integrated care can reduce the risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and cardiovascular hospitalizations in AF patients compared with usual care, while the benefit was not observed in other outcomes.

Importance: So far, uncertainty remains as to whether there is sufficient cumulative evidence that mobile stroke unit (MSU; specialized ambulance equipped with computed tomography scanner, point-of-care laboratory, and neurological expertise) use leads to better functional outcomes compared with usual care. Objective: To determine with a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature whether MSU use is associated with better functional outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Data sources: MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and Embase from 1960 to 2021. Study selection: Studies comparing MSU deployment and usual care for patients with suspected stroke were eligible for analysis, excluding case series and case-control studies. Data extraction and synthesis: Independent data extraction by 2 observers, following the PRISMA and MOOSE reporting guidelines. The risk of bias in each study was determined using the ROBINS-I and RoB2 tools. In the case of articles with partially overlapping study populations, unpublished disentangled results were obtained. Data were pooled in random-effects meta-analyses. Main outcomes and measures: The primary outcome was excellent outcome as measured with the modified Rankin Scale (mRS; score of 0 to 1 at 90 days). Results: Compared with usual care, MSU use was associated with excellent outcome (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.64; 95% CI, 1.27-2.13; P < .001; 5 studies; n = 3228), reduced disability over the full range of the mRS (adjusted common OR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.14-1.70; P = .001; 3 studies; n = 1563), good outcome (mRS score of 0 to 2: crude OR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.09-1.44; P = .001; 6 studies; n = 3266), shorter onset-to-intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) times (median reduction, 31 minutes [95% CI, 23-39]; P < .001; 13 studies; n = 3322), delivery of IVT (crude OR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.58-2.12; P < .001; 7 studies; n = 4790), and IVT within 60 minutes of symptom onset (crude OR, 7.71; 95% CI, 4.17-14.25; P < .001; 8 studies; n = 3351). MSU use was not associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality at 7 days or at 90 days or with higher proportions of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage after IVT. Conclusions and relevance: Compared with usual care, MSU use was associated with an approximately 65% increase in the odds of excellent outcome and a 30-minute reduction in onset-to-IVT times, without safety concerns. These results should help guideline writing committees and policy makers.

OBJECTIVE: The `Atrial fibrillation Better Care` (ABC) pathway has been recently proposed as a holistic approach for the comprehensive management of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We performed a systematic review of current evidence for the use of the ABC pathway on clinical outcomes. METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis according to PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. PubMed and EMBASE were searched for studies reporting the prevalence of ABC-pathway-adherent management in AF patients, and its impact on clinical outcomes (all-cause death, cardiovascular death, stroke, and major bleeding). Meta-analysis of odds ratio (OR) was performed with random-effects models; subgroup analysis and meta-regression were performed to account for heterogeneity. Among the eight studies included, we found a pooled prevalence of ABC-adherent management of 21% (95% confidence interval, CI: 13-34%), with a high grade of heterogeneity, explained by the increasing adherence to each ABC criterion. Patients treated according to the ABC pathway showed a lower risk of all-cause death (OR: 0.42; 95% CI: 0.31-0.56), cardiovascular death (OR: 0.37; 95% CI: 0.23-0.58), stroke (OR: 0.55; 95% CI: 0.37-0.82) and major bleeding (OR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.51-0.94), with moderate heterogeneity. Prevalence of comorbidities was moderators of heterogeneity for all-cause and cardiovascular death, while longer follow-up was associated with increased effectiveness for all outcomes. CONCLUSION: Adherence to the ABC pathway was suboptimal, being adopted in one in every five patients. Adherence to the ABC pathway was associated with a reduction in the risk of major adverse outcomes.

The use of mHealth apps for the self-management of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) is an increasing trend in patient-centered care. In this research, we conduct a scoping review of mHealth apps for CVD self-management within the period 2014 to 2021. Our review revolves around six main aspects of the current status of mHealth apps for CVD self-management: main CVDs managed, main app functionalities, disease stages managed, common approaches used for data extraction, analysis, management, common wearables used for CVD detection, monitoring and/or identification, and major challenges to overcome and future work remarks. Our review is based on Arksey and O'Malley's methodological framework for conducting studies. Similarly, we adopted the PRISMA model for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Of the 442 works initially retrieved, the review comprised 38 primary studies. According to our results, the most common CVDs include arrhythmia (34%), heart failure (32%), and coronary heart disease (18%). Additionally, we found that the majority mHealth apps for CVD self-management can provide medical recommendations, medical appointments, reminders, and notifications for CVD monitoring. Main challenges in the use of mHealth apps for CVD self-management include overcoming patient reluctance to use the technology and achieving the interoperability of mHealth applications with other systems.

BACKGROUND: Smartphone applications provide new opportunities for secondary prevention healthcare. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine if smartphone applications are effective at changing physical activity and sedentary behaviour in people with cardiovascular disease. METHODS: Six electronic databases (Medline, CINAHL Plus, Cochrane Library, SCOPUS, Sports Discus and EMBASE) were searched from 2007 to October 2020. Cardiovascular disease secondary prevention physical activity or sedentary behaviour interventions were included where the primary element was a smartphone or tablet computer application (excluding SMS-only text-messaging). Study quality was assessed using validated tools appropriate for each study design. Random effects model was used and the pooled mean difference between post scores were calculated. Subgroup analyses were conducted to examine differences based on diagnosis, sample size, age, intervention duration, activity tracker use, target behaviour, and self-report versus device-measured outcome. RESULTS: Nineteen studies with a total of 1,543 participants were included (coronary heart disease, n = 10; hypertension, n = 4; stroke, n = 3; heart failure, n = 1; peripheral artery disease, n = 1). Risk of bias was rated as high. Thirteen studies were included in the meta-analysis. Only two controlled studies reported on sedentary behaviour. Smartphone applications produced a significant increase of 40.35 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity per week (7 studies; p = 0.04; 95% CI 1.03 to 79.67) and 2,390 steps per day (3 studies; p = 0.0007; 95% CI 1,006.9 to 3,791.2). Subgroup analyses found no difference when comparing diagnoses, sample size, activity tracker use, target behaviour and self-report versus device-measured outcome. Larger improvements in physical activity were noted in intervention durations of ≤3-months and participants ≥60yrs (95.35 mins.week-1; p = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Smartphone applications were effective in increasing physical activity in people with cardiovascular disease. Caution is warranted for the low-quality evidence, small sample and larger coronary heart disease representation. More rigorous research is needed to investigate the effect of smartphone applications across diagnoses and in sedentary behaviour.

BACKGROUND: New sensor technologies in wearables and other consumer health devices open up promising opportunities to collect real-world data. As cardiovascular diseases remain the number one reason for disease and mortality worldwide, cardiology offers potent monitoring use cases with patients in their out-of-hospital daily routines. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review is to investigate the status quo of studies monitoring patients with cardiovascular risks and patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases in a telemedical setting using not only a smartphone-based app, but also consumer health devices such as wearables and other sensor-based devices. METHODS: A literature search was conducted across five databases, and the results were examined according to the study protocols, technical approaches, and qualitative and quantitative parameters measured. RESULTS: Out of 166 articles, 8 studies were included in this systematic review; these cover interventional and observational monitoring approaches in the area of cardiovascular diseases, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation using various app, wearable, and health device combinations. CONCLUSIONS: Depending on the researcher's motivation, a fusion of apps, patient-reported outcome measures, and non-invasive sensors can be orchestrated in a meaningful way, adding major contributions to monitoring concepts for both individual patients and larger cohorts.

INTRODUCTION: The influence of text message on self-management for coronary heart disease remains controversial. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the impact of text message versus usual care on self-management for coronary heart disease. METHODS: We searched PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science, EBSCO, and Cochrane library databases through July 2018 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), assessing the effect of text message versus usual care on self-management for coronary heart disease. This meta-analysis is performed using the random-effect model. RESULTS: Six RCTs involving 1,158 patients are included in the meta-analysis. Overall, compared with a control group for coronary heart disease, text message intervention has no substantial influence on self-efficacy (Std. MD = 2.37; 95% CI = -2.61 to 7.35; P = .35), LDL (Std. MD = -1.81; 95% CI = -4.80 to 1.18; P = .24), HDL (Std. MD = -1.15; 95% CI = -2.83 to 0.54; P = .18), BMI (Std. MD = -3.61; 95% CI = -9.48 to 2.26; P = .23), systolic blood pressure (Std. MD = -3.46; 95% CI = -9.03 to 2.12; P = .22), diastolic blood pressure (Std. MD = -2.03; 95% CI = -5.90 to 1.85; P = .31, non-smoker (RR = 1.12; 95% CI = 0.78 to 1.62; P = .53), and physical activity (RR = 1.57; 95% CI = 0.63 to 3.90; P = .33). CONCLUSIONS: Text message intervention demonstrates no positive impact on self-efficacy, treatment adherence, and the control of risk factors in patients with coronary heart disease.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a common long-term health condition. Patient involvement in treating and monitoring hypertension is essential. Control of hypertension improves population cardiovascular outcomes. However, for an individual, potential benefits and harms of treatment are finely balanced. Shared decision making has the potential to align decisions with the preferences and values of patients. OBJECTIVE: Determine the effectiveness of interventions to support shared decision making in hypertension. SEARCH STRATEGY: Searches in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science and PsycINFO up to 30 September 2017. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Controlled studies evaluating the effects of shared decision-making interventions for adults with hypertension compared with any comparator in any setting and reporting any outcome measures. RESULTS: Six studies (five randomized controlled trials) in European primary care were included. Main intervention components were as follows: training for health-care professionals, decision aids, patient coaching and a patient leaflet. Four studies, none at low risk of bias, reported a measure of shared decision making; the intervention increased shared decision making in one study. Four studies reported blood pressure between 6 months and 3 years after the intervention; there was no difference in blood pressure between intervention and control groups in any study. Lack of comparability between studies prevented meta-analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Despite widespread calls for shared decision making to be embedded in health care, there is little evidence to inform shared decision making for hypertension, one of the most common conditions managed in primary care.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This study aims to systematically review existing evidence on the effectiveness of mobile health technology (mHealth) interventions in addressing medication adherence among people with hypertension. RECENT FINDINGS: Twenty-one studies of mHealth interventions were included in the final review after systematic searching and screening of publications from 2000 to 2017 in PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase. Key features of the mHealth interventions include high intervention intensity, multifactorial components, and patient-centered approaches with tailored content and interaction. All studies found tendencies to improvement in medication adherence, but only 12 studies reported that the improvements were statistically significant in the intervention groups compared with the control groups. Twelve studies also found that mHealth interventions were beneficial for blood pressure control. None of the studies was conducted in a low-income country. Our systematic review found evidence that mHealth interventions improved medication adherence and blood pressure control among people with hypertension. However, most studies were small in sample size and short in study duration, and not all results were statistically significant. Future research should focus on investigating the sustainability and generalizability of mHealth interventions.

BACKGROUND: Having support from an informal carer is important for heart failure patients. Carers have the potential to improve patient self-care. At the same time, it should be acknowledged that caregiving could affect the carer negatively and cause emotional reactions of burden and stress. Dyadic (patient and informal carer) heart failure self-care interventions seek to improve patient self-care such as adherence to medical treatment, exercise training, symptom monitoring and symptom management when needed. Currently, no systematic assessment of dyadic interventions has been conducted with a focus on describing components, examining physical and delivery contexts, or determining the effect on patient and/or carer outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To examine the components, context, and outcomes of dyadic self-care interventions. DESIGN: A systematic review registered in PROSPERO, following PRISMA guidelines with a narrative analysis and realist synthesis. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched using MeSH, EMTREE terms, keywords, and keyword phrases for the following concepts: dyadic, carers, heart failure and intervention. Eligible studies were original research, written in English, on dyadic self-care interventions in adult samples. REVIEW METHODS: We used a two-tiered analytic approach including both completed studies with power to determine outcomes and ongoing studies including abstracts, small pilot studies and protocols to forecast future directions. RESULTS: Eighteen papers - 12 unique, completed intervention studies (two quasi- and ten experimental trials) from 2000 to 2016 were reviewed. Intervention components fell into three groups - education, support, and guidance. Interventions were implemented in 5 countries, across multiple settings of care, and involved 3 delivery modes - face to face, telephone or technology based. Dyadic intervention effects on cognitive, behavioral, affective and health services utilization outcomes were found within studies. However, findings across studies were inconclusive as some studies reported positive and some non-sustaining outcomes on the same variables. All the included papers had methodological limitations including insufficient sample size, mixed intervention effects and counter-intuitive outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: We found that the evidence from dyadic interventions to promote heart failure self-care, while growing, is still very limited. Future research needs to involve advanced sample size justification, innovative solutions to increase and sustain behavior change, and use of mixed methods for capturing a more holistic picture of effects in clinical practice.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of premature death and disability in Europe, accounting for 4 million deaths per year and costing the European Union economy almost euro196 billion annually. There is strong evidence to suggest that exercise-based secondary rehabilitation programs can decrease the mortality risk and improve health among patients with CVD. Theory-informed use of behavior change techniques (BCTs) is important in the design of cardiac rehabilitation programs aimed at changing cardiovascular risk factors. Electronic health (eHealth) is the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) for health. This emerging area of health care has the ability to enhance self-management of chronic disease by making health care more accessible, affordable, and available to the public. However, evidence-based information on the use of BCTs in eHealth interventions is limited, and particularly so, for individuals living with CVD. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this systematic review was to assess the application of BCTs in eHealth interventions designed to increase physical activity (PA) in CVD populations. METHODS: A total of 7 electronic databases, including EBSCOhost (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Academic Search Complete, SPORTDiscus with Full Text, and CINAHL Complete), Scopus, and Web of Science (Core Collection) were searched. Two authors independently reviewed references using the software package Covidence (Veritas Health Innovation). The reviewers met to resolve any discrepancies, with a third independent reviewer acting as an arbitrator when required. Following this, data were extracted from the papers that met the inclusion criteria. Bias assessment of the studies was carried out using the Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing the risk of bias within Covidence; this was followed by a narrative synthesis. RESULTS: Out of the 987 studies that were identified, 14 were included in the review. An additional 9 studies were added following a hand search of review paper references. The average number of BCTs used across the 23 studies was 7.2 (range 1-19). The top three most frequently used BCTs included information about health consequences (78%, 18/23), goal setting (behavior; 74%, 17/23), and joint third, self-monitoring of behavior and social support (practical) were included in 11 studies (48%, 11/23) each. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review is the first to investigate the use of BCTs in PA eHealth interventions specifically designed for people with CVD. This research will have clear implications for health care policy and research by outlining the BCTs used in eHealth interventions for chronic illnesses, in particular CVD, thereby providing clear foundations for further research and developments in the area.

BACKGROUND: Telehealth interventions (THI) were associated with lower levels of cardiovascular risk factors in adults, whereas the effect of THI on cardiovascular disease (CVD) still remains controversial. A meta-analysis was conducted to summarize the evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCT) which investigated potential impact of THI on the incidence of CVD in patients with or without prior CVD. METHODS: PubMed, EmBase, and the Cochrane Library were searched to identify RCTs to fit our analysis through December 2016. Relative risk (RR) with its 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to measure the effect of THI using a random-effect model. Sensitivity analysis, subgroup analysis, heterogeneity tests, and tests for publication bias were also conducted. RESULTS: Eight RCTs were included and with a total of 1635 individuals. The summarized results indicated that participants who received THI showed a significant reduction of the CVD incidence as compared with usual care (RR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.47-0.74; P < 0.001). Furthermore, the effect of THI was greater in patients with history of CVD (RR: 0.55; 95% CI: 0.44-0.70; P < 0.001) than in patients without history of CVD (RR: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.51-1.94; P = 0.977). Sensitivity analysis suggested that the intervention effect persisted and the conclusion was not changed. Subgroup analysis indicated mean age, study quality might play an important role on the risk of CVD. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study indicated THI could reduce the recurrence of CVD. Further large-scale trials are needed to verify the effect of THI on CVD in healthy individuals.

BACKGROUND: Mobile phone Short Message Service (SMS) is a tool now used by the health research community, providing the capability for instant communication between patients and health professionals. Greater understanding of how to best use SMS as a means to improve healthcare delivery and outcomes will foster innovation in research and provide an opportunity to progress as a public health community. PURPOSE: The purposes of this systematic review are 2-fold: (1) to provide insight on the most used mobile phone SMS practices and characteristics in hypertension (HTN) outcome-focused publications and (2) to critically evaluate empirical evidence associated with SMS utilization and BP outcomes. METHODS: Two independent systematic literature searches were completed. The final selected studies each then underwent data extraction and quality-rating assessment, followed by an evaluation for a meta-analysis to measure mean difference of the change in BP. RESULTS: A total of 6 studies meeting the inclusion criteria were included in the review. Feasibility assessment for a meta-analysis was found unfavorable because of the variation among studies. Short Message Service interventions focused on BP management were most effective in studies featuring 2-way communication and individual patient-tailored content, and guided by evidence-based HTN management practices. IMPLICATIONS: Short Message Service interventions for HTN management were supported through evidence provided by the studies reviewed. Short Message Service holds strong potential to bring greater innovation to HTN management and care, especially in racial/ethnic minority populations that face psychosocial and structural barriers in healthcare access and utilization

OBJECTIVE: To synthesize the evidence for using interactive digital interventions (IDIs) to support patient self-management of hypertension, and to determine their impact on control and reduction of blood pressure. METHOD: Systematic review with meta-analysis was undertaken with a search performed in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ERIC, Cochrane Library, DoPHER, TROPHI, Social Science Citation Index and Science Citation Index. The population was adults (>18 years) with hypertension, intervention was an IDI and the comparator was usual care. Primary outcomes were change in SBP and DBP. Only randomized controlled trials and studies published in journals and in English were eligible. Eligible IDIs included interventions accessed through a computer, smartphone or other hand-held device. RESULTS: Four out of seven studies showed a significantly greater reduction for intervention compared to usual care for SBP, with no difference found for three. Overall, IDIs significantly reduced SBP, with the weighted mean difference being -3.74 mmHg [95% confidence interval (CI) -2.19 to -2.58] with no heterogeneity observed (I-squared = 0.0%, P = 0.990). For DBP, four out of six studies indicated a greater reduction for intervention compared to controls, with no difference found for two. For DBP, a significant reduction of -2.37 mmHg (95% CI -0.40 to -4.35) was found, but considerable heterogeneity was noted (I-squared = 80.1%, P = <0.001). CONCLUSION: IDIs lower both SBP and DBP compared to usual care. Results suggest these findings can be applied to a wide range of healthcare systems and populations. However, sustainability and long-term clinical effectiveness of these interventions remain uncertain.

BACKGROUND: Supervised exercise (SE) is widely accepted as an effective therapy for intermittent claudication (IC), but its use is limited by cost. Unsupervised exercise (UE) represents a less costly alternative. We assessed the comparative effectiveness of SE vs UE in patients with IC. METHODS AND RESULTS: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and identified 27 unique studies (24 randomized controlled trials, 4 observational studies) that evaluated the comparative effectiveness of SE vs UE in 2074 patients with IC. Compared with UE, SE was associated with a moderate improvement in maximal walking distance at 6 months (effect size 0.77, 95% CI 0.36-1.17, P < .001) and 12 months (effect size 0.56, 95% CI 0.34-0.77, P < .001). Supervised exercise also improved claudication distance to a moderate extent compared with UE at 6 months (effect size 0.63, 95% CI 0.40-0.85, P < .001) and 12 months (effect size 0.41, 95% CI 0.18-0.65, P = .001). There was no difference in the Short Form-36 quality of life at 6 months (effect size -0.05, 95% CI -0.50 to 0.41, P = .84) or walking impairment questionnaire distance (effect size 0.24, 95% CI -0.03 to 0.50, P = .08) or speed (effect size 0.26, 95% CI -0.06 to 0.59, P = .11). CONCLUSIONS: In claudication patients, SE is more effective than UE at improving maximal walking and claudication distances, yet there is no difference in general quality of life or patient-reported community-based walking. Further studies are needed to investigate the relationship between functional gain and disease-specific quality of life