Clinical and microbiological monitoring of Cystic Fibrosis patients, three years of follow-up via Tele-Medicine: an empirical research
V. 171 N. 5 (2020), Clinical trial
V. 171 N. 5 (2020)

Clinical and microbiological monitoring of Cystic Fibrosis patients, three years of follow-up via Tele-Medicine: an empirical research: doi: 10.7417/CT.2020.2244

Clinical trial
Pubblicato 2020-09-09
R.V. De Biase
Cystic Fibrosis Center, Children’s Hospital and Research Institute Bambino Gesù, Rome
L. Cristiani
Department of Pediatrics, Sapienza University of Rome
C. Paglia
Cystic Fibrosis Center, Children’s Hospital and Research Institute Bambino Gesù, Rome
F. Alghisi
Cystic Fibrosis Center, Children’s Hospital and Research Institute Bambino Gesù, Rome
B. Giordani
Italian League Cystic Fibrosis Onlus-LIFC
V. Lucidi
Cystic Fibrosis Center, Children’s Hospital and Research Institute Bambino Gesù, Rome
S. Bella
Cystic Fibrosis Center, Children’s Hospital and Research Institute Bambino Gesù, Rome
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Parole chiave

Cystic Fibrosis
Home telemonitoring
FEV1
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa infection
Hospital admission

Abstract

Objectives
Evaluation of the effectiveness of home care through a telemonitoring system in reducing the incidence of new colonization by Pseudomonas Aeruginosa in a population of patients with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) followed by the CF clinic of the Bambino Gesù Hospital in Rome over a period of 36 months. 

Materials and Methods
Two groups of patients were recruited, homogeneous for age, sex, BMI, FEV1, prevalence of CF-related Diabetes and CF-related Hepatopathy, access to new therapies with modulators: a) an IN group (N = 44 ) followed through a home telemonitoring system, b) an OUT control group (N = 110) followed according to the standards of care.  The following parameters were detected for all patients: pulmonary colonization of the lungs, number and type of hospital admissions, respiratory function, BMI.

Results
The OUT group had a statistically significant increase in the prevalence of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa infections during the observation period.  Furthermore, a significant decrease in lung function assessed through FEV1 was also observed in the OUT group.

Conclusions
Adolescent and adult patients belonging to the CF center who are not followed through the dedicated home telemonitoring service show, in the three-year period 2017-19, an increase in Pseudomonas Aeruginosa infections and a greater decrease in respiratory function. The use of telemedicine in CF is therefore an effective system not only in monitoring the disease but also as a treatment strategy, in the context of an evolving multidisciplinary model. As advantages, telemedicine can reduce the number of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa lung infections and the greater stability of respiratory function over time

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