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Mhealth Application for anTicoagulation Care in Atrial Fibrillation

Not Applicable
Conditions
Atrial Fibrillation
Anticoagulants; Circulating, Hemorrhagic Disorder
Interventions
Behavioral: MATCh AFib application
Registration Number
NCT03174093
Lead Sponsor
Instituto de Cardiologia do Rio Grande do Sul
Brief Summary

This study will assess the benefits of using a mobile health application designed for shared decision aid in anticoagulation therapy in patients with Atrial Fibrillation (AF). The aim is to improve their treatment adherence and time in therapeutic International Normalized Ratio (INR) range. The results of this study have the potential to lead to a sustainable and resource-efficient strategy for better prevent thromboembolic events in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Detailed Description

Atrial Fibrillation is a common disease, with important burden on morbidity and mortality and a challenging management. Its incidence and healthcare costs have increased over the decades. One of the most important features of this arrhythmia is its stroke risk, which can be reduced with the use of anticoagulants. Deciding about anticoagulation therapy is complicated due to frequent competing comorbidities and potential harms of the therapy itself. To achieve better outcomes in preventing stroke, it is paramount that decisions about atrial fibrillation treatment be shared between providers and patients.

Mobile health is empowering individuals to assume a more active role in monitoring and managing their chronic conditions and therapeutic regimens. Also, health professionals are being provided with fast and point-of-care information, which can facilitate decision-making.

Therefore, this study will investigate the effects of an mHealth application idealized to aid shared decision and improve anticoagulation care in atrial fibrillation.

Adults with atrial fibrillation will be recruited from anticoagulation outpatient clinics and Basic Health Units and randomized to either (1) an intervention group in which the mHealth application will be used during the consultations or (2) a control group receiving the usual care with anticoagulation.

It is hypothesized that the intervention group will achieve better anticoagulation outcomes.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
UNKNOWN
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
200
Inclusion Criteria
  • Adults >=18 years
  • Diagnostic of atrial fibrillation
  • Indication of oral anticoagulation by their physician, based on risk scores
  • Ability to speak, hear and understand Portuguese
  • Able to receive and read text messages through a cell phone
Exclusion Criteria

Physical impairments that prevent completion of the intervention, cognitive impairments that jeopardize informed consent and/or intervention comprehension and not fluent in Portuguese.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
MATCh AFibMATCh AFib applicationParticipants assigned to the intervention group will have the support of the MATCh AFib application during the consultations with their physician and receive individual text messaging targeting knowledge about atrial fibrillation, medication adherence and monitoring during months 1-3.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Oral anticoagulant adherence6 months

For patients on Non-vitamin K antagonists oral anticoagulants, a change from baseline in oral anticoagulant adherence at 6 months to achieve a percentage of days covered (PDC) from 50% to 80%.

Percent time in therapeutic INR (TTR)6 months

For patients on Vitamin-K antagonists, a change from baseline in TTR at 6 months from 50% to 60%.

TTR: percent time in therapeutic INR range calculated by Rosendaal method. An INR value of \>2.0 was defined as subtherapeutic, and an INR value \<3.0 was defined as supratherapeutic.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Decisional Conflict ScaleAfter decision about anticoagulant usually 30 minutes after consultation and on study completion (6 months)

Personal perception of decisional conflict measured by the Decisional Conflict Scale (DCS) of O'Connor

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