New Heart Failure Monitoring Method Shows Promise in Detecting Events Early

The recent findings from a study presented at the Technology and Heart Failure Therapeutics annual meeting have unveiled the potential of a scale utilizing biosensor technology in accurately predicting heart failure (HF) events. This innovative approach has shown superiority over the standard weight-based monitoring method.

Referred to as SCALE-HF 1, the study involved 329 HF patients and demonstrated that a congestion index obtained from the biosensor scale outperformed weight alone in predicting HF events. Notably, this new method exhibited a lower alert rate compared to the conventional weight-based monitoring approach.

Dr. Marat Fudim, a renowned cardiologist and advanced heart failure specialist at Duke University Medical Center, elucidated that the biosensors integrated within the scale leverage FDA-cleared biomarkers to provide precise insights into heart function and fluid status, thereby enabling accurate monitoring of heart failure progression. The data captured by the scale is transmitted through cellular technology to a clinical dashboard, patient app, and monitoring team. The study employed the FDA-cleared Bodyport cardiac scale, validated and peer-reviewed against established standards, which offers noninvasive measurements completed in approximately 20 seconds, ensuring familiarity and efficiency for patients with fluid management conditions.

Across 238 patient-years of follow-up, the study documented 69 HF events for analysis, revealing that the congestion index derived from the biosensor scale boasted a higher sensitivity rate compared to standard weight-based monitoring (70% vs. 35%), while maintaining a lower alert rate of 2.58 per patient-year, in contrast to 4.18 per patient-year in the traditional monitoring method.

Dr. Fudim emphasized the importance of doubling the number of predicted heart failure events in facilitating early intervention and mitigating severe complications that could culminate in hospitalization. The reduced alert rate also optimizes workflow efficiencies, as care teams expend less time addressing false alerts. Moreover, the congestion index demonstrates applicability across a diverse patient population, as evidenced by the study’s enrollment of a broad range of heart failure patients.

The Bodyport team continues to explore the prospective utilization of the cardiac scale and congestion index, with the aim of ultimately minimizing heart failure admissions, empowering patients with data for self-management, and elevating the quality of life for individuals with HF.

The outcomes of this study underscore the potential of biosensor technology in revolutionizing heart failure monitoring and care, representing a pioneering avenue for early detection and intervention. With continued research and development, this innovative approach holds the promise of significantly transforming heart failure management and enhancing patient outcomes.