Study Comparing Robotic Remote Echocardiography and Standard Echocardiography for Heart Failure Management in Guadeloupe and Marie-Galante Hospitals

What this Trial Is About

Heart failure is a major health concern, especially in the Guadeloupe region, which has one of the highest rates of heart failure deaths. Access to specialized cardiological care is limited on the island of Marie-Galante. This study evaluates the agreement of left ventricular ejection fraction LVEF measurements between standard in situ echocardiography EIS and two-dimensional remote echocardiography TER as part of a telemedicine system to improve heart failure management in this region. This is a prospective, randomized, interventional crossover study involving two cardiologists in private practice and one cardiologist at Marie-Galante Hospital. Participants undergo both EIS and TER in different orders to compare the techniques. During EIS, the cardiologist performs a standard ultrasound examination in person. For TER, a cardiologist remotely conducts the examination using robotic tele-echo-cardiography while communicating with the patient and a research nurse present at the hospital via videoconferencing. Participants have a baseline visit with blood tests and a 24-hour ECG Holter monitoring. Then at the second visit, two weeks later, the LVEF and other cardiac parameters are measured using both echocardiography techniques. Researchers assess agreement between the two methods, measure cardiac function and structure, record examination duration, and evaluate patient satisfaction. This study aims to explore the feasibility and integration of remote echocardiography within heart failure care over approximately two weeks, ensuring close monitoring of heart function and patient experience.

Comparison Between a Robotic Tele-echo-cardiography Technique and a Standard Echocardiography in the Management of Heart Failure in the Guadeloupe Archipelago Between the University Hospital of Guadeloupe and the Marie-Galante Hospital