Remote blood pressure monitoring and behavioral intensification for stroke: A randomized controlled feasibility trial

Abstract

Measuring blood pressure (BP) at home and remote monitoring can improve the patient's adherence to BP control and vascular outcomes. This study evaluated the feasibility of a trial regarding the effects of an intensive mobile BP management strategy versus usual care in acute ischemic stroke patients. A feasibility-testing, randomized, open-labeled controlled trial was conducted. Remote BP measurement, data transmission, storage, and centralized monitoring system were organized through a Bluetooth-equipped sphygmomanometer paired to the participants' smartphones. Participants were randomized equally into intensive management (behavioral intensification to measure BP at home by texting, direct telephone call, or breakthrough visit) and control (usual care) groups. The primary feasibility outcomes were: 1) recruitment time for the pre-specified number of participants, 2) retention of participants, 3) frequency of breakthrough visit calls, 4) response to breakthrough visit call, and 5) proportions satisfying BP measurement criteria. Sixty participants were randomly assigned to the intensive management (n = 31) and control (n = 29) groups, of which 57 participants were included in the primary analysis with comparable baseline characteristics. Recruitment time from the first to the last participant was 350 days, and 95% of randomized participants completed the final visit (intensive, 94%