Lancet study: implantable heart sensor reduces heart failure related hospitalizations by 39%

Donna Cusano

At six months, 83 heart failure-related hospitalizations were reported in the treatment group and 120 in the control. At six months, the rate of heart-related hospitalizations was 30% in the treatment group. In the followup period, averaging 15 months and up to in some cases 30 months, the treatment group had a 39% reduction in heart-failure-related hospitalization compared to the control. Similar results were in shorter length of hospital stay (2.2 days compared with 3.8 days) and patients in the treatment group had an average quality-adjusted life expectancy of 2.506 with a total cost of $68,919. By contrast; patients in the control group had an average quality-adjusted life expectancy of 2.200 with a cost of $64,637, the researchers reported. According to Dr. William Abraham, M.D. of the study, “the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of integrating W-IHM into standard of care for management of the heart is estimated to be $13,979 per QALY gained.” CMIO Lancet summary (must purchase)