Remote telemetry as a cost-effective standard of care in cryptogenic stroke

Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, has conducted research evaluating MCOT as a first-line diagnostic ambulatory monitoring solution with post-cryptogenic stroke patients. The study determined that a 30-day continuous monitoring program using the Philips MCOT patch, followed by an ILR, improved atrial fibrillation (AF) detection rates and helped to reduce secondary stroke risk due to new anticoagulant use in subjects with the MCOT patch detected AF. The study also demonstrated that the total cost per patient with detected AF was significantly lower in the MCOT followed by ILR arm vs the ILR only arm (USD 29,598 vs $228,507, respectively) [1]. These results strengthen recommendations for prolonged ECG monitoring for this patient population.

Globally, about one in four people over the age of 25 years will suffer a stroke in their lifetime [2]. Nearly a third of ischemic strokes – the result of blood clots that block the flow of blood to the brain – are classified as cryptogenic, meaning the cause is unknown [3]. These situations require post-stroke diagnostic work to determine the cause and prevent a second stroke from occurring. AF is a common cause and can increase the risk of stroke by more than five times [4], but it often goes undetected since it can be asymptomatic and may occur infrequently.

The study evaluated a stroke population of 1,000 for one year to assess the differences in costs and outcomes of two monitoring options that are available to clinicians today to help improve patient care and improve efficiencies within the healthcare system. Findings revealed using an MCOT patch followed by ILR in half of patients initially undiagnosed with AF leads to an overall cost-of-care savings of more than USD 4 million. Philips MCOT detected 4.6 times more patients with AF than ILR alone. And for those with detected AF, the cost per patient was significantly lower when using the MCOT patch followed by ILR (USD 29,598) than those being monitored with ILR alone (USD 228,507).

Patients were monitored for 30 days and included in one of two arms in the model: the MCOT patch arm, in which patients with undetected AF were monitored for 30 days with Philips MCOT followed by ILR, or the ILR arm, in which ILR served as the only monitoring tool.

Philips offers a complete portfolio of clinically validated ambulatory cardiac diagnostic and monitoring services as well as stroke care solutions that provide industry-leading data analysis and management to help make care delivery more comprehensive, accurate and efficient. These solutions aim to connect information, technologies and people across both the stroke and cardiac care pathways, enabling care teams to work quickly and act decisively to provide the best patient treatment. These research results illustrate the company’s strong commitment to further innovation in this field.