Related Experiment Videos
Digitally Enabled Quality Improvement Intervention and LDL-C Control in Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: The
M Julia Machline-Carrion1,2, Karla Santo3, Alysson Nathan Girotto1,2
1epHealth, Saco Grande, Florianópolis, Brazil.
Insights
A digital quality improvement intervention modestly lowered low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) patients, but a care gap remained. Further strategies are needed to optimize LDL-C control in ASCVD.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Health Informatics
- Quality Improvement Science
Background:
- Achieving optimal low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) control in patients with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) remains a significant clinical challenge.
- Existing quality improvement (QI) interventions have shown limited success in bridging the LDL-C care gap.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the effectiveness of a digitally enabled, multifaceted QI intervention designed to improve LDL-C control in patients with established ASCVD.
Main Methods:
- A pragmatic, 2-arm cluster randomized clinical trial involving 28 outpatient clinics in Brazil.
- The intervention group received a digitally enhanced QI strategy, while the control group received routine care.
- Adult patients with established ASCVD were followed for 6 months, with LDL-C levels as the primary outcome.
Main Results:
- The intervention group achieved a statistically significant reduction in mean LDL-C levels (-6.62 mg/dL) compared to the control group (P=.004).
- Patients in the intervention arm were more likely to reach LDL-C targets (<50 mg/dL or ≥50% reduction) and receive intensive lipid-lowering therapies.
- No significant differences in major cardiovascular events were observed between the groups.
Conclusions:
- A digitally enabled, multifaceted QI strategy can modestly reduce LDL-C and intensify treatment in ASCVD patients.
- Despite improvements, a substantial proportion of patients did not reach recommended LDL-C targets, indicating the intervention's partial effectiveness in closing the care gap.
- Further research and refined strategies are necessary to fully address the residual LDL-C care gap in ASCVD management.
Importance:
Bridging the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) care gap in patients with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is challenging. Few quality improvement (QI) interventions have successfully improved patient care.
Objective:
To evaluate the impact of a digitally enabled, multifaceted, QI intervention on the control of LDL-C concentration in patients with ASCVD.
Design, Setting And Participants:
This was a pragmatic, 2-arm, cluster randomized clinical trial. A total of 28 clusters (public or private outpatient clinics) in Brazil were randomized to receive a digitally enabled QI intervention or routine practice (control). Adult patients (≥18 years) with established ASCVD were enrolled between November 2023 and December 2024 and followed up for 6 months.
Intervention:
The intervention comprised a structured, digitally enabled QI strategy integrating previsit screening, electronic clinical decision support algorithms, audit and feedback mechanisms, and targeted clinician and patient engagement tools embedded within routine workflows to support lipid monitoring, treatment intensification, and adherence.
Main Outcomes And Measures:
The primary outcome was mean LDL-C level at 6 months. Secondary outcomes included relative LDL-C change, achievement of LDL-C targets (<50 mg/dL and ≥50% reduction; to convert to millimoles per liter, multiply by 0.0259), and prescription of lipid-lowering therapies. All analyses were performed following the intention-to-treat principle and accounted for the cluster design by using a generalized estimating equations model.
Results:
Among 1465 enrolled patients (mean [SD] age, 62.3 [10.1] years; 894 male [61.0%]; 714 intervention; 751 control), mean (SD) LDL-C concentration at 6 months was 76.3 (37.5) mg/dL in the intervention group and 85.6 (37.1) mg/dL in the control group. The adjusted mean difference was -6.62 mg/dL (95% CI, -11.11 to -2.13 mg/dL; P = .004). Patients in the intervention group were more likely to achieve an LDL-C concentration less than 50 mg/dL (23.5% vs 13.4%; odds ratio, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.30-2.65) and a 50% or greater reduction in LDL-C concentration (18.6% vs 13.4%; odds ratio, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.27-2.43). Prescription of intensive and combination lipid-lowering therapy was significantly higher in the intervention group. No significant differences in major cardiovascular events were observed.
Conclusions And Relevance:
In this pragmatic cluster randomized clinical trial, a digitally enabled, multifaceted strategy produced modest LDL-C reduction and increased treatment intensification among patients with ASCVD. However, a proportion of patients had LDL-C levels that remained above recommended LDL-C targets, underscoring that the strategy tested was only partially effective in eliminating the residual care gap.
Trial Registration:
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05622929.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Atherosclerosis III: Management
01:26Coronary Artery Disease IV: Preventive Measures
01:23Atherosclerosis IV: Nursing Management
01:27Coronary Artery Disease V: Interprofessional Care
01:20Lipid-Lowering Drugs: Statins and Miscellaneous Agents
01:27Peripheral Artery Disease III: Interprofessional Care