Medtronic https://medtronic.com, has initiated their DEFINE AFib study which is the company’s first app-based research study. The study aims to address unanswered questions about Atrial Fibrillation (AF) and the impact on patient outcomes, quality of life, and healthcare utilization.
Patients have been enrolled in the study at the Duke University Medical Center by Jonathan Paul Piccini, MD, Director of Cardiac Electrophysiology and by Robert S. Fishel MD, Director, Electrophysiology at JFK Medical Center.
The DEFINE AFib study will be conducted remotely through the Medtronic Discovery App™ in coordination with U.S sites that will enroll about 5,000 patients. Study participants will include patients 22 or older who have a history of AF, a iPhone device (iOS version 13 or higher, and one of the LINQ family of ICMs.
The study will incorporate both device data and patient reported data derived from scheduled patient surveys and the HealthKit along with EHR information on medications and previous cardiac procedures.
According to Dr. Piccini, “When it comes to managing atrial fibrillation, there is not a one size fits all approach, and the hope is that DEFINE AFib may provide the tools to help personalize AF management based on a patient’s individual health profile and physiology.”