Impact of Telemonitoring on Metabolic Variables in Severe Obesity

The Role of Home Telemonitoring in the Evaluation of Patients With Severe Obesity After a Period of Residential Metabolic Rehabilitation.

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare, in a population of severely obese patients, two different kinds of follow-up after discharge from in-hospital rehabilitation programme.

The main questions addressed are:

• primary outcome: comparing the dropout rate at month 11 of patients followed-up by a telemedicine methodology with that of a traditional outpatient visit follow-up.
• secondary outcome: comparing the amount of weight loss at month 11 in patients followed-up by telemedicine with that registered in patients followed-up by traditional outpatient visits.

Participants are given a set of instruments (scale, activity tracker, automatic blood pressure monitor, oxymeter, and glucometer) and asked to measure vital parameters following a predetermined schedule for one year. Subjects are asked to engage in regular physical activity and follow the nutritional guidelines received at the moment of discharge from hospital.

Inclusion Criteria:

• BMI 38-60 kg/m2,
• age between 18 and 65 years,
• patient residing in Piedmont, Lombardy
• Recent admission to San Giuseppe Hospital in Piancavallo for a period of residential rehabilitation.
• Patient with wi-fi and/or mobile data connection at home.

Exclusion Criteria:

• illiteracy
• inability to engage in physical activity
• psychiatric illnesses capable of impairing the proper use of the devices provided by telemonitoring
• cognitive impairment, mental retardation
• predictability of long periods of stay abroad
• anticipation or planning of pregnancy during the year following discharge
• legal protection