Summary
cardiovascular comorbidity, hypoxemia
This pilot RCT showed that (a trial of) home monitoring of patients with cardiovascular comorbidity and moderate-to-severe COVID-19 with a validated pulse oximeter is feasible; patients were willing to participate, there was a high level of adherence to pulse oximetry measurements, and no protocol changes were necessary. Patients reported a high feeling of safety, which tended to be higher in those using a pulse oximeter, and using the tool did not lead to an increase in primary care consultations compared with usual care.The hospitalisation rate in the intervention group was higher than in the control group, and the median length of stay in hospital was shorter in the intervention group than in the control group. These differences must be interpreted with caution because it may be a chance finding given the small numbers. It could, however, be owing to detection of ‘silent’ hypoxemia in the intervention arm, which was followed by adequate referral to hospital.