Livongo is touting new data regarding the efficacy of its device-and-coaching disease management platform, this time among those using its Livongo for Hypertension and Livongo for Diabetes products together.

The results, which are set to be formally presented this weekend at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2019, identified significant decreases in hypertensive blood pressure as soon as four weeks, with greater improvements to follow at 12 weeks of treatment.

“More frequent HBPM is associated with improved HTN control in a 12-week period demonstrating the benefit of remote monitoring,” the researchers wrote in an abstract. “Further analyses are required to better understand the associations of education and coaching provided by the remote monitoring system to improve the frequency of HBPM.”

TOPLINE DATA

The study examined a cohort of 1,690 Livongo members with a diabetes diagnosis and hypertension. These participants, of whom 47% were female, were a mean 54 years of age and had a BMI of 33.3.

Sixty-three percent, or 1,065 participants) had a blood pressure reading greater than 130/80 at baseline, denoted as uncontrolled hypertension. The average baseline blood pressure of these patients was 139/86, while those with controlled hypertension averaged at 118/72.

After 12 weeks of Livongo’s testing and coaching program, those whose hypertension was uncontrolled recorded decreases of 7.2 mmHg for systolic blood pressure, and 4.0 mmHg for diastolic blood pressure (P < .001). Among a subset who began the study with stage 2 hypertension (defined as blood pressure greater than 140/90), the researchers saw a 10.2 mmHg improvement in systolic blood pressure at the four-week mark, as well as a 12.7 mmHg improvement by week 12.

Across the full cohort, a multivariable regression analysis found age, baseline blood pressure, and the number of at-home blood pressure monitor uses to each be significantly associated with blood pressure declines.

HOW IT WAS DONE

Between April 2018 and May 2019, researchers monitored members of Livongo’s program. Each was provided with an app-connected blood pressure monitoring device and cuff, as well as health coaching and hypertension management education through the company’s digital platform. Researchers monitored the recorded blood pressures of these patients from baseline to 12 weeks, as well as the number of times they recorded a new blood pressure reading with the device.

THE LARGER TREND

These data follow the trend of early study results reported by the disease management company earlier this year, which also saw blood pressure drops and behavior change after just six weeks of the management program. It’s another spate of good news for the newly public disease management platform, which just recently adjusted its revenue guidance upward following a third quarter headlined by new partnerships.

ON THE RECORD

“This study shows that by providing people with connected technology, insights, access to coaching, and the ability manage their conditions outside of the four walls of the doctor’s office, we can drive sustained outcomes, but even more impressive is that we can document outcomes through our integrated platform across conditions,” Dr. Bimal R. Shah, Livongo’s chief medical officer and the senior author of the study, said in a statement. “At Livongo, we have one of the largest blood pressure data sets in the consumer digital health industry and this study demonstrates our results at scale. By creating a world-class member experience, we can effectively improve program utilization, checking frequency and continue to provide our proven digital and personalized coaching to amplify our impact.”