Integrating point-of-care NT-proBNP testing into mobile health: enhancing diagnosis, screening, and monitoring of heart failure

Heart failure (HF) remains a major global health burden, demanding faster, more accessible, and patient-centered diagnostic and monitoring strategies. Mobile health (mHealth) solutions, combined with point-of-care testing (POCT), offer new pathways to decentralize care, enabling earlier detection, rapid clinical decision-making, and optimized chronic disease management.

This study aimed to assess the performance and clinical utility of a novel NT-proBNP POCT platform and explore its potential integration into mHealth-based HF care pathways, including screening, diagnosis, and follow-up.

We evaluated the analytical performance (imprecision, method comparison) of the LumiraDx NT-proBNP POCT device against a laboratory reference using 81 plasma samples. Two reagent lots were analyzed using Bland-Altman and Passing-Bablok regression. Clinical practicability was assessed via user satisfaction surveys among healthcare professionals. We also estimated the impact on turnaround time (TAT) to assess suitability for mobile and remote care integration.

The POCT platform demonstrated acceptable reproducibility (CV 2.8% and 5.4% across lots) and strong agreement with laboratory methods, especially for NT-proBNP levels <1000 ng/L (correlation coefficient 0.96–0.98). Initial biases at higher concentrations (>1000 ng/L) were resolved in the second reagent lot. User surveys highlighted high ease of use, minimal training requirements, and clear result interpretation. Importantly, the POCT approach reduced TAT by ~49 minutes, providing rapid actionable results. The ability to use capillary blood samples further positions the device for mobile and remote applications.

Integrating NT-proBNP POCT into mHealth workflows represents a promising strategy to enhance HF screening, diagnosis, and monitoring, particularly in primary care, remote settings, or high-risk populations. By enabling faster results and broader accessibility, POCT-powered mHealth could significantly improve early intervention, reduce hospitalizations, and personalize HF management. Further research is warranted to assess real-world clinical and economic outcomes across diverse healthcare environments