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Phone-based telemonitoring of arterial hypertension versus usual care: the HOROSCOPE study

Hypertension Research volume 48, pages 1135–1143 (2025)Cite this article

Abstract

The Horoscope trial aimed to assess the efficacy of home blood pressure (BP) telemonitoring (TLM) in controlling BP reduction in hypertensive patients compared with usual care. This is a multi-center, prospective randomized, parallel-group trial comparing TLM with usual care during a period of 6 months in patients with hypertension. We included 525 patients randomly assigned in a 1-1 ratio to telemonitoring (TLM group; n = 260) or usual care (control group; n = 265). After 6 months of follow up, mean values of 24-h systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased in both TLM and control groups. The mean decrease was significantly greater in the TLM group vs control group (−3.29 mmHg Vs −1.19; p = 0.009) and (−2.9 mmHg Vs, −0.07; p = 0.002) for systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respectively. This study shows that TLM results in significant BP reduction compared to usual care in a Tunisian population of patients with hypertension. Our findings highlight the importance of integrating telemedicine in the management of hypertensive patients; it has the potential to improve the quality of the delivered care and to prevent cardiovascular consequences of uncontrolled BP.

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Acknowledgements

The study was funded by the Medis Laboratories. Medis Laboratories provided supplies of home blood pressure monitors and supported the trial with an additional grant. We also thank all the participants, physicians, nurses, and other staff who contributed to the HOROSCOPE study.

HOROSCOPE study group

Nawel Belkacem11, Marouen Hafsa12, Sami Zayene13, Mounira Sahtout14, Lotfi Ghedira15, Hajer Yaakoubi5, Sonia Khedher16, Anis Gtari15, Moncef Chebil13, Sami Ben Said15, Fahima Hassine15, Olfa Harzallah17, Faten Saadallah15, Meniar Saafi1, Khaoula Bel Haj Ali1,2, Randa Dhaoui1,2, Marwa Toumia3, Sarra Sassi1,2, Yosra Bendaya4, Mohamed Bouchoucha4, Sonia Ben Hafaeidh4, Imen Trabelsi1, Adel Sekma1,2, Rahma Jaballah5, Hajer Yaakoubi5, Rym Youssef5, Asma Zorgati5, Kaouthar Beltaief1,2, Zied Mezgar6, Mariem Khrouf6, Amira ghaier7, Nahla Jerbi7, Rabie Razgallah8, Wahid Bouida1,2, Mohamed Habib Grissa1,2, Jamel Saad9, Hamdi Boubaker1,2, Zohra Dridi10, Riadh Boukef1,5, Mohamed Amine Msolli1,2, Semir Nouira1,2

Funding

Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Medis Laboratories.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Laboratory LR12SP18, Monastir University, Monastir, Tunisia

    Meniar Saafi, Khaoula Bel Haj Ali, Randa Dhaoui, Sarra Sassi, Imen Trabelsi, Adel Sekma, Kaouthar Beltaief, Wahid Bouida, Mohamed Habib Grissa, Hamdi Boubaker, Riadh Boukef, Mohamed Amine Msolli & Semir Nouira

  2. Emergency Department, Fattouma Bourguiba University Hospital, Monastir, Tunisia

    Khaoula Bel Haj Ali, Randa Dhaoui, Sarra Sassi, Adel Sekma, Kaouthar Beltaief, Wahid Bouida, Mohamed Habib Grissa, Hamdi Boubaker, Mohamed Amine Msolli & Semir Nouira

  3. Emergency Department, Haj Ali Soua Regional Hospital, Ksar Hellal, Monastir, Tunisia

    Marwa Toumia

  4. Medis Laboratories, Tunis, Tunisia

    Yosra Bendaya, Mohamed Bouchoucha, Sonia Ben Hafaeidh & Sonia Ben Hafeidh

  5. Emergency Department, Sahloul University Hospital, Sousse, Tunisia

    Arij Bakir, Rahma Jaballah, Hajer Yaakoubi, Rym Youssef, Asma Zorgati & Riadh Boukef

  6. Emergency Department, Farhat Hached University Hospital, Sousse, Tunisia

    Zied Mezgar & Mariem Khrouf

  7. Emergency Department, Taher Sfar University Hospital, Mahdia, Tunisia

    Amira Sghaier, Nahla Jerbi & Amira Sghaier

  8. DACIMA Consulting, Tunis, Tunisia

    Rabie Razgallah

  9. Department of imaging and interventional radiology, Fattouma Bourguiba University Hospital, Monastir, Tunisia

    Jamel Saad

  10. Cardiology Department of Fattouma Bourguiba University Hospital, Monastir, Tunisia

    Zohra Dridi

  11. Teboulba Regional Hospital, Monastir, Tunisia

    Nawel Belkacem

  12. Liberal Physician, Ksar Hlel, Monastir, Tunisia

    Marouen Hafsa

  13. Liberal Physician, Teboulba, Monastir, Tunisia

    Sami Zayene & Moncef Chebil

  14. C2 Primary Health Center, Monastir Health Group, Lamta, Monastir, Tunisia

    Mounira Sahtout

  15. Liberal Physician, Monastir, Tunisia

    Lotfi Ghedira, Anis Gtari, Sami Ben Said, Fahima Hassine & Faten Saadallah

  16. Primary Health Center, Jemmel, Monastir, Tunisia

    Sonia Khedher

  17. Liberal Physician, Lamta, Monastir, Tunisia

    Olfa Harzallah

Authors
  1. Meniar Saafi
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  2. Khaoula Bel Haj Ali
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  9. Imen Trabelsi
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  10. Adel Sekma
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  13. Hajer Yaakoubi
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  14. Rym Youssef
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  15. Asma Zorgati
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  16. Kaouthar Beltaief
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  17. Zied Mezgar
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  18. Mariem Khrouf
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  19. Amira Sghaier
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  20. Nahla Jerbi
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  21. Rabie Razgallah
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  22. Wahid Bouida
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  23. Mohamed Habib Grissa
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  24. Jamel Saad
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  25. Hamdi Boubaker
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  26. Zohra Dridi
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  27. Riadh Boukef
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  28. Mohamed Amine Msolli
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  29. Semir Nouira
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Consortia

HOROSCOPE study group

  • Nawel Belkacem
  • , Marouen Hafsa
  • , Sami Zayene
  • , Mounira Sahtout
  • , Lotfi Ghedira
  • , Hajer Yaakoubi
  • , Sonia Khedher
  • , Anis Gtari
  • , Moncef Chebil
  • , Sami Ben Said
  • , Fahima Hassine
  • , Olfa Harzallah
  • , Faten Saadallah
  • , Meniar Saafi
  • , Khaoula Bel Haj Ali
  • , Randa Dhaoui
  • , Marwa Toumia
  • , Sarra Sassi
  • , Yosra Bendaya
  • , Mohamed Bouchoucha
  • , Sonia Ben Hafeidh
  • , Imen Trabelsi
  • , Adel Sekma
  • , Rahma Jaballah
  • , Hajer Yaakoubi
  • , Rym Youssef
  • , Asma Zorgati
  • , Kaouthar Beltaief
  • , Zied Mezgar
  • , Mariem Khrouf
  • , Amira Sghaier
  • , Nahla Jerbi
  • , Rabie Razgallah
  • , Wahid Bouida
  • , Mohamed Habib Grissa
  • , Jamel Saad
  • , Hamdi Boubaker
  • , Zohra Dridi
  • , Riadh Boukef
  • , Mohamed Amine Msolli
  •  & Semir Nouira

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Semir Nouira.

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Saafi, M., Bel Haj Ali, K., Dhaoui, R. et al. Phone-based telemonitoring of arterial hypertension versus usual care: the HOROSCOPE study. Hypertens Res 48, 1135–1143 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41440-024-02018-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41440-024-02018-6

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