The palliative care in heart failure trial: rationale and design.
Published
Journal Article
BACKGROUND: The progressive nature of heart failure (HF) coupled with high mortality and poor quality of life mandates greater attention to palliative care as a routine component of advanced HF management. Limited evidence exists from randomized, controlled trials supporting the use of interdisciplinary palliative care in HF. METHODS: PAL-HF is a prospective, controlled, unblinded, single-center study of an interdisciplinary palliative care intervention in 200 patients with advanced HF estimated to have a high likelihood of mortality or rehospitalization in the ensuing 6 months. The 6-month PAL-HF intervention focuses on physical and psychosocial symptom relief, attention to spiritual concerns, and advanced care planning. The primary end point is health-related quality of life measured by the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire and the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy with Palliative Care Subscale score at 6 months. Secondary end points include changes in anxiety/depression, spiritual well-being, caregiver satisfaction, cost and resource utilization, and a composite of death, HF hospitalization, and quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: PAL-HF is a randomized, controlled clinical trial that will help evaluate the efficacy and cost effectiveness of palliative care in advanced HF using a patient-centered outcome as well as clinical and economic end points.
Full Text
Duke Authors
- Anstrom, Kevin J.
- Fiuzat, Mona
- Granger, Bradi Bartrug
- Johnson, Kimberly Sherell
- Mentz, Robert John
- O'Connor, Christopher Michael
- Patel, Chetan B.
- Rogers, Joseph G.
- Steinhauser, Karen E.
- Taylor Jr., Donald H.
Cited Authors
- Mentz, RJ; Tulsky, JA; Granger, BB; Anstrom, KJ; Adams, PA; Dodson, GC; Fiuzat, M; Johnson, KS; Patel, CB; Steinhauser, KE; Taylor, DH; O'Connor, CM; Rogers, JG
Published Date
- November 2014
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 168 / 5
Start / End Page
- 645 - 651.e1
PubMed ID
- 25440791
Pubmed Central ID
- 25440791
Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)
- 1097-6744
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- 10.1016/j.ahj.2014.07.018
Language
- eng
Conference Location
- United States