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July 9, 2021Clinical Research in CardiologyOpen Access

Rationale and design of the EPCHF trial: the early palliative care in heart failure trial (EPCHF)

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Why the study?

Limited evidence exists from randomized controlled trials supporting the use of interdisciplinary palliative care in the progressive course of heart failure.

Does an early interdisciplinary palliative care intervention improve health-related quality of life in patients with symptomatic heart failure (NYHA ≥ 2)?

Population

200 patients with symptomatic HF characterized by NYHA ≥ 2

Comparison

12-month interdisciplinary palliative care intervention vs control

Design

Prospective, controlled, nonblinded, multicenter study

Follow-up

12 months

Authors

MBMarc Ulrich BecherStädtisches Klinikum SolingenMBMahmoud BalataFriedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-NürnbergMHMichaela HesseUniversity Hospital Bonn

Discussion

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Implication

EPCHF design targets QoL in symptomatic HF; leaves open whether early interdisciplinary palliative care improves outcomes or is cost-effective.

Structured PICO

Does an early interdisciplinary palliative care intervention improve health-related quality of life in patients with symptomatic heart failure (NYHA ≥ 2)?

P
Population
200 patients with symptomatic heart failure characterized by NYHA ≥ 2
I
Intervention
12-month early palliative care intervention including monthly consultations by an interdisciplinary palliative care team focusing on physical and psychosocial symptom relief, spiritual concerns, and advance care planning
O
Outcome
Health-related quality of life evaluated by FACIT-Pal score and KCCQ after 12 months of treatmentpatient reported

The EPCHF trial is designed to evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of early interdisciplinary palliative care on quality of life in symptomatic heart failure patients.

Cite This Study

Becher et al. (2021) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a090970bee8d5ab8a92dce1https://doi.org/10.1007/s00392-021-01903-1

Topics

HFrEF treatmentHeart failureHFpEF management
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