Incidence and Trends in the Use of Palliative Care among Patients with Reduced, Middle-Range, and Preserved Ejection Fraction Heart Failure

Background: Clinical practice guidelines recommend integrating palliative care (PC) into the care of patients with heart failure (HF) to address their many palliative needs. However, the incidence rates of PC use among HF subtypes are unknown. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients with the following HF subtypes in the Department of Veterans Affairs: reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), mid-range ejection fraction (HFmEF), and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Patients were included at the time of HF diagnosis from 2011 to 2015 and followed until a minimum of five years or death. Incidence rates of receipt of PC (primary outcome) were calculated using generalized estimating equations. We evaluated the time to incident PC by HF subtype with Kaplan–Meier analyses and with adjusted restricted mean survival time. Results: Of the 113,555 patients, 69% were ≥65 years, 98% were male, 73% White, and 18% Black; 58% had HFrEF, 7% HFmEF, and 34% HFpEF. Twenty percent received PC during follow-up, and 66% died. Adjusted PC incidence rates were higher among patients with HFrEF (47 per 1000 person-years, confidence interval [95% CI] 43–52) than for HFmEF and HFpEF (42 per 1000 person-years, CI 38–47 for both). Restricting follow-up to five years, patients with HFrEF received PC six weeks earlier than patients with HFpEF. There was no significant difference in time to PC between patients with HFmEF versus HFpEF. Conclusion: About 1 in 20 patients with HFrEF and 1 in 25 patients with HFmEF and HFpEF receive PC annually. Patients with HFrEF receive PC sooner than patients with HFmEF and HFpEF.