title: Effectiveness of self-management interventions on mortality, hospital readmissions, chronic heart failure hospitalization rate and quality of life in patients with chronic heart failure: a systematic review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This review examined the effectiveness of self-management interventions compared to usual care on mortality, all-cause hospital readmissions, chronic heart failure hospitalization rate and quality of life in patients with chronic heart failure.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic review was performed. MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library were searched between 1996 and 2009. Randomized controlled trials were selected evaluating self-management interventions designed for patients with chronic heart failure. Outcomes of interest are mortality, all-cause hospital readmissions, chronic heart failure hospitalization rate and quality of life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nineteen randomized controlled trials were identified. The effectiveness of heart failure management programs initiating self-management interventions in patients with chronic heart failure indicate a positive effect, although not always significant, on reduction of numbers of all-cause hospital readmitted patients and due to chronic heart failure, decrease in mortality and increasing quality of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This systematic review found that current available published studies show methodological shortcomings impairing validation of the effectiveness of self-management interventions on mortality, all-cause hospital readmissions, chronic heart failure hospitalization rate and quality of life in patients with chronic heart failure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Further research should determine independent effects of self-management interventions and different combinations of interventions on clinical and patient reported outcomes.
authors.affiliation: The Dutch institute for Healthcare Improvement, CBO, Utrecht, The Netherlands. jb.ditewig@gmail.com
authors.forename: Joanne B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Ditewig
authors.forename: Helene
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Blok
authors.forename: Jeroen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Havers
authors.forename: Haske
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: van Veenendaal
mesh_terms: D003697:Delphi Technique; D014943:Global Health; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000401:mortality* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012648:Self Care; D016896:Treatment Outcome