title: Effects of person-centred and integrated chronic heart failure and palliative home care. PREFER: a randomized controlled study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated the outcome of person-centred and integrated Palliative advanced home caRE and heart FailurE caRe (PREFER) with regard to patient symptoms, health-related quality of life (HQRL), and hospitalizations compared with usual care.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From January 2011 to October 2012, 36 (26 males, 10 females, mean age 81.9 years) patients with chronic heart failure (NYHA class III-IV) were randomized to PREFER and 36 (25 males, 11 females, mean age 76.6 years) to the control group at a single centre. Prospective assessments were made at 1, 3, and 6 months using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale, Euro Qol, Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire, and rehospitalizations. Between-group analysis revealed that patients receiving PREFER had improved HRQL compared with controls (57.6 ± 19.2 vs. 48.5 ± 24.4, age-adjusted P-value = 0.05). Within-group analysis revealed a 26% improvement in the PREFER group for HRQL (P = 0.046) compared with 3% (P = 0.82) in the control group. Nausea was improved in the PREFER group (2.4 ± 2.7 vs. 1.7 ± 1.7, P = 0.02), and total symptom burden, self-efficacy, and quality of life improved by 18% (P = 0.035), 17% (P = 0.041), and 24% (P = 0.047), respectively. NYHA class improved in 11 of the 28 (39%) PREFER patients compared with 3 of the 29 (10%) control patients (P = 0.015). Fifteen rehospitalizations (103 days) occurred in the PREFER group, compared with 53 (305 days) in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Person-centred care combined with active heart failure and palliative care at home has the potential to improve quality of life and morbidity substantially in patients with severe chronic heart failure.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  NCT01304381.
authors.affiliation: Strategic Research Program in Health Care Sciences (SFO-V), 'Bridging Research and Practice for Better Health', Department of Nursing, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
authors.forename: Margareta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brännström
authors.forename: Kurt
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Boman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D006699:Home Care Services; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000379:methods*; D011788:Quality of Life; D013548:Sweden
keywords: Heart failure; Integrated care; Palliative care; Person-centred care; RCT