Context: Heart failure (HF) is considered a multifaceted and life-threatening syndrome characterized by high symptom-burden and significant mortality.
Objectives: To describe the symptom-burden in patients with HF and identify their palliative care needs. In this respect, symptom burden related to sex, age and classification of HF using New York Heart Association Functional Classification (NYHA) were analyzed.
Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey included adult HF patients according to NYHA II, III, and IV. Palliative care needs were assessed using validated patient reported outcomes measures; SF-36v1, HeartQoL, EORTC- QLQ-C15-PAL, MFI-20 and HADS. Patients were recruited from the Department of Cardiology, North Zealand Hospital, Denmark.
Results: In total, 314 patients (79%) completed the questionnaire (233 men). Mean age = 74 years (range 35-94 years). In all, 42% had NYHA III or IV and 53% self-rated their health to be fair or poor. In all, 19% NYHA II and 67% NYHA III/IV patients had ≥4 severe palliative symptoms according to EORTC-QLQ-C15-PAL. In addition, NYHA III/IV had a mean of 8.9 symptoms and a mean of 5.4 severe symptoms. Women, older patients, and those with NYHA III/IV had worse outcomes regarding health-related quality of life, functional capacity, and symptom burden.
Conclusions: Patients with HF have a high prevalence of symptoms and, thus, potential palliative care needs. Predominantly, women, older patients, and those with higher severity of disease have the highest symptom burden. PROMs can help cardiologists address the palliative care needs and systematic assessment may be a prerequisite to integrate symptom-modifying and palliative care interventions.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2024.09.002 | DOI Listing |
JAMA Netw Open
January 2025
Division of Population Sciences, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts.
Importance: Adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients with advanced cancer often die in hospital settings. Data characterizing the degree to which this pattern of care is concordant with patient goals are sparse.
Objective: To evaluate the extent of concordance between the preferred and actual location of death among AYA patients with cancer.
J Nephrol
January 2025
Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA, USA.
The increasing prevalence of kidney failure highlights the crucial need for effective patient-physician communication to improve health-related quality of life and ensure adherence to treatment plans. This narrative review evaluates communication practices in the context of advanced kidney disease, focusing on the frameworks of shared decision-making, advanced care planning, and communication skills training among nephrologists. The findings highlight the significant gaps in patient-physician communication, particularly in the domains of advanced care planning, shared decision-making, and dialysis withdrawal.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChirurgie (Heidelb)
January 2025
Klinik für Allgemein-, Viszeral- und Transplantationschirurgie, LMU Klinikum München, Marchioninistraße 15, 81377, München, Deutschland.
Palliative surgery aims to improve the quality of life for patients with incurable diseases. This patient group is vulnerable due to the underlying illness, prior treatment and comorbidities, which increase the risk of complications that can negatively impact the course of the disease and quality of life. Palliative surgical interventions often provide effective long-term symptom control but are more invasive than conservative, interventional endoscopic or interventional radiological alternatives.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPalliat Support Care
January 2025
Department of Palliative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Objectives: Wishes to hasten death (WTHDs) are common in patients with serious illness. The Schedule of Attitudes Toward Hastened Death (SAHD) is a validated 20-item instrument for measuring WTHD. Two short versions have also been developed based on statistical item selection.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Exerc Sci
December 2024
School of Health Promotion and Kinesiology, Texas Woman's University, Denton, TX, USA.
The purpose of this study was to compare changes in circulating microRNAs -126 (c-miR-126) and -222 (c-miR-222) following acute serial concurrent exercise (SCE) and integrated concurrent exercise (ICE) sessions among young, sedentary adults. Ten males and 9 females completed the study procedures. For SCE, participants performed resistance exercise (RE) followed by aerobic exercise (AE), without mixing the two.
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