Early Versus Delayed Initiation of Concurrent Palliative Oncology Care: Patient Outcomes in the ENABLE III Randomized Controlled Trial

Purpose Randomized controlled trials have supported integrated oncology and palliative care (PC); however, optimal timing has not been evaluated. We investigated the effect of early versus delayed PC on quality of life (QOL), symptom impact, mood, 1-year survival, and resource use. Patients and Methods Between October 2010 and March 2013, 207 patients with advanced cancer at a National Cancer Institute cancer center, a Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and community outreach clinics were randomly assigned to receive an in-person PC consultation, structured PC telehealth nurse coaching sessions (once per week for six sessions), and monthly follow-up either early after enrollment or 3 months later. Outcomes were QOL, symptom impact, mood, 1-year survival, and resource use (hospital/intensive care unit days, emergency room visits, chemotherapy in last 14 days, and death location). Results Overall patient-reported outcomes were not statistically significant after enrollment (QOL, P = .34; symptom impact, P = .09; mood, P = .33) or before death (QOL, P = .73; symptom impact, P = .30; mood, P = .82). Kaplan-Meier 1-year survival rates were 63% in the early group and 48% in the delayed group (difference, 15%; P = .038). Relative rates of early to delayed decedents' resource use were similar for hospital days (0.73; 95% CI, 0.41 to 1.27; P = .26), intensive care unit days (0.68; 95% CI, 0.23 to 2.02; P = .49), emergency room visits (0.73; 95% CI, 0.45 to 1.19; P = .21), chemotherapy in last 14 days (1.57; 95% CI, 0.37 to 6.7; P = .27), and home death (27 [54%] v 28 [47%]; P = .60). Conclusion Early-entry participants' patient-reported outcomes and resource use were not statistically different; however, their survival 1-year after enrollment was improved compared with those who began 3 months later. Understanding the complex mechanisms whereby PC may improve survival remains an important research priority.

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Patient-Reported Outcomes Associated With Sedation and Agitation Intensity in the Critically Ill

American Journal of Critical Care ◽

10.4037/ajcc2020592 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 29 (2) ◽

pp. 140-144

Author(s):

Ashleigh Malinowski ◽

Neal J. Benedict ◽

Meng-Ni Ho ◽

Levent Kirisci ◽

Sandra L. Kane-Gill

Keyword(s):

Intensive Care Unit ◽

Mechanical Ventilation ◽

Intensive Care ◽

Patient Reported Outcomes ◽

Surgical Trauma ◽

Related Factors ◽

Patient Reported ◽

Sedation And Analgesia ◽

Patients Experience

Background Patient-reported outcomes are essential to understand the relationship between patients’ perception of sedation and clinicians’ assessments of sedation. Objectives To evaluate the association between sedation and agitation indexes and patient-reported outcomes of sedation and analgesia. Methods This prospective, single-center, observational study included adult patients who were continuously sedated for at least 24 hours in a medical or surgical/ trauma intensive care unit. Patients were interviewed after sedation was discontinued regarding their satisfaction with the quality of sedation and potentially related factors. The primary outcome was the correlation between sedation and agitation indexes and patient-reported outcomes. Results A total of 68 patients were interviewed after sedation. Of these, 29 (42.6%) described their overall feelings about their experience while receiving mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit as "pleasant". When asked about their desires if they were to experience the situation again, 29 patients (42.6%) reported that they would want more sedation. Agitation index was statistically significantly correlated with several patient-reported outcomes. Receiving mechanical ventilation (r = 0.41, P = .002), the amount of noise (r = 0.34, P = .01), suctioning (r = 0.32, P = .02), difficulty resting or sleeping (r = 0.39, P = .003), inability to communicate by talking (r = 0.36, P = .008), anxiety (r = 0.29, P = .03), panic (r = 0.3, P = .02), and frustration (r = 0.47, P < .001) were associated with a higher agitation index. Conclusion Agitation index was significantly associated with several patient-reported outcomes and thus seems to be a promising descriptor of patients’ experience.

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Degree of control of physiciandiagnosed asthma and COPD in Italy

Monaldi Archives for Chest Disease ◽

10.4081/monaldi.2007.505 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 67 (1) ◽

Author(s):

G. Caramori ◽

G. Bettoncelli ◽

M. Carone ◽

R. Tosatto ◽

P. Di Blasi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Intensive Care Unit ◽

Intensive Care ◽

National Health Service ◽

Health Service ◽

Emergency Room ◽

National Health ◽

Emergency Room Visits ◽

Italian National Health Service ◽

Italian National Health ◽

Degree Of Control

Background. It is important for the Italian National Health Service to obtain data on the degree of control of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the general population in Italy in order for balanced planning of future investments in these diseases to be made. Currently, precise estimates of these parameters are not available in literature. Objectives. In collaboration with the Italian Academy of General Practitioners (SIMG; www.simg.it) we have investigated the degree of control of physician-diagnosed asthma and COPD in Italy. Methods. A standardised questionnaire on asthma and COPD has been self-administered to a sample of 1937 Italian family physicians (representing around 5% of all the Italian doctors involved in general practice) chosen to cover all the Italian counties. Results. We have collected questionnaire data from 19,917 patients with asthma and COPD followed in their practice and 12,438 (62.4%) were correctly filled in enabling evaluation. We selected the number of emergency room visits, hospitalisations and intensive care unit admissions for asthma and COPD in the last 12 months as objective measures of the degree of asthma and COPD morbidity in these patients. The figures were respectively 12.4% (emergency room visits), 17.3% (hospitalisations) and 1.2% (intensive care unit admissions) of all patients with physician-diagnosed asthma and COPD. Conclusions. This data suggests that in Italy the morbidity of asthma and COPD remains high; representing a significant burden for the Italian National Health Service. There is a clear necessity for further studies to investigate the causes of this incomplete control.

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The effect of a structured weekly patient meeting on patient reported outcomes (PRO) and resource utilization for patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC).

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2019.37.15_suppl.e23116 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 37 (15_suppl) ◽

pp. e23116-e23116

Author(s):

Margaret Q. Rosenzweig ◽

Victoria Resier ◽

Rachel Heckman ◽

Ann Welch ◽

Dianxu Ren

Keyword(s):

Palliative Care ◽

Emergency Room ◽

Program Implementation ◽

Patient Reported Outcomes ◽

Hospital Admissions ◽

Well Being ◽

Care Utilization ◽

Emergency Room Visits ◽

Supportive Services ◽

Patient Reported

e23116 Background: Women with MBC experience unmet unique symptom management and psychosocial needs due to chronic treatment for an eventually life ending illness. Methods: The MBC Program of Care is a 1 hour weekly, nurse led review of scheduled clinic patients by an interdisciplinary team incorporating structured needs appraisal and referral for supportive, palliative care resources. Outcomes included referral rates to supportive services, patient reported outcomes (PRO) of symptom distress, generalized anxiety and overall well-being. Health care utilization outcomes included clinic calls as well as inpatient and emergency room visits. A prospective, paired pre and post experimental design. One hundred and eighteen women with MBC who visited an urban outpatient breast cancer clinic from September 2016-November 2016 (pre) and from January 2017-March 2017 (post). Validated instruments of symptoms ( Adapted Memorial Symptom Assessment), anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Scale), and overall well-being scores (0-10 Likert) assessed PROs. Electronic chart review evaluated social work and palliative care referrals, hospital admissions, emergency room visits and phone calls to the outpatient clinic pre and post program implementation. T test and chi squared test for paired comparison of mean was performed. Results: Following program implementation, referrals to palliative care (p = .000) and social work (p = .001) increased significantly. PROs of symptoms (p = .001); anxiety (p = 0.002); and overall well-being (p = .002) improved significantly. Health care utilization including emergency department visits (p = .001) and patient calls (p = .005) decreased significantly post program implementation, although hospital admissions increased (p = .003). Cost of program was $750 weekly. Conclusions: Systematic review of patient needs and referral to existing supportive services improved MBC PROs and decreased emergency room visits and clinic calls. Post hospital admission increase may be attributed to MBC disease progression. This is a cost effective MBC model of palliative care implementation.

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