NCT01461681

Brief Summary

Heart failure (HF) affects more than 5 million Americans and is a major source of morbidity and mortality. Despite optimal management, over half of patients with HF suffer from pain, dyspnea, fatigue, and depression that diminish quality of life (QoL). HF care also exacts a huge financial toll with yearly costs of $35 billion. Although consensus guidelines call for providing palliative care (PC) to patients with HF to relieve suffering and improve QoL, few receive it. The overall aim of this project is to conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to determine if an interdisciplinary PC intervention (Symptom Management Service-HF \[SMS-HF\]) provided concurrently with standard cardiology care improves symptoms, QoL and satisfaction, and reduces resource utilization in outpatients with Class II-IV HF compared to standard cardiology care alone. Subjects assigned to the SMS-HF group will receive a 6-month interdisciplinary PC intervention based on the investigators successful SMS model of outpatient PC for oncology patients and focused on assessment and management of physical, emotional, social, and spiritual distress and discussion of treatment preferences. Innovations of this study are that it will rigorously assess the impact of the SMS-HF on patient outcomes and on resource utilization, a key component to ensuring program sustainability. The investigators research team of PC and HF experts is recognized for its PC research and has a proven record of collaborating, conducting RCTs of PC interventions, and studying outpatients with HF. The environment at UCSF is highly supportive of innovative research and of sustaining programs with demonstrated improvements in patient outcomes and operational effectiveness. The overall goal is to use the results from this study to support an application to the NIH for a multi-center RCT of the SMS-HF and to study similar models of concurrent PC for patients with other serious illnesses.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
30

participants targeted

Target at below P25 for not_applicable depression

Timeline
Completed

Started Mar 2012

Geographic Reach
1 country

2 active sites

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

October 17, 2011

Completed
11 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

October 28, 2011

Completed
4 months until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

March 1, 2012

Completed
1.5 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

September 1, 2013

Completed
3 months until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

December 1, 2013

Completed
Last Updated

May 14, 2014

Status Verified

May 1, 2014

Enrollment Period

1.5 years

First QC Date

October 17, 2011

Last Update Submit

May 13, 2014

Conditions

Keywords

Palliative careSymptom managementHeart failure

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Assess change in depression using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D)

    Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline, 3-months and 6-months The CES-D is a 20-item measure that includes items pertaining to a range of depressive symptoms. Each symptom is assessed 'in the past week' and recorded on a 4-point numeric scale (0= "rarely or none of the time" to 3= "most or all of the time") providing a composite score (range 0 - 60). A score of 16 or higher is generally used to denote the presence of significant depressive symptoms.

    Outcome measures will be assessed through month 6 post baseline

Study Arms (2)

Symptom Management Service for heart failure

EXPERIMENTAL

Subjects randomized to the SMS-HF group will receive a comprehensive PC consultation by the interdisciplinary PC team at each site consisting of a nurse practitioner, physician, social worker and chaplain with 6 months of follow up. All members of the PC team are experienced PC clinicians. The SMS-HF intervention is based on National Quality Forum preferred practices and the National Consensus Project guidelines for quality PC. The SMS-HF will include assessment and management of symptoms, particularly focused on depression, pain and dyspnea, and a discussion of goals of care.

Procedure: Symptom Management Service for Heart failure

Usual cardiology care

NO INTERVENTION

The usual cardiology care group will receive usual care provided by the HF clinic. We will assess symptoms and QoL at enrollment and symptoms, QoL, satisfaction, advance care planning documentation, and resource utilization at follow up 6 months later.

Interventions

The symptom management service for heart failure (SMS-HF) will begin in the hospital where the patient will be seen daily until discharge and continue with at least 6 contacts over the next 6 months with the first outpatient contact occurring in person in the HF clinic within a month of discharge. Of the subsequent 5 monthly contacts, at least 2 will be in person with the remainder by telephone. Additional contacts between the SMS-HF team and patient will be scheduled as needed. Patients discharged to a site other than home will have monthly contacts by telephone until they are able to attend the clinic. We will assess changes in depression, pain, dyspnea, and quality of life from baseline to 6 month follow-up.

Also known as: SMS-HF
Symptom Management Service for heart failure

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may not qualify if:

  • Non-English speaking
  • Previous consult by Palliative Care Service
  • Pulmonary HTN
  • Right Heart Failure
  • LVAD
  • PCI or CABG patient within this admission
  • AS with planned surgical intervention
  • Pre/post heart transplant
  • Pre/post organ transplant within this admission
  • Dementia (unable to consent)
  • Homeless
  • Active drug user
  • Hospice enrolled patient
  • GeriTraCC patients
  • Does not have a UCSF physician
  • +1 more criteria

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (2)

UCSF Medical Center

San Francisco, California, 94143, United States

Location

University of California San Francisco Medical Center

San Francisco, California, 94143, United States

Location

Related Publications (1)

  • O'Riordan DL, Rathfon MA, Joseph DM, Hawgood J, Rabow MW, Dracup KA, De Marco T, Pantilat SZ. Feasibility of Implementing a Palliative Care Intervention for People with Heart Failure: Learnings from a Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial. J Palliat Med. 2019 Dec;22(12):1583-1588. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2018.0633. Epub 2019 May 17.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

DepressionPainDyspneaHeart Failure

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavioral SymptomsBehaviorNeurologic ManifestationsSigns and SymptomsPathological Conditions, Signs and SymptomsRespiration DisordersRespiratory Tract DiseasesSigns and Symptoms, RespiratoryHeart DiseasesCardiovascular Diseases

Study Officials

  • Steven Z Pantilat, MD

    UCSF School of Medicine

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
SINGLE
Who Masked
INVESTIGATOR
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE CARE
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

October 17, 2011

First Posted

October 28, 2011

Study Start

March 1, 2012

Primary Completion

September 1, 2013

Study Completion

December 1, 2013

Last Updated

May 14, 2014

Record last verified: 2014-05

Locations