We have located links that may give you full text access.
Journal Article
Multicenter Study
Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Randomized, controlled trial to improve self-care in patients with heart failure living in rural areas.
Circulation 2014 July 16
BACKGROUND: Patients with heart failure (HF) who live in rural areas have less access to cardiac services than patients in urban areas. We conducted a randomized, clinical trial to determine the impact of an educational intervention on the composite end point of HF rehospitalization and cardiac death in this population.
METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients (n=602; age, 66±13 years; 41% female; 51% with systolic HF) were randomized to 1 of 3 groups: control (usual care), Fluid Watchers LITE, or Fluid Watchers PLUS. Both intervention groups included a face-to-face education session delivered by a nurse focusing on self-care. The LITE group received 2 follow-up phone calls, whereas the PLUS group received biweekly calls (mean, 5.3±3.6; range, 1-19) until the nurse judged the patient to be adequately trained. Over 2 years of follow-up, 35% of patients (n=211) experienced cardiac death or hospitalization for HF, with no difference among the 3 groups in the proportion who experienced the combined clinical outcome (P=0.06). Although patients in the LITE group had reduced cardiac mortality compared with patients in the control group over the 2 years of follow-up (7.5% and 17.7%, respectively; P=0.003), there was no significant difference in cardiac mortality between patients in the PLUS group and the control group.
CONCLUSIONS: A face-to-face education intervention did not significantly decrease the combined end point of cardiac death or hospitalization for HF. Increasing the number of contacts between the patient and nurse did not significantly improve outcome.
CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00415545.
METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients (n=602; age, 66±13 years; 41% female; 51% with systolic HF) were randomized to 1 of 3 groups: control (usual care), Fluid Watchers LITE, or Fluid Watchers PLUS. Both intervention groups included a face-to-face education session delivered by a nurse focusing on self-care. The LITE group received 2 follow-up phone calls, whereas the PLUS group received biweekly calls (mean, 5.3±3.6; range, 1-19) until the nurse judged the patient to be adequately trained. Over 2 years of follow-up, 35% of patients (n=211) experienced cardiac death or hospitalization for HF, with no difference among the 3 groups in the proportion who experienced the combined clinical outcome (P=0.06). Although patients in the LITE group had reduced cardiac mortality compared with patients in the control group over the 2 years of follow-up (7.5% and 17.7%, respectively; P=0.003), there was no significant difference in cardiac mortality between patients in the PLUS group and the control group.
CONCLUSIONS: A face-to-face education intervention did not significantly decrease the combined end point of cardiac death or hospitalization for HF. Increasing the number of contacts between the patient and nurse did not significantly improve outcome.
CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00415545.
Full text links
Related Resources
Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university
For the best experience, use the Read mobile app
All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2024 by WebMD LLC.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.
By using this service, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.
Your Privacy Choices
You can now claim free CME credits for this literature searchClaim now
Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university
For the best experience, use the Read mobile app