CLINICAL STUDY: HEART FAILURE
A randomized trial of the efficacy of multidisciplinary care in heart failure outpatients at high risk of hospital readmission
Edward K. Kasper, MD, FACC*,*,
Gary Gerstenblith, MD, FACC*,
Gail Hefter, CRNP*,
Elizabeth Van Anden, PA-C*,
Jeffrey A. Brinker, MD, FACC*,
David R. Thiemann, MD*,
Michael Terrin, MD ,
Sandra Forman, MA and
Sheldon H. Gottlieb, MD, FACC*
* Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Maryland Medical Research Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Manuscript received June 14, 2001;
revised manuscript received October 10, 2001,
accepted October 31, 2001.
* Reprint requests and correspondence: Dr. Edward K. Kasper, Division of Cardiology, Carnegie 568, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, 600 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21287-6568, USA. ekasper{at}jhmi.edu
OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine whether a multidisciplinary outpatient management program decreases chronic heart failure (CHF) hospital readmissions and mortality over a six-month period.
BACKGROUND: Hospital admission for CHF is an important problem amenable to improved outpatient management.
METHODS: Two hundred patients hospitalized with CHF at increased risk of hospital readmission were randomized to a multidisciplinary program or usual care. A study cardiologist and a CHF nurse evaluated each patient and made recommendations to the patients primary physician before randomization. The intervention team consisted of a cardiologist, a CHF nurse, a telephone nurse coordinator and the patients primary physician. Contact with the patient was on a prespecified schedule. The CHF nurse followed an algorithm to adjust medications. Patients in the nonintervention group were followed as usual. The primary outcome was the composite of the number of CHF hospital admissions and deaths over six months, compared by using a log transformation t test by intention-to-treat analysis.
RESULTS: The median age of the study patients was 63.5 years, and 39.5% were women. There were 43 CHF hospital admissions and 7 deaths in the intervention group, as compared with 59 CHF hospital admissions and 13 deaths in the nonintervention group (p = 0.09). The quality-of-life score, percentage of patients on target vasodilator therapy and percentage of patients compliant with diet recommendations were significantly better in the intervention group. Cost per patient, in 1998 U.S. dollars, was similar in both groups.
CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that a six-month, multidisciplinary approach to CHF management can improve important clinical outcomes at a similar cost in recently hospitalized high-risk patients with CHF.
|
Abbreviations and Acronyms
| | NYHA | | ACE | | angiotensin-converting enzyme | | CHF | | chronic heart failure | | LV | | left ventricular | | LVEF | | left ventricular ejection fraction | | NYHA | | New York Heart Association |
|
This article has been cited by other articles:

|
 |

|
 |
 
C. Klersy, A. De Silvestri, G. Gabutti, F. Regoli, and A. Auricchio
A meta-analysis of remote monitoring of heart failure patients.
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol.,
October 27, 2009;
54(18):
1683 - 1694.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
G. Miller, S. Randolph, E. Forkner, B. Smith, and A. D. Galbreath
Long-Term Cost-Effectiveness of Disease Management in Systolic Heart Failure
Med Decis Making,
May 1, 2009;
29(3):
325 - 333.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
F. Gustafsson, M. Schou, L. Videbaek, N. Dridi, H. Ryde, J. Handberg, P. R. Hildebrandt, and on behalf of the Danish Heart Failure Clinics Netw
Incidence and predictors of hospitalization or death in patients managed in multidisciplinary heart failure clinics
Eur J Heart Fail,
April 1, 2009;
11(4):
413 - 419.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
P. L. Hebert, J. E. Sisk, J. J. Wang, L. Tuzzio, J. M. Casabianca, M. R. Chassin, C. Horowitz, and M. A. McLaughlin
Cost-Effectiveness of Nurse-Led Disease Management for Heart Failure in an Ethnically Diverse Urban Community
Ann Intern Med,
October 21, 2008;
149(8):
540 - 548.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
R. Antonicelli, P. Testarmata, L. Spazzafumo, C. Gagliardi, G. Bilo, M. Valentini, F. Olivieri, and G. Parati
Impact of telemonitoring at home on the management of elderly patients with congestive heart failure
J Telemed Telecare,
September 1, 2008;
14(6):
300 - 305.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
K. J. Hoercher, E. R. Nowicki, E. H. Blackstone, G. Singh, J. M. Alster, G. V. Gonzalez-Stawinski, R. C. Starling, J. B. Young, and N. G. Smedira
Prognosis of patients removed from a transplant waiting list for medical improvement: Implications for organ allocation and transplantation for status 2 patients.
J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg.,
May 1, 2008;
135(5):
1159 - 1166.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
N. Azad, F. Molnar, and A. Byszewski
Lessons learned from a multidisciplinary heart failure clinic for older women: a randomised controlled trial
Age Ageing,
May 1, 2008;
37(3):
282 - 287.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
S. M. Green, A. Martinez-Rumayor, S. A. Gregory, A. L. Baggish, M. L. O'Donoghue, J. A. Green, K. B. Lewandrowski, and J. L. Januzzi Jr
Clinical Uncertainty, Diagnostic Accuracy, and Outcomes in Emergency Department Patients Presenting With Dyspnea
Arch Intern Med,
April 14, 2008;
168(7):
741 - 748.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
M. Lainscak, J. G.F. Cleland, M. J. Lenzen, S. Nabb, I. Keber, F. Follath, M. Komajda, and K. Swedberg
Recall of lifestyle advice in patients recently hospitalised with heart failure: A EuroHeart Failure Survey analysis
Eur J Heart Fail,
November 1, 2007;
9(11):
1095 - 1103.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
P. W F B.-A. de la Porte, D. J A Lok, D. J van Veldhuisen, J. van Wijngaarden, J. H Cornel, N. P A Zuithoff, E. Badings, and A. W Hoes
Added value of a physician-and-nurse-directed heart failure clinic: results from the Deventer-Alkmaar heart failure study
Heart,
July 1, 2007;
93(7):
819 - 825.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
British Thoracic Society Guideline Development Gro
Intermediate care--Hospital-at-Home in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: British Thoracic Society guideline
Thorax,
March 1, 2007;
62(3):
200 - 210.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
J. E. Sisk, P. L. Hebert, C. R. Horowitz, M. A. McLaughlin, J. J. Wang, and M. R. Chassin
Effects of Nurse Management on the Quality of Heart Failure Care in Minority Communities: A Randomized Trial
Ann Intern Med,
August 15, 2006;
145(4):
273 - 283.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
M. Pahor
Randomized controlled trials involving multidisciplinary interventions in the community.
J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci.,
May 1, 2006;
61(5):
472 - 473.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
D. S.F. Yu, D. R. Thompson, and D. T.F. Lee
Disease management programmes for older people with heart failure: crucial characteristics which improve post-discharge outcomes
Eur. Heart J.,
March 1, 2006;
27(5):
596 - 612.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
P. A. Heidenreich, J. A. Spertus, P. G. Jones, W. S. Weintraub, J. S. Rumsfeld, S. S. Rathore, E. D. Peterson, F. A. Masoudi, H. M. Krumholz, E. P. Havranek, et al.
Health Status Identifies Heart Failure Outpatients at Risk for Hospitalization or Death
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol.,
February 21, 2006;
47(4):
752 - 756.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
R. Roccaforte, C. Demers, F. Baldassarre, K. K.Teo, and S. Yusuf
Effectiveness of comprehensive disease management programmes in improving clinical outcomes in heart failure patients. A meta-analysis
Eur J Heart Fail,
December 1, 2005;
7(7):
1133 - 1144.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
P. W.F. B.-A. de la Porte, D. J.A. Lok, J. van Wijngaarden, J. H. Cornel, D. Pruijsers-Lamers, D. J. van Veldhuisen, and A. W. Hoes
Heart failure programmes in countries with a primary care-based health care system. Are additional trials necessary? Design of the DEAL-HF study
Eur J Heart Fail,
August 1, 2005;
7(5):
910 - 920.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
S. Ojeda, M. Anguita, M. Delgado, F. Atienza, C. Rus, A. L. Granados, F. Ridocci, F. Valles, and J. A. Velasco
Short- and long-term results of a programme for the prevention of readmissions and mortality in patients with heart failure: Are effects maintained after stopping the programme?
Eur J Heart Fail,
August 1, 2005;
7(5):
921 - 926.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
A. Ducharme, O. Doyon, M. White, J. L. Rouleau, and J. M. Brophy
Impact of care at a multidisciplinary congestive heart failure clinic: a randomized trial
Can. Med. Assoc. J.,
July 5, 2005;
173(1):
40 - 45.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
R Holland, J Battersby, I Harvey, E Lenaghan, J Smith, and L Hay
Systematic review of multidisciplinary interventions in heart failure
Heart,
July 1, 2005;
91(7):
899 - 906.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
F. Rodriguez-Artalejo, P. Guallar-Castillon, C. R. Pascual, C. M. Otero, A. O. Montes, A. N. Garcia, P. Conthe, M. O. Chiva, J. R. Banegas, and M. C. Herrera
Health-Related Quality of Life as a Predictor of Hospital Readmission and Death Among Patients With Heart Failure
Arch Intern Med,
June 13, 2005;
165(11):
1274 - 1279.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
C. O. Phillips, R. M. Singa, H. R. Rubin, and T. Jaarsma
Complexity of program and clinical outcomes of heart failure disease management incorporating specialist nurse-led heart failure clinics. A meta-regression analysis
Eur J Heart Fail,
March 16, 2005;
7(3):
333 - 341.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
T. Jaarsma
Health care professionals in a heart failure team
Eur J Heart Fail,
March 16, 2005;
7(3):
343 - 349.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
D. R. Thompson, A. Roebuck, and S. Stewart
Effects of a nurse-led, clinic and home-based intervention on recurrent hospital use in chronic heart failure
Eur J Heart Fail,
March 16, 2005;
7(3):
377 - 384.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
S. Stewart
Financial aspects of heart failure programs of care
Eur J Heart Fail,
March 16, 2005;
7(3):
423 - 428.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
F. Lloyd-Williams, S. Beaton, P. Goldstein, F. Mair, C. May, and S. Capewell
Patients' and nurses' views of nurse-led heart failure clinics in general practice: a qualitative study
Chronic Illness,
March 1, 2005;
1(1):
39 - 47.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
M. H.L. van der Wal, T. Jaarsma, and D. J. van Veldhuisen
Non-compliance in patients with heart failure; how can we manage it?
Eur J Heart Fail,
January 1, 2005;
7(1):
5 - 17.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
A. Mortara, G. D. Pinna, P. Johnson, H. Dargie, M. T. La Rovere, P. Ponikowski, L. Tavazzi, P. Sleight, and on behalf of HHH Investigators
A multi-country randomised trial of the role of a new telemonitoring system in CHF: the HHH study (Home or Hospital in Heart Failure). Rational, study design and protocol
Eur. Heart J. Suppl.,
November 1, 2004;
6(suppl_F):
F99 - F102.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
R. F. DeBusk, N. H. Miller, K. M. Parker, A. Bandura, H. C. Kraemer, D. J. Cher, J. A. West, M. B. Fowler, and G. Greenwald
Care Management for Low-Risk Patients with Heart Failure: A Randomized, Controlled Trial
Ann Intern Med,
October 19, 2004;
141(8):
606 - 613.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
E. H. Wagner
Deconstructing Heart Failure Disease Management
Ann Intern Med,
October 19, 2004;
141(8):
644 - 646.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
C. Kimmelstiel, D. Levine, K. Perry, A. R. Patel, A. Sadaniantz, N. Gorham, M. Cunnie, L. Duggan, L. Cotter, P. Shea-Albright, et al.
Randomized, Controlled Evaluation of Short- and Long-Term Benefits of Heart Failure Disease Management Within a Diverse Provider Network: The SPAN-CHF Trial
Circulation,
September 14, 2004;
110(11):
1450 - 1455.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
J. Gonseth, P. Guallar-Castillon, J. R. Banegas, and F. Rodriguez-Artalejo
The effectiveness of disease management programmes in reducing hospital re-admission in older patients with heart failure: a systematic review and meta-analysis of published reports
Eur. Heart J.,
September 2, 2004;
25(18):
1570 - 1595.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
F. Gustafsson and J. M. O. Arnold
Heart failure clinics and outpatient management: review of the evidence and call for quality assurance
Eur. Heart J.,
September 2, 2004;
25(18):
1596 - 1604.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
F. A. McAlister, S. Stewart, S. Ferrua, and J. J.J.V. McMurray
Multidisciplinary strategies for the management of heart failure patients at high risk for admission: A systematic review of randomized trials
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol.,
August 18, 2004;
44(4):
810 - 819.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
F. Atienza, M. Anguita, N. Martinez-Alzamora, J. Osca, S. Ojeda, L. Almenar, F. Ridocci, F. Valles, and J. A. de Velasco
Multicenter randomized trial of a comprehensive hospital discharge and outpatient heart failure management program
Eur J Heart Fail,
August 1, 2004;
6(5):
643 - 652.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
T. Jaarsma, M. H.L. van der Wal, J. Hogenhuis, I. Lesman, M.-L. A. Luttik, N. J.G.M. Veeger, and D. J. van Veldhuisen
Design and methodology of the COACH study: a multicenter randomised Coordinating study evaluating Outcomes of Advising and Counselling in Heart failure
Eur J Heart Fail,
March 1, 2004;
6(2):
227 - 233.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
C. Leclercq and J. M. Hare
Ventricular Resynchronization: Current State of the Art
Circulation,
January 27, 2004;
109(3):
296 - 299.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
J. S. Rumsfeld, E. Havranek, F. A. Masoudi, E. D. Peterson, P. Jones, J. F. Tooley, H. M. Krumholz, J. A. Spertus, and Cardiovascular Outcomes Research Consortium (CORC)
Depressive symptoms are the strongest predictors of short-term declines in health status in patients with heart failure
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol.,
November 19, 2003;
42(10):
1811 - 1817.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
S. De Geest, L. Scheurweghs, I. Reynders, W. Pelemans, W. Droogne, J. Van Cleemput, M. Leventhal, and J. Vanhaecke
Differences in psychosocial and behavioral profiles between heart failure patients admitted to cardiology and geriatric wards
Eur J Heart Fail,
August 1, 2003;
5(4):
557 - 567.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
A. S. Laramee, S. K. Levinsky, J. Sargent, R. Ross, and P. Callas
Case Management in a Heterogeneous Congestive Heart Failure Population: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Arch Intern Med,
April 14, 2003;
163(7):
809 - 817.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
B. Bozkurt, I. Agoston, and A. A. Knowlton
Complications of inappropriate use of spironolactone in heart failure: when an old medicine spirals out of new guidelines
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol.,
January 15, 2003;
41(2):
211 - 214.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
OTHER ARTICLES NOTED (Nov 01 to 18 Oct 02)
Evid. Based Nurs.,
January 1, 2003;
6(1):
e1 - 1.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
K. C. Wollert and H. Drexler
Carvedilol Prospective Randomized Cumulative Survival (COPERNICUS) Trial: Carvedilol as the Sun and Center of the {beta}-Blocker World?
Circulation,
October 22, 2002;
106(17):
2164 - 2166.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
C. Cline
Nurse-led clinics for heart failure in Sweden--doing the right thing?
Eur J Heart Fail,
August 1, 2002;
4(4):
393 - 394.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
J. M. Hare
Cardiac-Resynchronization Therapy for Heart Failure
N. Engl. J. Med.,
June 13, 2002;
346(24):
1902 - 1905.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
R. D. Brumley, S. de Denus, S. A. Spinler, A. F. Jerant, and L. W. Stevenson
Treatment of Congestive Heart Failure
JAMA,
May 1, 2002;
287(17):
2209 - 2210.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|
|