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Journal of Palliative Care & Medicine | ISSN: 2165-7386 | Volume 8

August 27-28, 2018 | Boston, USA

International Conference on

Palliative Care, Medicine and Hospice Nursing

Lessons learned from a feasibility prospective study of palliative care eligible patients with chronic

heart failure (CHF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Naouma Siouta, Heylen A, Aertgeerts B, Clement P, Vermandere M, Janssens W, Van Cleemput J

and

Menten J

KU Leuven University, Belgium

Background:

Initiation of PC practices in cardiology and pulmonology wards for patients with Chronic Heart Failure (CHF)

and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) remains a challenging topic.

Objective:

A feasibility prospective study was designed and implemented in the cardiology and pulmonology wards of the

University Hospital of Leuven (Belgium) to measure the quality of life (QoL) and the quality of care in both chronic CHF and

COPD patients and their informal caregiver.

Methods:

Eligible patients and their informal caregivers were asked to complete the Palliative Care Outcome Scale (POS), the

Can Help Lite questionnaire and a self-developed ad-hoc questionnaire. These questionnaires were completed at inclusion and

after a three-months follow-up. Informed consent was required.

Results:

The feasibility assessment has overall been positive. The sample size (23 CHF and 25 COPD patients) was collected

but older patients were underrepresented. The majority of the participants were younger and with milder symptomatology.

Despite the well-designed eligibility criteria, it became necessary to read just the recruitment process and directly involve the

main researcher in the identification of eligible patients.

Conclusion:

The positive feasibility assessment and the lessons learned from this study can assist similar future efforts in this

area. However, the implementation of integrated PC interventions is expected to raise further challenges that will need to be

investigated in separate studies.

Biography

Naouma Siouta is a doctoral candidate from KU Leuven (Belgium), Department of Experimental Radiotherapy. The aim of her Ph.D. is the investigation of the early

integrated palliative care in chronic heart failure (CHF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). She obtained a bachelor degree in psychology from the

Aristotle University in Thessaloniki (Greece) and a Master of Public Health degree from KU Leuven (Belgium).

naouma.siouta@gmail.com

Naouma Siouta et al., J Palliat Care Med 2018, Volume 8

DOI: 10.4172/2165-7386-C3-020