Table 2.
Results of the Palliative Care Screening Tool for HF Patients
| Screening item, n (%) | Points | HFU (n = 137) | OC (n = 122) | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Presence of chronic HF | 1 | 137 (100) | 122 (100) | |
| NYHA functional class | 1–4 | < 0.01* | ||
| I | 21 (15.3) | 16 (13.1) | ||
| II | 35 (25.5) | 42 (34.4) | ||
| III | 50 (36.5) | 55 (45.1) | ||
| IV | 31 (22.6) | 9 (7.4) | ||
| Serious complications of chronic heart failure (prognosis of < 12 months) | 1 | 80 (58.4) | 24 (19.7) | < 0.01* |
| Serious comorbidity associated with poor prognosis | 1 | 109 (79.6) | 52 (42.6) | < 0.01* |
| Uncontrolled symptoms despite cardiologic treatment | 1 | 59 (43.1) | 46 (37.7) | 0.380 |
| Moderate to severe distress in patient and/or family related to chronic heart failure diagnosis or therapy | 1 | 91 (66.4) | 13 (10.7) | < 0.01* |
| Patient and/or family concern about course of disease and decision making | 1 | 91 (66.4) | 23 (18.9) | < 0.01* |
| Patient and/or family request palliative care consultation | 1 | 7 (5.1) | 0 (0.0) | 0.011* |
| Cardiologic team needs assistance with complex decision making or determining goals of care | 1 | 7 (5.1) | 2 (1.6) | 0.128 |
| Screening sum score, M ± SD | 1–12 | 6.59 ± 2.2 | 4.81 ± 1.8 | < 0.01* |