Cluster-randomised trial of a nurse-led advance care planning session in patients with COPD and their loved ones.

Abstract

Advance care planning (ACP) is uncommon in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). To assess whether a nurse-led ACP-intervention can improve quality of patient-physician end-of-life care communication in patients with COPD. Furthermore, the influence of an ACP-intervention on symptoms of anxiety and depression in patients and loved ones was studied. Finally, quality of death and dying was assessed in patients who died during 2-year follow-up. A multicentre cluster randomised-controlled trial in patients with advanced COPD was performed. The intervention group received an 1.5 hours structured nurse-led ACP-session. Outcomes were: quality of patient-physician end-of-life care communication, prevalence of ACP-discussions 6 months after baseline, symptoms of anxiety and depression in patients and loved ones and quality of death and dying. 165 patients were enrolled (89 intervention; 76 control). The improvement of quality of patient-physician end-of-life care communication was significantly higher in the intervention group compared with the control group (p<0.001). The ACP-intervention was significantly associated with the occurrence of an ACP-discussion with physicians within 6 months (p=0.003). At follow-up, symptoms of anxiety were significantly lower in loved ones in the intervention group compared with the control group (p=0.02). Symptoms of anxiety in patients and symptoms of depression in both patients and loved ones were comparable at follow-up (p>0.05). The quality of death and dying was comparable between both groups (p=0.17). One nurse-led ACP-intervention session improves patient-physician end-of-life care communication without causing psychosocial distress in both patients and loved ones.