Background null The most common fatal complication of liver cirrhosis is haemorrhaging caused by variceal rupture. The prevention of the first variceal bleed is, therefore, an important clinical goal. Little is known about patients’ experience of treatments geared towards this, or of their perceptions of treatments prior to being exposed to them. null Aims null To explore the factors impacting patient preference for, and actual experience of carvedilol and variceal band ligation. null Methods null Semistructured interviews were conducted with 30 patients from across the UK at baseline, prior to random allocation to either carvedilol or variceal band ligation. Twenty patients were interviewed a second time at 6-month follow-up. Five patients who declined the trial were also interviewed. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. null Results null There was no clear preference for either treatment pathway at baseline. Key factors reported by patients to influence their treatment preference included: negative experiences with key treatment processes; how long-term or short-term treatment was perceived to be; treatment misconceptions; concerns around polypharmacy and worries around treatment adherence. Patient treatment experience was influenced by their perceptions of treatment effectiveness; clinical surveillance; clinician interaction and communication, or lack thereof. Carvedilol-specific experience was also influenced by the manifestation of side effects and patient dosage routine. Variceal band ligation-specific experience was positively influenced by the use of sedation, and negatively influenced by the procedure recovery period. null Conclusions null These data do not support a view that the patient experience of beta-blockade for prevention of variceal bleeds is likely to be superior to variceal band ligation.
Introduction Liver cirrhosis is the fifth largest cause of adult deaths, and a major complication, variceal bleeding is associated with a 1-year mortality of 40%. There is uncertainty on the first-line therapy for prevention of variceal bleeding owing to a lack of adequately powered trials comparing non-selective beta blockers, in particular carvedilol, with variceal band ligation. Methods and analysis CALIBRE is a multicentre, pragmatic, randomised controlled, open-label trial with an internal ...
Last. Paddy Stone(UCL: University College London)H-Index: 4
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Background & Aims People with cirrhosis have unmet needs, which could benefit from a palliative care approach. Developing effective services needs to be based on evidence from those with personal experience. This review aims to explore; patient and family perspectives of perceived needs including communication; health professionals’ perspectives on delivery of care and improving palliative care between specialities. Methods A literature search was conducted in Medline, Embase and CINAHL using ke...
#2Tracy Davyduke(AHS: Alberta Health Services)H-Index: 2
Last. Puneeta Tandon(U of A: University of Alberta)H-Index: 46
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Aim. To investigate patient experiences and perceptions of advance care planning (ACP) process in cirrhosis. Methods. Purposive sampling was used to identify and recruit participants (N = 17) from discrete patient groups: compensated with no prior decompensation, decompensated and not yet listed for transplant, transplant wait listed, medical contraindications for transplant, and low socioeconomic status. Review and discussion of local ACP videos, documents, and experiences with ACP occurred in ...
Summary This report contains new and follow-up metric data relating to the eight main recommendations of the Lancet Standing Commission on Liver Disease in the UK, which aim to reduce the unacceptable harmful consequences of excess alcohol consumption, obesity, and viral hepatitis. For alcohol, we provide data on alcohol dependence, damage to families, and the documented increase in alcohol consumption since removal of the above-inflation alcohol duty escalator. Alcoholic liver disease will shor...
Purpose For patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), guidelines recommend use of beta-blockers with gradual up-titration. However, many patients with HFrEF do not use beta-blockers and up-titration is rare. Our purpose was to identify and rank barriers to beta-blocker use and up-titration from the perspective of primary care physicians.
#1Barbara Kimbell(Edin.: University of Edinburgh)H-Index: 10
#2Scott A Murray(Edin.: University of Edinburgh)H-Index: 59
Background There has been a dramatic increase in liver disease over recent decades, with morbidity and mortality rates predicted to rise significantly. In order to effectively support this growing patient population we need to understand the experiences, key issues and priorities of people living and dying with advanced liver disease. Aims To establish what is currently known about the patient experience of advanced liver disease. Methods Scoping literature review. We searched MedLine, Web of Sc...
Last. Scott A Murray(Edin.: University of Edinburgh)H-Index: 59
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Objective To understand the experiences and support needs of people with advanced liver disease and those of their lay and professional carers to inform improvements in the supportive and palliative care of this rapidly growing but currently neglected patient group. Design Multiperspective, serial interviews. We conducted up to three qualitative in-depth interviews with each patient and lay carer over 12 months and single interviews with case-linked healthcare professionals. Data were analysed u...
Failure to reach data saturation has an impact on the quality of the research conducted and hampers content validity. The aim of a study should include what determines when data saturation is achieved, for a small study will reach saturation more rapidly than a larger study. Data saturation is reached when there is enough information to replicate the study when the ability to obtain additional new information has been attained, and when further coding is no longer feasible. The following article...
#1Serena Barello(UCSC: Catholic University of the Sacred Heart)H-Index: 26
#2Guendalina Graffigna(UCSC: Catholic University of the Sacred Heart)H-Index: 29
Last. Albino Claudio Bosio(UCSC: Catholic University of the Sacred Heart)H-Index: 7
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Objective In approaching the study and practice of heart failure (HF) management, authors recognise that the patient–doctor relationship has a central role in engaging patients in their care. This study aims at identifying the features and the levers of HF patient engagement and suggestions for orienting clinical encounters. Design Using a grounded theory approach, we conducted 22 in-depth interviews (13 patients with HF, 5 physicians and 4 caregivers). Data were collected and analysed using ope...
