The MuSt-PC: a Pilot Study to Assess Symptom Burden of Co-occuring Symptoms

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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In this pilot study, physicians and nurse practitioners working in different care settings will use MuSt-PC, for adult patients with any life-limiting iilness, for whom the Surprise question is answered negatively: if the HCP answers no to the question Would I be surprised if this patiënt died in the next 12 months?''. In total, at least 20 eligible patients will be recruited and asked to perform all study assessments.

Detailed Description
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In this pilot study, physicians and nurse practitioners working in different care settings will use MuSt-PC, for adult patients with any life-limiting iilness, for whom the Surprise question is answered negatively: if the HCP answers no to the question Would I be surprised if this patiënt died in the next 12 months?''. In total, at least 20 eligible patients will be recruited and asked to perform all study assessments. After a baseline screening assessment, all eligible patients with at least 2 simultaneously occurring symptoms with a numeric rating score £4 on the 11 point scale on the Utrecht Symptom Diary, will be asked to fiil out the Utrecht Symptom Diary during two weeks. In the first week twice daily (morning and evening), in the second week once daily (evening).

Official Title
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The MuSt-PC: A Multidimensional Strategy to Improve Quality of Life of Patients With Multiple Symptoms and Palliative Care Needs - Pilot Study to Assess the Efficacy of a Clinical Decision Support System

Conditions
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Palliative Care

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: USD questionnaire


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Patients identified as in a palliative care trajectory (based on a negative answer to the surprise question Would I be surprised if this patiënt died in the next 12 months?) All primary diseases (cancer, non-cancer (e.g. COPD, haart failure, frailty) Patients should have at least two symptoms on the Utrecht Symptom Diary with a numeric rating score of 4 or higher Life expectancy of at least 4 weeks Able to fill out Dutch questionnaires Informed consent Exclusion Criteria: Patients who are unable or unwilling to self-assess their symptoms at baseline.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Other: symptom assessment<br>Patients will have assessed symptom burden using the Dutch validated ESAS (called USD), build in the MuSt-PC tool. Thereafter, they will record symptom burden in a diary during 2 weeks. | Other: USD questionnaire<br>* After a baseline screening symptom assessment, all eligible patients with at least 2 simultaneously occurring symptoms with a numeric rating score ≥4 on the 11 point scale on the Utrecht Symptom Diary, will be asked to fill out the Utrecht Symptom Diary during two weeks. In the first week twice daily (morning and evening), in the second week once daily (evening).<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ability and willingness of patients to complete follow-up assessments | the percentage of patients who completed all questionnaires during follow-up | after 2 weeks | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Recruitment of patients; the number of patients that consented and those that declined participation, as well as number of eligible patients. | % of patients | after 2 weeks | 
| Adherence to advice by patients provided based on the MuSt-PC CDSS | % of patients | after 2 weeks | 
| Patient impressions of the MuSt-PC CDSS | 10 questions with a 4-point Likert scale | after 2 weeks | 
| Time until symptom burden decreases after the use of the MuSt-PC CDSS based on the filled out Utrecht Symptom Diaries (days) | in days | after 2 weeks | 
| Feedback about the follow-up assessments within this pilot | open questions | after 2 weeks |