JAMA Oncol. 2016 Jan 14. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2015.5252. [Epub ahead of print]

Emergency Department-Initiated Palliative Care in Advanced Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Grudzen CR, Richardson LD, Johnson PN, et al.

Single site randomized trial of a holistic ED palliative care consultation (vs. usual care) in adults with advanced cancer presenting to the ED to compare quality of life at 12 weeks (primary outcome), depression, health care utilization (at 180 days), and survival at 1 year. 136 participants (from 298 eligible) were randomized, 69 to palliative care and 67 to usual care. The palliative care consultation improved quality of life but had no effect on median estimates of survival (non-significant trend for improvement), depression, admission to intensive care and discharge to hospice.

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