Authors
Lucia Macken, Stephen Bremner, Heather Gage, Morro Touray, Peter Williams, David Crook, Louise Mason, Debbie Lambert, Catherine J Evans, Max Cooper, Jean Timeyin, Shani Steer, Mark Austin, Nick Parnell, Sam J Thomson, David Sheridan, Mark Wright, Peter Isaacs, Ahmed Hashim, Sumita Verma
Publication date
2020/7
Journal
Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics
Volume
52
Issue
1
Pages
107-122
Description
Background
Palliative care remains suboptimal in end‐stage liver disease.
Aim
To inform a definitive study, we assessed palliative long‐term abdominal drains in end‐stage liver disease to determine recruitment, attrition, safety/potential effectiveness, questionnaires/interview uptake/completion and make a preliminary cost comparison.
Methods
A 12‐week feasibility nonblinded randomised controlled trial comparing large‐volume paracentesis vs long‐term abdominal drains in refractory ascites due to end‐stage liver disease with fortnightly home visits for clinical/questionnaire‐based assessments. Study success criteria were attrition not >50%, <10% long‐term abdominal drain removal due to complications, the long‐term abdominal drain group to spend <50% ascites‐related study time in hospital vs large‐volume paracentesis group and 80% questionnaire/interview uptake/completion.
Results
Of 59 eligible …
Scholar articles
L Macken, S Bremner, H Gage, M Touray, P Williams… - Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics, 2020