• Mathilde Giffard, Liesbet VAN Bulck, Seydou SallFatimataFInserm CIC1431, University Hospital Besançon, Besançon, France.Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Besançon, Besançon, France., Nicolas Becoulet, QuenotJean-PierreJPIntensive Care Unit, University Hospital Dijon-Bourgogne, Dijon, France.Inserm CIC1432, module Épidémiologie Clinique (CIC-EC), University Hospital Dijon-Bourgogne, Dijon, France.Lipness Team, INSERM Research Centre LNC-UMR1231 and LabE, Marie-France Seronde, and Fiona Ecarnot.
• Mobile Palliative Care Team, University Hospital Besançon, Besançon, France.
• Panminerva Med. 2023 Dec 1; 65 (4): 467472467-472.

BackgroundAlthough the majority of patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVD) have a significant symptom burden and progressive course towards the end of life, only a small proportion of patients currently receive palliative care. The current referral practices to palliative care from the cardiology department need to be scrutinized. The current study aimed to examine: 1) the clinical profile; 2) time between referral to palliative care and death; and 3) place of death for CVD patients who were referred to palliative care from a cardiology department.MethodsThis retrospective descriptive study included all patients who were referred to the mobile palliative care team from the cardiology unit in the University Hospital of Besançon in France between January 2010 and December 2020. Information was extracted from the medical hospital files.ResultsA total of 142 patients were included, of whom 135 (95%) died. The mean age at the time of death was 76±14 years. The median time between referral to palliative care and death was 9 days. Most patients had chronic heart failure (54%). A total of 17 patients (13%) died at home.ConclusionsThis study showed that referral of patients to palliative care from the cardiology department is suboptimal and a large proportion of patients die in the hospital setting. Further prospective studies are warranted to investigate whether these dispositions correspond to patients' wishes and end-of-life care needs, and should investigate how the integration of palliative care into the care of cardiovascular patients can be improved.

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