Study designs of evaluations included in the review
Studies which reported observed clinical practices for at least 3 months and included a control group or historical reference sample were included in the review.
Specific interventions included in the review
Multi-disciplinary treatment programmes versus usual care. Key components of the multidisciplinary programmes are listed and include: medication titration arranged with transplant cardiologists and nurses; patient education; lifestyle changes; exercise; home visits; nurse-managers directing education and surveillance in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team; nurse-managers utilising weekly mailings and phone calls with high technology home monitoring; disease management programme (MULTIFIT, Cardiac Solutions, Inc); intensive outpatient primary care.
Participants included in the review
People with congestive heart failure and the following characteristics: heart transplants; housebound elderly; elderly inpatients; outpatient veterans; elderly outpatients; hospitalised veterans with CHF (13%), diabetes (35%), COPD (23%) or more than one diagnosis; ambulatory HMO outpatients without serious comorbid illness. Mean age ranged from 52 to 79 years. The majority of participants were male.
Outcomes assessed in the review
Clinical outcomes: functional status, aerobic capacity, quality of life, salt intake, patient satisfaction, symptoms.
Resource utilisation: hospital admission rate, general medical visit rate, subspeciality clinic visit rate, hospital readmission rate, cardiology visit rate, emergency room visit rate.
How were decisions on the relevance of primary studies made?
The author does not state how the papers were selected for the review, or how many of the reviewers performed the selection.