Reduction of heart failure rehospitalization using a weight management education intervention

• Published in: The Journal of cardiovascular nursing Vol. 29; no. 6; p. 528
• Main Authors: Wang, Xiao-Hua, Qiu, Jing-Bo, Ju, Yang, Chen, Guo-Chong, Yang, Jun-Hua, Pang, Jian-Hong, Zhao, Xin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.11.2014
• Subjects: Aged; China; Female; Heart Failure - complications; Heart Failure - therapy; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Patient Compliance; Patient Education as Topic; Patient Readmission; Self Care; Treatment Outcome; Weight Gain; Weight Loss; China
• ISSN: 1550-5049
• DOI: 10.1097/JCN.0000000000000092

Previous investigators have demonstrated that patient adherence to optimal weight monitoring resulted in fewer heart failure (HF)-related rehospitalizations. The aim of this study was to determine whether a weight management (WM) intervention can improve patients' WM ability and cardiac function and reduce HF-related rehospitalizations. Heart failure patients were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 32) or a control group (n = 34). The intervention group received the WM intervention, including education about regular daily weight monitoring and coping skills when detecting sudden weight gain, with a WM booklet and scheduled telephone visits. Patients' WM ability was measured by the Weight Management Questionnaire (WMQ). We compared scores on the WMQ, New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification, and HF-related rehospitalizations between the 2 groups at enrollment and at 6 months. We also analyzed the association of adherence to weight monitoring and rehospitalization in the intervention group during the 6-month follow-up. There were no significant differences in weight monitoring adherence, WM ability, and NYHA classification between the 2 groups at baseline. At 6 months, scores on all 4 subscales of the WMQ significantly increased within the intervention group, and the WM-practice subscale significantly improved within the control group. Adherence to weight monitoring was significantly improved in the intervention group compared with the control group (81.25% vs 11.76%; P < .01). At 6 months, there was a significant improvement in NYHA class in the intervention group compared with the control group (P = .03). Rehospitalizations related to HF were also fewer in the intervention group (0.28 ± 0.63 vs 0.79 ± 1.18; P = .03) during the follow-up duration. In the intervention group, those who weighed themselves regularly reported less HF-related rehospitalizations than did those who did not (0.23 ± 0.43 vs 0.50 ± 1.23; P = .62). This study demonstrates that the WM intervention had a positive impact on patients' adherence to weight monitoring, WM ability, and NYHA classification and reduced HF-related rehospitalization.