Early Discharge With Subcutaneous Furosemide Versus Standard Care in Acute Heart Failure: A Cluster-Randomized Crossover Non-Inferiority Trial
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Summary
This will be a prospective, cluster-randomized, crossover, non-inferiority trial of 250 participants within 48 hours of an inpatient admission for heart failure or emergency department presentation for heart failure with plans for admission or observation/short-stay hospitalization comparing early discharge using subcutaneous furosemide to standard inpatient care. Individual practice groups will serve as "clusters" and the unit of randomization. Each participating cluster will implement either the early discharge strategy using the intervention or standard care for initial two-month blocks, followed by a crossover to the alternate strategy. The primary outcome is days alive and out of hospital at 30 days.
Description
HF contributes to over 1 million emergency department visits and nearly 1 million hospitalizations annually. The estimated annual mean cost per person with HF was $32,955 in 2017-2018, with the majority of costs due to hospitalization. The current standard of care typically involves admission for intravenous (IV) diuretics, monitoring for adequate decongestion, transition to oral diuretics, and discharge once clinical stability is achieved. The median length of stay for HF hospitalizations in the United States is 5 days but varies significantly across health systems and at the patient level. E…