Most healthcare providers are comfortable recommending palliative care (PC) for their patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD), but most do so at the time of disease progression, rather than diagnosis, as indicated on survey data from 128 clinicians.
ILD is associated with a high mortality rate and profound symptoms that contribute to poor quality of life, write Rebecca A. Gersen, MD, of Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, and colleagues.
"Nevertheless, there is often a lack of preparedness for death by both patients and providers, contributing to increased distress," they say. Clinician perspectives on the use of PC for ILD patients have not been well studied, although PC is not limited to end-of-life care and is recommended for ILD patients by professional organizations, including the American Thoracic Society, they say. "PC is successful in improving breathlessness in chronic lung disease and can increase survival," they note.
In a study published in the journal Chest,the researchers surveyed healthcare providers at 68 Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation centers across the United States. The survey was sent and collected by email and a restricted social media platform. A total of 128 providers from 34 states completed the survey between October 2020 and January 2021. Of these, 61% were physicians, and 67% identified as White.
