Palliative Care in the Community and the Relevance of Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Placement on Quality of Life and Survival Article Swipe
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· 2024
· Open Access
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· DOI: https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202411.1055.v1
· OA: W4404474910
The study explores the impact of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) placement on survival and quality of life in patients under community palliative care in northern Portugal. This observational, retrospective cohort study involved 54 patients monitored by a specialized palliative care team between March 2020 and December 2023. Key outcomes assessed include survival rates, main diagnoses leading to PEG requests, and the influence of PEG placement on survival and place of death. Statistical analysis revealed that survival time was significantly longer in females compared to males (p = 0.003). The main reason for PEG requests was dysphagia, especially in patients with dementia and oncological diseases. No significant correlations were found between PEG placement and age at death, survival time or palliative performance scores (PPS). However, the study identified a moderate positive correlation between follow-up time and survival after PEG placement (r = 0.457, p < 0.001) and a low rate of complications (11% of patients with minor complications and none with severe complications). The study emphasizes the role of timely PEG placement and social support in improving patient outcomes. Additionally, patients whose PEG was requested by the study’s palliative care team demonstrated better survival outcomes compared to those referred by other teams. The findings underscore the need for individualized decision-making in PEG placement and suggest that this procedure is safe and increases patient longevity and quality of life, avoiding the high rate of complications associated with nasogastric tubes in fragile patients in need of specialized palliative care.
