A proactive communication strategy reduced post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in relatives of patients dying in the ICU
Q Does an end-of-life family conference held according to specific guidelines reduce the burden of bereavement on relatives of patients dying in the intensive care unit (ICU)?
METHODS
Design:
randomised controlled trial.
Allocation:
unclear concealment.
Blinding:
blinded (data collectors and data analysts).
Follow up period:
90 days.
Setting:
22 ICUs in France.
Patients:
126 patients ⩾18 years of age (56% men) in the ICU who were expected to die within the next few days. Each patient had 1 family member (median age 54 y, 73% women) whom they had designated or who ranked highest in the hierarchy for surrogate decision making according to French law; these family members were interviewed at 90 days after the patient’s death.
Intervention:
family members were allocated to a proactive communication strategy plus a bereavement brochure (n = 63) or …
