Decision Aid Feasibility Trial for Families of Critically Ill Stroke Patients

Severe strokes, including large artery acute ischemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage, continue to be the leading cause of death and disability in adults in the U.S. Due to concerns for a poor long-term quality of life, withdrawal of mechanical ventilation and supportive medical care with transition to comfort care is the most common cause of death in severe strokes, but occurs at a highly variable rate. Decision aids (DAs) are shared decision-making tools which have been successfully implemented and validated for many other diseases to assist difficult decision making. The investigators have developed a pilot DA for goals-of-care decisions for surrogates of severe, critically ill stroke patients. This was developed through qualitative research using semi-structured interviews in surrogate decision makers of traumatic brain injury patients and physicians, and adapted to severe strokes. The investigators now propose to pilot-test a DA for surrogates of critically ill severe stroke patients in a feasibility trial.

Severe strokes, including large artery acute ischemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage, continue to be the leading cause of death and disability in adults in the U.S, accounting for more than 200,000 of the acute brain injury-related deaths in the U.S. annually. Patients with severe strokes are critically ill and most commonly require mechanical ventilation and supportive medical care with artificial nutrition to ensure survival. However, due to concerns for a poor long-term quality of life, withdrawal of mechanical ventilation and supportive medical care with transition to comfort care is by far the most common cause of death in severe strokes but occurs at a highly variable rate at different stroke centers. Shared decision making is a collaborative process that enhances patients' and surrogates' understanding about prognosis, encourages them to actively weigh the risks and benefits of a treatment, and to match them to patient preferences, thereby decreasing decisional conflict and improving decision quality and health related outcomes. Decision aids (DAs) are shared decision-making tools which have been successfully implemented and validated for many other diseases to assist difficult decision making. No DA currently exists for goals-of-care decisions in critically ill severe stroke patients. Such a patient- and family-centered DA has the potential to improve decision-making for critically ill severe stroke patients by ensuring proxies receive consistent, evidence-based prognostication while also addressing patients' preferences and values. The investigators have developed a pilot DA for goals of care decisions by surrogates of critically ill severe stroke patients using qualitative research using semi-structured interviews in surrogate decision makers of traumatic brain injury patients and physicians, followed by an iterative feedback process with feedback by surrogates, physicians, and other stakeholders (ICU nurses), and adaptation to large artery acute ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. The investigators now propose to pilot-test a DA for surrogates of critically ill severe stroke patients in a feasibility trial.

stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, shared decision making, neurocritical care, decision aid, goals of care, palliative care, family communication, end of life, critical care, neuroICU, patient-centered care

Control: general information about stroke/Intracerebral Hemorrhage (ICH) from American Heart/Stroke Association

From date of approaching surrogate decision maker for consent until the date of the first documented goals-of-care family meeting, assessed up to 1 month after admission.

is a is a validated 15-item instrument, measuring post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Total score is the sum of all questions and ranges from 0 to 88, with higher scores indicating worse PTSD symptoms.

is a is a validated 14-item, 4-point Likert scale based test. Its version adapted to surrogates has shown responsiveness in a recent trial of a nurse-driven communication intervention for surrogates in the ICU. It ranges between 1 (very well) to 4 (not at all), and median score is calculated from all questions. Median scores range from 1 to 4, with lower scores indicating more patient- and family-centered care.

is a validated scale that measures the personal perception of choosing an option and factors contributing to choice uncertainty. It is a 16-item, 5-item Likert scale with sub-scores for uncertainty, feeling informed, values clarity, decision support and effective decision-making. It ranges from 0 (strongly agree) to 4 (strongly disagree).

is a validated scale that measures distress or remorse after a health care decision with high internal consistency. It asks 5 questions and provides a 5-point Likert scale. It ranges between 1 (strongly agree) to 5 (strongly disagree).

measures prognostic concordance between ICU clinicians and surrogates. Participants from both groups will independently estimate numerically a SABI patient's 6-month survival and return to independence. Concordance is calculated as the absolute value of the difference in prognosis between the surrogate and the clinician, and, therefore, can range from 0 (no concordance) to 100 (full concordance).

Medical knowledge about the goals-of-care decision in severe strokes will be assessed using the medical knowledge test, which was adapted to 17 questions about goals-of-care and severe strokes, all of which are addressed in the decision aid. The % correct will be calculated.

is a 14-item, two-domain (depression, anxiety) instrument with reliability and validity among ICU surrogates, which is recommended by consensus guidelines for the prospective measurement of psychological distress among ICU surrogates. Each of the 14 questions are scored between 0 (not at all) and 3 (most of the time), and summed up for a total HADS score, which ranges from 0 to 42, with higher scores indicating worse symptoms. Total HADS 0-7 =normal, 8-10 borderline abnormal, 11-21=abnormal, indicating high anxiety and depression.

is a is a validated 17-item patient-centered instrument widely used in the ICU to assess surrogates' satisfaction of clinician communication about treatments and understanding treatment decisions. It ranges between 0 (poor) to 10 (absolutely perfect). Total score is the sum of all questions and ranges from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better communication.

Investigators will track the duration of each goals-of-care meeting. At the patient's ICU discharge, investigators will sum up the cumulative duration of all goals-of-care meetings [minutes].

is a validated scale that measures the degree of disability or dependence in the daily activities of people who have suffered a stroke or other causes of neurological disability. It ranges from 0 (no symptoms at all) to 6 (death).

Inclusion Criteria: ≥18 years of age; no upper age limit Documented health care proxy or legal next of kin of severe stroke patient admitted to the ICU with intracerebral hemorrhage or acute ischemic stroke. ≥3 days after insult ("stabilization period"); clinical team may ask study team to wait longer if clinically indicated Severe stroke patient remains "critically ill" after 3 days defined as: either intubated and mechanically ventilated, or unable to swallow, needing feeding tube beyond hospital discharge (even if not intubated) Surrogate is physically present in ICU to receive decision aid and participate in planned family meeting in person (not over phone) Exclusion Criteria: Devastating severe stroke patient near death Patient will be extubated and pass swallow evaluation (as deemed by clinical team) Surrogate is non-English speaking and no interpreter available to translate decision aid (no available validated, translated decision aid version) Surrogate is illiterate

We plan to share listed materials (below), including deidentified participant data (with data dictionaries), as long as this is approved by the IRB.

Researchers who provide a scientifically and methodologically sound proposal to achieve the aims in the approved proposal. Proposals should be submitted by email to the PI (Dr. Muehlschlegel). To gain access, researchers will need to sign a data access agreement.

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