MELD ESAS Evolution: Assessment of the Symptomatic Burden of Patients With Advanced Chronic Liver Disease

• Methodology - Prospective observational study
• Population - All patients with chronic liver disease followed in the Matosinhos Local Health Unit after their first episode of decompensation or are diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma in stage C or D of the Barcelona Liver Clinic Cancer will be invited to participate in the study.

All patients who do not sign consent to participate, patients under 18 years of age and patients who present a recurrent degree of encephalopathy, according to the West-Haven scale, equal or greater than 2, will be excluded.

• Sample - Non-probabilistic for convenience
• Data collection instrument - Patients will be followed prospectively with quarterly assessment, or after each episode of decompensation, of their MELD-Na score and symptom burden, according to the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System scale (ESAS), with introduction of 3 other symptoms prevalent in patients with chronic liver disease: sexual dysfunction sexual, cramps and pruritus. The minimum analysis for each patient will be 2 assessments.

All symptoms greater than 5 points will be considered moderate to severe and formal referral to the palliative care team will be discussed with the patient and their attending physician. Subsequently evaluating its effectiveness in symptomatic control.

• Aims - This observational study will try to understand if there is a correlation between the evolution of MELD-Na and symptomatic burden of patients with advanced chronic liver disease. As well as the influence that the implementation of palliative care have on symptom burden of advanced chronic liver disease patients.

Inclusion criteria

• All patients with chronic liver disease

Exclusion criteria

• do not sign consent to participate
• patients under 18 years of age
• patients who present a recurrent degree of encephalopathy, according to the West-Haven scale, equal or greater than 2