Home-Delivered Meals Postdischarge From Heart Failure Hospitalization

Despite not meeting the primary outcome of significantly improving quality of life, the MTM with DASH diet and sodium restriction showed potential benefits in reducing symptoms and physical limitations associated with heart failure, suggesting that nutritional support might be a useful component of post-discharge care for heart failure patients.

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Although not statistically significant, the study observed a trend toward lower rates of 30-day heart failure readmissions and fewer days rehospitalized in patients who received the dietary intervention compared to usual care.

Home-delivered, the nutrition intervention were safe and feasible for heart failure patients post-discharge, with minimal diet-related adverse events reported.

Summary of Conclusion/Findings

The GOURMET-HF pilot study (Geriatric Out-of-Hospital Randomized Meal Trial in Heart Failure) is the first randomized trial to examine the effects of direct dietary support in patients with HF after hospital discharge. The study tested home-delivered Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) meals with restricted sodium content (1500 mg/day) against usual care over a period of 4 weeks. The study found that while the intervention did not significantly improve disease-specific quality of life (as measured by the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire summary score), there were favorable trends towards reducing rehospitalizations and the number of days rehospitalized within 30 days post-discharge. Diet-related adverse events were uncommon, and the intervention was generally safe.