Nurse-led palliative care for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis: a parallel, single-blind, pragmatic, randomised controlled trial in Uganda

A study in Uganda aimed to test the hypothesis that additional nurse-led palliative care would improve patient-reported outcomes for patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. The study involved 154 adults aged 18 and older with a confirmed bacteriological diagnosis of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention group or the standard care control group. The intervention group received nurse-led person-centred holistic assessment, care planning, symptom control, and psychosocial support. The primary outcome was multidimensional palliative care-related symptoms and concerns. The study found that additional nurse-led palliative care improved self-reported outcomes spanning physical, psychological, social, and spiritual domains, and increased medication adherence. The study suggests that person-centred assessment and holistic care with pain and symptom control should be task-shifted into routine tuberculosis care.