Optimal involvement of palliative care (PC) services in the management of patients with decompensated cirrhosis and end-stage liver disease (ESLD) is limited. This may result from both ignorance and the failure to recognize the spectrum and unpredictability of the underlying liver condition. Palliative care is a branch of medicine that focuses on quality of life (QoL) by optimizing symptom management and providing psychosocial, spiritual, and practical support for both patients and their caregivers. Historically, palliative care has been underutilized for patients with decompensated liver disease. This review provides an evidence-based analysis of the benefits of the integration of palliative care into the management of patients with ESLD. Liver Transplantation 24 961-968 2018 AASLD.
© 2018 by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.