What the trial was testing
The ED GOAL enrolled 141 patients with copd. The study was sponsored by Brigham and Women's Hospital and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.
Researchers followed patients through treatment and into recovery, tracking the outcomes that mattered most for the disease being studied.
What the results showed
Doctors documented end-of-life wishes for 31% of patients who had nurse-led conversations versus 13% who didn't.
JAMA network open · 2025 · NCT05209880
These findings — that doctors were more than twice as likely to record patients' end-of-life preferences after nurse-led conversations — were published in the JAMA network open and represent the headline result of the study.
Researchers tracked outcomes across 141 patients enrolled in the trial. The result was consistent enough across the group that the team felt confident reporting it.
What this means for patients
For patients with copd, this result changes the calculus on what to ask their care team about. Whether it changes day-to-day care depends on factors like disease subtype, prior treatments, and where the patient is in their care journey.
What you can do now
This study tested a conversation program, not a treatment. If you have a serious illness like advanced cancer or COPD, the emergency department can be a good place to start conversations about your care wishes. Ask your doctor or nurse if they offer similar programs to help you plan ahead.
Eligibility for the treatments mentioned above depends on specific test results and clinical history. Bring this summary, the trial name, and your most recent labs or pathology report to your next visit.
Open copd trials
Nebulizer Versus Handheld Maintenance Therapy for Patients With COPD
Multi-site, randomized controlled trial to determine whether patients who report NO symptomatic benefit with their maintenance hand-held inhaler(s), benefit upon switching to nebulized therapy using comparable classes of medications.
PEP-buddy in COPD: Effect on Dyspnea Severity and Mechanism of Action
Chronic dyspnea is the most characteristic symptom of patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), with intermittent increases during exercise and other events.Despite optimal standard therapy, episodic dyspnea is a common occurrence in COPD. Recently, the PEP buddy was developed which is an easy-to use, hands-free device that generates positive expiratory pressure (PEP). Although currently the available evidence is limited, it indicates that utilizing the PEP-buddy can result in enhancements in dyspnea during exertion, exertional desaturation and overall quality of life. More research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of this device and the long term usability, as well as getting more insight in the mechanism of action. Therefore, the aim of our study is to explore the potential of this device for patients with COPD and episodic breathlessness.