Nurse-led daily weight tracking to improve heart failure self-care and quality of life
The Effect of a Nurse-led Daily Weight Monitoring Intervention (Wake and Weigh) on Heart Failure Quality of Life and Self-care
This pilot will try a simple nurse-led 'Wake and Weigh' weight tracking tool to see if it helps adults 55 and older with heart failure improve self-care and quality of life.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 42 (estimated) |
| Ages | 55 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | The Cleveland Clinic Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Avon, Ohio) |
| Trial ID | NCT07184541 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This is a randomized controlled pilot comparing a nurse-led daily weight monitoring tool called Wake and Weigh with usual care in adults aged 55 and older hospitalized for heart failure. Participants complete the Self-Care in Heart Failure Index and the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire at admission and four weeks after discharge to capture self-care behaviors and symptom-related quality of life. The trial will measure feasibility and intervention fidelity, including how consistently nurses deliver the tool and whether participants use it after discharge. Findings will be used to refine methods for a larger definitive randomized trial.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are English-speaking adults aged 55 or older who are hospitalized for heart failure, can stand and weigh independently, and have or can obtain a home scale.
Not a fit: Patients with documented cognitive impairment, a Charlson Comorbidity Index above 4, who cannot stand or weigh independently, or who cannot complete follow-up are unlikely to benefit from this intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the intervention could help patients detect fluid changes earlier, strengthen daily self-care habits, and potentially reduce symptom burden and hospital readmissions.
How similar studies have performed: Daily weight monitoring and nurse-led self-care support have been tested previously with mixed results—some programs lowered readmissions while others showed limited benefit—so this simplified Wake and Weigh approach is a relatively modest and pragmatic refinement.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Adults (55 years or older) 2. New or existing diagnosis of HF (regardless of type or length of time since diagnosis). 3. Being treated for HF signs and/or symptoms during the current hospitalization (any of the following: IV diuretic, fluid restriction, low sodium diet). 4. Must be able to read and communicate in English. 5. Must be able to stand and weigh independently. 6. Must have a scale at home, or ability to obtain one for the study. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Documented diagnosis of cognitive impairment. 2. A Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) of \>4. This was chosen to exclude patients more likely to have hospital stays longer than a week. A CCI of \>3 was based on research showing a relationship to mortality (Imam et al., 2020), a CCI of ≥ 6 with a 2.8-times higher mortality (Yilmaz \& Omurlu, 2019), and likelihood of longer hospital length of stay for patients with HF if CCI \>2 (Foraker et al., 2014).
Where this trial is running
Avon, Ohio
- Cleveland Clinic Avon Hospital — Avon, Ohio, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Lee Anne Siegmund, PhD, RN
- Email: siegmul@ccf.org
- Phone: 216-618-5126
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.