Triggers for Serious Illness Conversations in Adults With Congenital Heart Disease: A Delphi Consensus Study
Authors' conclusion
This international consensus identified 18 major trigger criteria to support timely SIC initiation in adults with CHD. These criteria span diverse clinical scenarios and provide a practical framework for integrating SICs into routine care for adults with CHD.
Study context
- Population
- Health care professionals rating potential SIC trigger criteria for adults with congenital heart disease (CHD), with a second panel of people with lived experience (PWLEs) and advocacy group representativeshealth care professionals in the international panel, 41 clinical experts invited · PWLEs (second panel) 4 · advocacy group representatives (second panel) 4
- Participants
- 39 professionals
- Comparison
- international panel of health care professionals vs second panel
- international panel of health care professionalsn = 39
Methodological detailsinternational panel, 3 rounds, consensus predefined as ≥70% agreement
- International panel
- 3 rounds
- Consensus predefined as ≥70% agreement
Recommendations
As reported in the abstract
Criteria reaching consensus · Round 1
Fifty of 67 criteria reached consensus
74.6%
Further findings
Major criteria
- Criteria classified as major
- Eighteen
- Spanning "patient needs," "CHD-defect characteristics," "lifetime events," "preintervention" triggers, "disease progression," and the surprise question
Response rates
- Rounds 1 and 2
- 94.9%
- Round 3
- 92.3%
- Forty-one clinical experts were invited, of which 39 agreed to participate
Original publication
Triggers for Serious Illness Conversations in Adults With Congenital Heart Disease: A Delphi Consensus Study. JACC Adv. Published 25 July 2026. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it