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GOURMET-VA: Nutritional Support for Heart Failure in Veterans

This study, called GOURMET-VA, is looking at whether adding nutritional support to standard care helps veterans with heart failure. You might be eligible if you are a veteran aged 60 or older, have been hospitalized for heart failure, and can safely eat regular food. The study compares two groups: one receives home-delivered, low-sodium meals for 6 weeks plus two extra dietary counseling sessions, while the other receives standard dietary education and one counseling session. Researchers will measure how many days you are alive and out of the hospital, and changes in your quality of life within 6 weeks after leaving the hospital. The study is currently unclear on its recruitment status and plans to enroll 1400 participants.

Study design
This is an interventional study with a planned enrollment of 1400 participants. It compares two different approaches to care for heart failure.
What's involved
If you participate, you would either receive home-delivered meals and two extra dietary counseling sessions for 6 weeks, or standard dietary education and one counseling session.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Your health will be evaluated within 6 weeks after you leave the hospital.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT05996328

CSP #2025 - Geriatric OUt-of-hospital Randomized MEal Trial in Heart Failure: Veterans Affairs (GOURMET-VA)

Recruiting
NAAges 60+InterventionalSupportive care
VA Office of Research and Development
~1,400 participants
Updated 2026-08-14 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Home-delivered meals and short-term dietary counselingStudy -defined standard of care

At a glance

Recruiting sites
16 of 16 listed sites are recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Number of pairwise comparisons with wins of Clinical Benefit, evaluated a hierarchical composite of days alive out of hospital and =5-point difference in the change of health-related quality of life
Measured over within 6 weeks post-index hospital discharge

Conditions

Heart Failure

Explore related trials

Heart Failure

NCT05996328

Where you'd take part

This study runs at 16 sites. They're the same protocol — you choose where, and that choice sets who your contact draft is addressed to.

  • Atlanta VA Medical and Rehab Center, Decatur, GA

    Decatur, Georgiastudy coordinator listed

    Recruiting

  • Birmingham VA Medical Center, Birmingham, AL

    Birmingham, Alabamastudy coordinator listed

    Recruiting

  • Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX

    Houston, Texasstudy coordinator listed

    Recruiting

  • Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN

    Minneapolis, Minnesotastudy coordinator listed

    Recruiting

  • North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System, Gainesville, FL

    Gainesville, Floridastudy coordinator listed

    Recruiting

  • Richmond VA Medical Center, Richmond, VA

    Richmond, Virginiastudy coordinator listed

    Recruiting

  • VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI

    Ann Arbor, Michiganstudy coordinator listed

    Recruiting

  • VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, West Los Angeles, CA

    West Los Angeles, Californiastudy coordinator listed

    Recruiting

Sites open and close at different times, so the status above is per site — it can differ from the study's overall status.

Study leadership

  • Scott L. Hummel, MD · STUDY_CHAIR · VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI

Who to contact

Yuan Huang
[email protected]
(203) 737-7966
Email the study team

Opens a ready-to-send draft in your own email app — review before sending.

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Veterans enrolled in a VHA facility
Hospitalized ( 24 hours) with new HF or worsening chronic HF
Dentition, swallowing function, etc. sufficient to safely consume food and liquid of standard composition and texture (i.e., no pureed food, no thickened liquids needed)
Able and willing to provide informed consent and perform study activities

Exclusion

Food allergies or intolerances that cannot be accommodated by study diet
On dialysis or estimated glomerular filtration rate \<30 at randomization
Serum potassium (non-hemolyzed) \>6.0 mmol/L during index hospitalization
Heart transplant or active transplant listing
Left ventricular assist device present or anticipated \<6 months
Malignancy or other non-cardiac condition limiting life expectancy to \<12 months
Planned admission to a skilled nursing facility following hospital discharge, or discharge to other location/situation where Veteran does not have control over diet
Lack of space to store food for a week or equipment to prepare food
Severe cognitive impairment (SLUMS score \<20, or \<19 if less than high school education completed)
Severe food insecurity (5 or 6 points on the USDA 6-item Food Insecurity Screen)
Body mass index \>50 kg/m2
Other medical, psychiatric, behavioral, or logistical condition which, in the clinical judgement of the site investigator, makes it unlikely the patient can effectively participate in or complete the study

What this trial measures

  • Number of pairwise comparisons with wins of Clinical Benefit, evaluated a hierarchical composite of days alive out of hospital and =5-point difference in the change of health-related quality of lifewithin 6 weeks post-index hospital discharge

    All patients randomized to intervention are compared to all patients randomized to placebo within strata. In each comparison with any two patients, a patient will win by achieving a superior clinical outcome which is determined by sequentially assessing the following criteria with evaluation halted when distinct advantage for either patient is shown: 1. Days alive out of hospital at 6 weeks: shorter days is worse; tied, if same days alive out of hospital. Move to evaluation of 2 if tied. 2. Change of The Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire Clinical Summary (KCCQ-CS) at 6 weeks from baseline: the threshold for the difference is greater or equal to 5 for a win; tied, if difference is less than 5. The KCCQ-CS ranges from 0 to 100, where a higher score reflects a better outcome.