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A Computer-Based Intervention for Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms
This study is currently recruiting participants.
Verified by University of Medicine and Dentistry New Jersey, June 2008
Sponsored by: University of Medicine and Dentistry New Jersey
Information provided by: University of Medicine and Dentistry New Jersey
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00468013
  Purpose

In this study 60 people with medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS) will receive either a 6-session resilience skill building intervention provided fully online or a weekly computerized journaling assignment. Both programs can be completed from home. Participants will complete questionnaires both before and after the intervention and changes in symptoms, mood and satisfaction with life will be assessed.


Condition Intervention
Fibromyalgia
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Behavioral: Resilience Building Exercises
Behavioral: Journaling

MedlinePlus related topics: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Exercise and Physical Fitness Fibromyalgia
U.S. FDA Resources
Study Type: Interventional
Study Design: Treatment, Randomized, Single Blind (Subject), Placebo Control, Crossover Assignment, Efficacy Study

Further study details as provided by University of Medicine and Dentistry New Jersey:

Primary Outcome Measures:
  • Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms [ Time Frame: Baseline and 6 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  • Positive and Negative Affect Scale [ Time Frame: Baseline and 6 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  • Satisfaction with Life Scale [ Time Frame: Baseline and 6 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Secondary Outcome Measures:
  • Patient Health Questionnaire [ Time Frame: Baseline and 6 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  • Health Assessment Questionnaire [ Time Frame: Baseline and 6 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Estimated Enrollment: 60
Study Start Date: March 2007
Estimated Study Completion Date: September 2008
Estimated Primary Completion Date: September 2008 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
Arms Assigned Interventions
1: Experimental
Computer-based exercises to be executed at home.
Behavioral: Resilience Building Exercises
Weekly exercises for 6 weeks
2: Sham Comparator
Computer-based exercises to be executed at home.
Behavioral: Journaling
Weekly exercises for 6 weeks

Detailed Description:

SUBJECTS: Sixty patients between the ages of 18 and 80 will be recruited from primary care clinics affiliated with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (UMDNJ-RWJMS). Qualified patients will be primary care patients who meet the following inclusion and exclusion criteria: Patients between the ages of 18 and 75 seeking medical care for physical symptoms (i.e., persistent fatigue, pain complaints, and gastrointestinal, cardiovascular or musculoskeletal symptoms). No major medical illness to explain symptom(s) is found after detailed physical and laboratory assessment. Patients with common disorders such as hypertension, asthma, diabetes, low back strain, etc., will be included if in the opinion of the physician the presenting physical symptoms are not due to the underlying disorder. In order to enter the study, patients must meet criteria for at least 4 medically unexplained symptoms out of the 42 somatic symptoms listed in the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) rated as currently present if males and at least 6 symptoms if females (Escobar's abridged criteria). Patients without ready access to a computer and the Internet will be excluded from participating. Also excluded will be individuals with life threatening medical illness, communicative disorder, lack of fluency in English, illiteracy, and major psychiatric conditions including psychoses, bipolar disorder, and alcohol or drug abuse. Patients will be required to add no medications to their regimen during the study period (approximately 6 weeks).

BASELINE ASSESSMENT. After reading and signing the informed consent, all participants will complete a baseline assessment consisting of questionnaires and a measure delivered by structured interview. Questionnaires will include the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS), the PRIME-MD Somatic Symptoms Scale only (SSS), Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), and a demographics questionnaire. The structured interview will consist of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI).

PROCEDURES: Subjects will be randomized to one of two groups. The psychological resilience building group's exercises will be posted on a state-of-the-art website known as "Authentic Happiness". Participants will be provided with the web address and shown how to access the site and the Research Portal where the 6 exercises that are the focus in this and other ongoing studies can be found. The journaling group will be instructed to write weekly for 60-minutes about how they used or plan to use their time over slightly varying time frames: 1) over the previous 24 hours, 2) over the previous week, 3) over the previous year, 4) in the next 24 hours, 5) in the next week and 6) in the next year. The journaling participants will use "PowerJournal". PowerJournal 0.2 for Windows is a downloadable program; once downloaded and installed on the computer, there is no further need for an Internet connection. This is a simple word-processing program, similar in style to Microsoft Word.

FOLLOW UP ASSESSMENT. After the intervention is complete, participants will be sent the same questionnaires (plus the Follow-Up Form) as used in the pre-intervention battery by mail and asked to return the questionnaires in the self-addressed, stamped envelope included. We estimate that these questionnaires will take about 30 minutes to complete. This will concluded their participation in the study.

  Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:   18 Years to 80 Years
Genders Eligible for Study:   Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:   No
Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Qualified patients will be primary care patients who meet the following inclusion and exclusion criteria: Patients between the ages of 18 and 75 seeking medical care for physical symptoms (i.e., persistent fatigue, pain complaints, and gastrointestinal, cardiovascular or musculoskeletal symptoms). No major medical illness to explain symptom(s) is found after detailed physical and laboratory assessment. Patients with common disorders such as hypertension, asthma, diabetes, low back strain, etc., will be included if in the opinion of the physician the presenting physical symptoms are not due to the underlying disorder. In order to enter the study, patients must meet criteria for at least 4 medically unexplained symptoms out of the 42 somatic symptoms listed in the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) rated as currently present if males and at least 6 symptoms if females (Escobar's abridged criteria).

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients without ready access to a computer and the Internet will be excluded from participating. Also excluded will be individuals with life threatening medical illness, communicative disorder, lack of fluency in English, illiteracy, and major psychiatric conditions including psychoses, bipolar disorder, and alcohol or drug abuse. Patients will be required to add no medications to their regimen during the study period (approximately 6 weeks).
  Contacts and Locations
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00468013

Contacts
Contact: Afton L Hassett, Psy.D. 732-235-7026 a.hassett@umdnj.edu
Contact: Shantal V Savage, BA 732-235-7026 souvensh@umdnj.edu

Locations
United States, New Jersey
UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Recruiting
New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States, 08903
Contact: Afton L Hassett, Psy.D.     732-235-7026     a.hassett@umdnj.edu    
Contact: Shantal V Savage, BA     732-235-7026     souvensh@umdnj.edu    
Sponsors and Collaborators
University of Medicine and Dentistry New Jersey
Investigators
Principal Investigator: Afton L Hassett, Psy.D. University of Medicine and Dentistry New Jersey
  More Information

Robert Wood Johnson Medical School  This link exits the ClinicalTrials.gov site

Responsible Party: UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School ( Afton L. Hassett, Psy.D. )
Study ID Numbers: P15-MUPS-8484
Study First Received: April 27, 2007
Last Updated: June 23, 2008
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00468013  
Health Authority: United States: Institutional Review Board

Keywords provided by University of Medicine and Dentistry New Jersey:
Fibromyalgia
Irritable Bowel
Chronic Fatigue
Medically Unexplained Symptoms
Resilience Building Exercises
Depression
Well-Being

Study placed in the following topic categories:
Fatigue
Depression
Myalgic encephalomyelitis
Gastrointestinal Diseases
Fibromyalgia
Myofascial Pain Syndromes
Colonic Diseases
Central Nervous System Diseases
Pain
Encephalomyelitis
Rheumatic Diseases
Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic
Intestinal Diseases
Depressive Disorder
Virus Diseases
Digestive System Diseases
Muscular Diseases
Neuromuscular Diseases
Musculoskeletal Diseases
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Colonic Diseases, Functional

Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Pathologic Processes
Disease
Syndrome
Nervous System Diseases

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on January 16, 2009