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Telehealth Outreach for Chronic Back Pain (TELE)
This study is currently recruiting participants.
Verified by Department of Veterans Affairs, April 2009
First Received: January 22, 2008   Last Updated: April 22, 2009   History of Changes
Sponsors and Collaborators: Department of Veterans Affairs
University of California, San Diego
Information provided by: Department of Veterans Affairs
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00608530
  Purpose

This double blind, randomized, parallel groups, two arm, six month clinical trial. Patients will have chronic low back pain of non-neoplastic origin.

Patients will be randomized to one of two conditions, either Cognitive Behavioral Training or Rogerian psychotherapy; both conditions are home-based, telephone supported, with 10 hours of contact time delivered over 8 weeks.


Condition Intervention Phase
Pain
Back Pain
Behavioral: Cognitive behavioral therapy
Behavioral: Rogerian psychotherapy
Phase I
Phase II

MedlinePlus related topics: Back Pain
U.S. FDA Resources
Study Type: Interventional
Study Design: Treatment, Randomized, Double Blind (Subject, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor), Active Control, Parallel Assignment, Efficacy Study
Official Title: Telehealth Outreach for Chronic Back Pain

Further study details as provided by Department of Veterans Affairs:

Primary Outcome Measures:
  • Roland and Morris Disability Questionnaire [ Time Frame: End of treatment (8 weeks) ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Secondary Outcome Measures:
  • Numeric Pain Rating Scale (Numerical Rating Scale, 0-100) [ Time Frame: End of treatment (8weeks) ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Estimated Enrollment: 130
Study Start Date: March 2008
Estimated Study Completion Date: September 2010
Estimated Primary Completion Date: July 2010 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
Arms Assigned Interventions
1: Experimental
10 hours of Cognitive Behavioral Training delivered over 8 weeks by telephone and face-to-face contact
Behavioral: Cognitive behavioral therapy
Cognitive behavioral self-management skills training actively teaches techniques to evaluate and manage symptoms
2: Active Comparator
10 hours of Rogerian Psychotherapy delivered over 8 weeks by telephone and face-to-face contact
Behavioral: Rogerian psychotherapy
Rogerian therapy encourages self-identification of goals and solutions using a supportive but not didactic approach

Detailed Description:

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a major medical problem for the VA, affecting up to 15% of all veterans in primary care. Furthermore, prior surveys indicate CLBP is a leading cause of medical discharge of active duty personnel, and of medical disability costs. Given current demands on military personnel it is likely the burden of chronic pain will increase. The VHA has adopted the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research Guidelines for evaluation of back pain but these guidelines do not provide specifics for true rehabilitation. It is acknowledged that most back pain patients are not surgical candidates, that medications provide only limited analgesia, and that symptom control and improved function require a comprehensive approach addressing the cognitive, affective, and behavioral aspects of chronic pain. Fortunately, structured, specific interventions to both address the multidimensional nature of pain and operationalize treatment principles in primary care settings are available. These interventions, which reflect the VA emphasis on patient-centered care, can be effective in reducing disability and pain, but are a frequently overlooked component of effective care. One reason is that most clinics lack appropriately trained specialists. Moreover, even when specialists are available, the prevailing clinic-based service model is either too resource-intensive, or presents barriers to access. One approach to addressing some these barriers is the use of "telehealth" outreach. Studies in diverse medical disorders and some chronic pain syndromes suggest that care can be delivered efficiently and effectively with minimal therapist contact in home-based treatment models, using telephone consultation to replace clinic visits. These approaches are fully congruent with recent VHA telehealth initiatives to improve access and cost efficiency. We have extensive experience in VA Pain Clinic settings using a face-to-face, 8-week, 8-hours contact time CBSST program and have shown that it can be effective in reducing disability and pain, and improving mood in chronic back pain.

We propose a double blind, randomized assignment, two-arm, parallel groups, six month clinical trial. Patients with CLBP will be recruited from VA San Diego primary care clinics and the community. Subjects will receive either Cognitive-Behavioral Training (N = 65) or Rogerian Psychotherapy (N=65) in a home-based, telephone delivered format for a total of 10 hours of therapist contact time. Assessments will be conducted at baseline and at end of treatment, and at one, three and six months post-treatment. The primary data analytic strategy will be an intent-to-treat analysis (last observation carried forward) of all participants as randomized. The primary end point will be physical function (Roland & Morris Disability) at end of 8-week treatment; secondary end points will be pain intensity (Numeric Rating Scale) and mood (Beck Depression Inventory, Profile of Mood States).

Supplemental analyses will be conducted to test for durability of therapeutic effect at one, three, and six month post-treatment. Rigorously controlled clinical trials of the type we propose could contribute to more effective and more cost-efficient back pain treatment.

Key Words: Back Pain, Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment, Clinical Trial

  Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:   18 Years to 75 Years
Genders Eligible for Study:   Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:   No
Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Ages 18-75 inclusive;
  2. chronic musculoskeletal low back pain (pain "on a daily basis" for at least six months) as the primary pain problem;
  3. not eligible for back surgery;
  4. presently lives in the San Diego area and will do so six months after baseline examination;
  5. English-speaking, literate, with stable residence and phone.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Major medical illness (e.g., insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus with neuropathy or "poor control", heart disease with New York Heart Association Functional Class III or IV, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease requiring supplemental oxygen which might confound effects of pain on function);
  2. candidate for spine surgery;
  3. back pain associated with pregnancy, rheumatoid arthritis, neoplastic disease, osteomyelitis, or neural arch lesions, since their treatment and prognosis differs from the usual back pain population, or spinal stenosis, since increased physical activity would be contraindicated;
  4. history of DSM-IV bipolar disorder, dementia, or schizophrenia;
  5. current active DSM-IV diagnosed alcohol or non-prescribed substance dependence;
  6. current active DSM-IV major depressive episode or post-traumatic stress disorder since specialty mental health care would be indicated;
  7. non-opioid and opioid analgesics are permitted, except we will exclude patients on a hospital-initiated opioid treatment "contract," since at this medical center "contracting" identifies patients with history of opioid diversion, multiple VA and non-VA opioid prescribers, and repeated dose escalation in the absence of evidence of disease progression.
  Contacts and Locations
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00608530

Contacts
Contact: Judy Ortega, BA (858) 642-3830 judith.ortega@va.gov
Contact: Shetal Patel, PhD (858) 642-3830 backpainresearch@vapop.ucsd.edu

Locations
United States, California
VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego Recruiting
San Diego, California, United States, 92161
Contact: Robert M Smith, MD BS     858-642-3657     robert.smith2@va.gov    
Contact: Janet M Peyton, MA     (858) 642-3657     janet.peyton@va.gov    
Principal Investigator: Joseph H. Atkinson, MD            
Sponsors and Collaborators
University of California, San Diego
Investigators
Principal Investigator: Joseph H. Atkinson, MD VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego
  More Information

No publications provided

Responsible Party: Department of Veterans Affairs ( Atkinson, Joseph - Principal Investigator )
Study ID Numbers: B4767R
Study First Received: January 22, 2008
Last Updated: April 22, 2009
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00608530     History of Changes
Health Authority: United States: Federal Government

Keywords provided by Department of Veterans Affairs:
pain
chronic pain
chronic back pain
randomized clinical trial

Study placed in the following topic categories:
Signs and Symptoms
Neurologic Manifestations
Pain
Back Pain

Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Signs and Symptoms
Nervous System Diseases
Neurologic Manifestations
Pain
Back Pain

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on May 07, 2009