NCT02426788

Brief Summary

Brief Summary: Persistent Physical Symptoms (PPS), also known as medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) is a term used to describe a range of persistent bodily symptoms for which the exact cause is unclear. Between 20 and 40% of patients in primary care, and about 50% in secondary care experience PPS. Not only are PPS common, but the overlap across different patient groups may indicate that these phenomena are transdiagnostic. PPS are associated with profound disability and high health care costs, and if left untreated the prognosis of these patients is poor. There is an accumulating body of evidence demonstrating that cognitive behavioural interventions can reduce levels of symptoms and improve functioning in patients with PPS. A pragmatic randomised controlled trial (RCT) was designed to evaluate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) + Standard Medical Care (SMC) versus Standard Medical Care alone, in the treatment of patients with PPS. The trial will focus on patients with a variety of symptoms (e.g., non-cardiac chest pain, fibromyalgia), across secondary care clinics (e.g., neurology, cardiology, and rheumatology).

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
324

participants targeted

Target at P75+ for not_applicable

Timeline
Completed

Started Jul 2015

Longer than P75 for not_applicable

Geographic Reach
1 country

7 active sites

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

April 22, 2015

Completed
5 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

April 27, 2015

Completed
2 months until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

July 1, 2015

Completed
3.5 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

January 1, 2019

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

January 1, 2019

Completed
Last Updated

May 9, 2019

Status Verified

August 1, 2018

Enrollment Period

3.5 years

First QC Date

April 22, 2015

Last Update Submit

May 7, 2019

Conditions

Keywords

medically unexplainedfibromyalgiapostural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (PoTs)non-cardiac chest painCFSirritable bowel syndrome (IBS)functional neurologicalchronic painhyperventilationunexplained cough

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Work and social adjustment scale

    Measures impairment in functioning

    52 weeks post randomisation

Secondary Outcomes (9)

  • Persistent Physical Symptom Questionnaire

    52 weeks post randomisation

  • Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15)

    52 weeks post randomisation

  • Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)

    52 weeks post randomisation

  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7)

    52 weeks post randomisation

  • Clinical Global Impression (CGI)

    52 weeks post randomisation

  • +4 more secondary outcomes

Other Outcomes (1)

  • PSYCHLOPS

    52 weeks post randomisation

Study Arms (2)

CBT+SMC

EXPERIMENTAL

Cognitive behavioural therapy + Standard Medical Care (cognitive-behavioural therapy+SMC): 8 hour-long manual-based CBT sessions with a therapist, weekly or fortnightly.

Behavioral: Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

Standard Medical Care (SMC)

NO INTERVENTION

Participants assigned to the SMC group (i.e., control group) will receive all the treatment and support they would otherwise receive outside of a research trial.

Interventions

Behavioral: Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) The CBT intervention used in the trial has been adapted for people with PPS and it is based on a model of understanding PPS (Deary et al 2007). The therapy aims to help the patient develop an understanding of the relationship between cognitive, physiological and behavioural aspects of their problem; to understand factors that may be maintaining the problem and to learn how to modify their behavioural and cognitive responses in order to improve quality of life. The approach is transdiagnostic in that it targets processes and underlying mechanisms that affect disorders similarly, rather than focusing on how they are diagnostically different. The approach is personalised during therapy following a detailed assessment.

CBT+SMC

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years - 70 Years
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may not qualify if:

  • Active psychosis;
  • Factitious disorder;
  • Headaches as the only PPS;
  • Non-epileptic seizures
  • Current alcohol dependence or drug addiction as assessed by the clinician;
  • Current benzodiazepine use exceeding the equivalent of 10mg diazepam/day;
  • The patient is currently receiving CBT/CBT based approach psychotherapy, or has received CBT/CBT based approach psychotherapy in the past year, for their PPS;
  • The patient is thought to be at imminent risk of self-harm;
  • Patient is taking part in PRINCE Primary trial.

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (7)

Guy's Hospital

London, United Kingdom

Location

King's College Hospital

London, United Kingdom

Location

Queen Elizabeth Hospital

London, United Kingdom

Location

Royal Free Hospital

London, United Kingdom

Location

St Thomas' Hospital

London, United Kingdom

Location

University Hospital Lewisham

London, United Kingdom

Location

Princess Royal University Hospital

Orpington, United Kingdom

Location

Related Publications (1)

  • Chalder T, Patel M, James K, Hotopf M, Frank P, Watts K, McCrone P, David A, Ashworth M, Husain M, Garrood T, Moss-Morris R, Landau S. Persistent physical symptoms reduction intervention: a system change and evaluation in secondary care (PRINCE secondary) - a CBT-based transdiagnostic approach: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. BMC Psychiatry. 2019 Oct 22;19(1):307. doi: 10.1186/s12888-019-2297-y.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

FibromyalgiaPostural Orthostatic Tachycardia SyndromeIrritable Bowel SyndromeChronic PainHyperventilation

Interventions

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Muscular DiseasesMusculoskeletal DiseasesRheumatic DiseasesNeuromuscular DiseasesNervous System DiseasesOrthostatic IntolerancePrimary DysautonomiasAutonomic Nervous System DiseasesColonic Diseases, FunctionalColonic DiseasesIntestinal DiseasesGastrointestinal DiseasesDigestive System DiseasesPainNeurologic ManifestationsSigns and SymptomsPathological Conditions, Signs and SymptomsRespiration DisordersRespiratory Tract DiseasesSigns and Symptoms, Respiratory

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior TherapyPsychotherapyBehavioral Disciplines and Activities

Study Officials

  • Trudie Chalder, PhD

    King's College London

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
SINGLE
Who Masked
OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

April 22, 2015

First Posted

April 27, 2015

Study Start

July 1, 2015

Primary Completion

January 1, 2019

Study Completion

January 1, 2019

Last Updated

May 9, 2019

Record last verified: 2018-08

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will not share

Locations