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RecruitingNCT06221956APRICOTUpdated Feb 9, 2024

Effectiveness of a Digital Health Application for Subacute and Chronic Back Pain (Relevis)

An interventional study of relevis in Back Pain, sponsored by Gaia AG. Recruiting at 1 site in Germany. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2024-02-09.

Sponsored by Gaia AG · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
276
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This clinical trial with 276 patients with subacute or chronic back pain aims to investigate the effectiveness of the unguided digital therapeutic relevis for patients with subacute or chronic back pain. Inclusion criteria are: age ≥ 18 years, presence of subacute (6-12 weeks) or chronic (>12 weeks) back pain, attested by a medical certificate (relevant ICD-10-GM diagnoses: M47.8x, M47.9x, M54.5, M54.8x, M54.9x, M51.0x, M51.1x, M51.2), impaired functional ability [Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) ≥ 21], consent to participation, sufficient knowledge of the German language. Exclusion criteria are: change in treatment of back pain in the past month, planned change in treatment of back pain in the next 3 months, prior use of other online programs/apps for back pain, history of back, hip or knee surgery in the past 6 months, history of more than one back surgery in lifetime, presence of a specific cause for back pain (e.g., fracture, infection, neuropathies [except when due to disc prolapse], axial spondyloarthritis), tumor or metastases, cauda equina syndrome, acute myocardial infarction, unstable coronary heart disease/angina pectoris or heart failure, acute thrombosis, manifest osteoporosis, acute fevers, rheumatic autoimmune diseases.

Patients will be randomized and allocated to either an intervention group in a 1:1 ratio, in which they will receive access to relevis in addition to treatment as usual (TAU, n = 138), or to a control group, in which they will receive only TAU (n = 138). TAU is defined as any therapy prescribed or recommended by the GP or specialists (e. g. orthopedic surgeon, rheumatologists etc.) which may include physiotherapy, injections in the spine, drug therapy, orthesis, etc. (1,2). The primary endpoint will be the functional impairment, measured by the ODI, with three months post-allocation being the primary time point for assessment of effectiveness (T1). Six months post-allocation (T2) will be used as the follow-up assessment endpoint. Secondary endpoints will be depression, work and social functioning, pain intensity, and health-related quality of life.

02

Conditions studied

  • Back Pain

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03

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Age ≥ 18
  • Presence of subacute (6-12 weeks) or chronic (>12 weeks) back pain
  • Submission of a medical certificate attesting to the presence of at least one of the following ICD-10-GM diagnoses of back pain:

    • M47.8x - Spondylosis
    • M47.9x - Other spondylosis
    • M54.5 - Back pain
    • M54.8x - Other back pain
    • M54.9x - Unspecified back pain
    • M51.0x - Thoracic, thoracolumbar and lumbosacral intervertebral disc disorders with myelopathy
    • M51.1x - Thoracic, thoracolumbar and lumbosacral intervertebral disc disorders with radiculopathy
    • M51.2 - Other thoracic, thoracolumbar and lumbosacral intervertebral disc displacement
  • Impaired functional ability (ODI ≥ 21)
  • Consent to participate
  • Sufficient knowledge of the German language

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Change in treatment of back pain in the past month
  • Planned change in treatment of back pain in the next 3 months
  • Prior use of other online programs/apps for back pain
  • History of back, knee or hip surgery in the past 6 months
  • History of more than one back surgery during lifetime
  • Presence of a specific cause for back pain, e.g.:

    • Fracture
    • Infection
    • Neuropathies (except when due to disc prolapse)
    • Axial spondyloarthritis
  • Tumor or metastases
  • Cauda equina syndrome
  • Acute myocardial infarction
  • Unstable coronary heart disease/angina pectoris or heart failure
  • Acute thrombosis
  • Manifest osteoporosis
  • Acute fevers
  • Rheumatic autoimmune diseases
04

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
276 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    relevis + TAU

    Participants allocated to the intervention group will receive access to relevis in addition to treatment as usual (TAU). relevis is a digital health application designed for individuals with subacute or chronic back pain, accessible through a web browser. The application consists of six physical exercise modules that cover four exercises with thiree different levels of difficulty, each, and ten interactive "conversations" on different topics (changes in the body, pain development and processing, chronic pain, pain and mood, relaxation and mindfulness, becoming active against pain, stress and pain, nutrition and pain, sleep and pain, work and pain). "Conversations" are accompanied by illsutrations, audio recordings, motivating text messages, worksheets, and summaries. Users are also encouraged to regularly complete short questionnaires to monitor their complaints. Once registered, the program remains accessible for 180 days.

    Behavioral: relevis

  • No intervention
    TAU

    Participants allocated to the control group will receive access to treatment as usual (TAU).

Interventions

  • Behavioralrelevis

    Participants will receive access to the digital health intervention relevis in addition to TAU.

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Functional Impairment

    Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire (ODI). Total score ranging from 0-100; higher scores mean higher functional impairment (worse outcome).

    Time frame: 3 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Depressive Symptomatology

    Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Total score ranging from 0-27; higher scores mean higher depressive symptomatology (worse outcome).

    Time frame: 3 months

  2. Work and Social Functioning

    Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS). Total score ranging from 0-40; higher scores mean higher disability (worse outcome).

    Time frame: 3 months

  3. Intensity of Back Pain

    Numeric Rating Scale (NRS). Score ranging from 0-10; higher scores mean higher pain (worse outcome).

    Time frame: 3 months

  4. Health-related Quality of Life

    Assessment of Quality of Life - 8 Dimensions (AQoL-8D). Total score ranging from 0-100; higher scores mean higher quality of life (better outcome).

    Time frame: 3 months

06

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
07

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

08

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06221956
Lead sponsor
Gaia AG
Collaborators
University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Philipps Universität Marburg
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jan 24, 2024
Start date
Jan 23, 2024
Primary completion
Jan 23, 2025 (estimated)
Completion
Jan 23, 2025 (estimated)
Last update
Feb 9, 2024

Study contacts

Gitta A. Jacob, PhD
Contact
gitta.jacob@gaia-group.com
+49.40.349930-374
Antje Riepenhausen, PhD
Contact
antje.riepenhausen@gaia-group.com
Kamila Jauch-Chara, MD
principal investigator · Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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