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Active, not recruitingNCT06529965EASE-T2DMUpdated Jun 15, 2026

Evaluating a Digital Intervention for Alleviating Diabetes-specific Emotional Distress in Adults Living With T2DM

An interventional study of covivio in Glucose Metabolism Disorders (Including Diabetes Mellitus), Metabolic Disease and Endocrine System Diseases, sponsored by Gaia AG. Active, not recruiting at 1 site in Germany. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-06-15.

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

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
250
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This randomized controlled trial (RCT) with 250 patients suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) aims to investigate the effectiveness of the self-guided digital therapeutic covivio. Inclusion criteria are: male, female or non-binary; age ≥ 18 years; confirmed diagnosis of T2DM; elevated levels of diabetes-specific emotional distress (Problem Areas in Diabetes [PAID]-20 score ≥ 33); consent to participate; sufficient German language skills. Exclusion criteria are: a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM); current use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) as part of one's diabetes treatment; changes or planned changes in medication within 4 weeks before the baseline visit or in the subsequent 6 months; a bariatric operation within 4 weeks before the baseline visit or such an operation planned in the subsequent 6 months; changes or planned changes in psychotherapeutic treatment within 4 weeks before the baseline visit or in the subsequent 6 months. In addition, participants will be excluded from the study if they did not wear the CGM sensor for at least 6 of 7 days at baseline (before randomization), providing a minimum of 96 hours of glucose values including at least 24 hours overnight.

Patients will be randomized and allocated in a 1:1 ratio to either an intervention group, in which they will receive access to covivio in addition to treatment as usual (TAU, n = 125), or to a control group, in which they will receive only TAU (n = 125).

Co-primary endpoints of this trial will be the between-groups difference in the PAID-20 total score in the intervention and control group at six months, adjusted for the PAID-20 baseline score as well as the glucose management indicator (estimated HbA1c) assessed using continuous glucose monitoring devices (for a period of 7 days) at six months, adjusted for the baseline score.

Secondary endpoints will be diabetes self-management skills, body mass index (BMI), and quality of life.

02

Conditions studied

  • Glucose Metabolism Disorders (Including Diabetes Mellitus)
  • Metabolic Disease
  • Endocrine System Diseases
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2

Keywords

  • type 2 diabetes
  • covivio
  • diabetes self-management
  • digital health application
03

Who can participate

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

Inclusion criteria

  • male, female or non-binary
  • age ≥ 18 years
  • diagnosis of T2DM secured via submission of a medical certificate attesting to the presence of at least one of the following ICD-10-GM diagnoses of T2DM: E11.20, E11.30, E11.40, E11.50, E11.60, E11.72, E11.74, E11.80, E11.90
  • elevated levels of diabetes-specific emotional distress: cut-off ≥ 33 on the PAID-20
  • access to CGM-compatible smartphone
  • consent to participate
  • sufficient knowledge of the German language

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • diagnosis of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM)
  • change in medication (type, frequency of use or dosage) within 4 weeks before the baseline visit or planned within the subsequent 6 months
  • recent or planned bariatric operation within 4 weeks before the baseline visit or within the subsequent 6 months
  • change in psychotherapeutic treatment within 4 weeks before the baseline visit or planned within the subsequent 6 months
  • current use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) as part of one's diabetes treatment
  • experiencing problems with the CGM sensor or insufficient CGM data quality at baseline (T0) (i.e., wearing the CGM sensor on less than 6 of 7 days, providing less than a minimum of 96 hours of glucose values, providing less than 24 hours overnight CGM data)
04

Study design

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

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Intervention/Treatment

    Experimental: covivio + TAU Participants allocated to the intervention group will receive access to covivio in addition to treatment as usual (TAU). covivio is a digital health application designed for individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus who suffer from elevated levels of diabetes-specific emotional distress, accessible through a web browser. The application focuses on treatment methods derived from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Topics addressed by covivio are disease literacy, physical activity and exercise, nutrition, stress management, sleep management, mood problems, and social resources. The program operates through interactive "dialogues", which are accompanied by illustrations, audio recordings, motivational 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: covivio

  • No intervention
    Control

    No Intervention: TAU Participants allocated to the control group will receive access to treatment as usual (TAU).

Interventions

  • Behavioralcovivio

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

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Diabetes-specific emotional distress

    Assessed with the Problem Areas in Diabetes Questionnaire (PAID-20). Total score ranging from 0-100; higher scores indicate higher diabetes-specific emotional distress (worse outcome).

    Time frame: 6 months

  2. Glucose management indicator

    The glucose management indicator (GMI) is an estimation of HbA1c from CGM. It is calculated as follows: GMI (%) = 3.31 + 0.02392 x \[mean glucose in mg/dL\].

    Time frame: 6 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Diabetes-specific emotional distress

    Assessed with the Problem Areas in Diabetes Questionnaire (PAID-20). Total score ranging from 0-100; higher scores indicate higher diabetes-specific emotional distress (worse outcome).

    Time frame: 3 months

  2. Diet self-management skills

    Assessed with the Diet Subscale of the Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities Measure (SDSCA). The diet subscale contains four items and the score may range from 0-28; higher scores indicate higher diet self-management skills (better outcome).

    Time frame: 3 months; 6 months

  3. Exercise self-management skills

    Assessed with the Exercise Subscale of the Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities (SDSCA). The exercise subscale contains two items and the score may range from 0-14; higher scores indicate higher exercise self-management skills (better outcome).

    Time frame: 3 months; 6 months

  4. Health-related quality of life

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

    Time frame: 3 months; 6 months

  5. Body mass index (BMI)

    The BMI will be computed according to the following formula: kg/m2, where kg is a person's weight in kilograms and m2 is their height in meters squared. If necessary, height will be converted into meters and weight will be converted into kilograms.

    Time frame: 3 months; 6 months

Other outcomes

  1. Time in range (TIR) derived from CGM

    Defined as time spent in the target range between 70 and 180 mg/dL. TIR will be assessed in hours and minutes for a 7-day period, and also expressed as percent.

    Time frame: 6 months

  2. Mean sensor glucose derived from CGM

    Mean sensor glucose will be calculated over the 7 days of glucose measurements.

    Time frame: 6 months

  3. Coefficient of variation derived from CGM

    The coefficient of variation will be used to quantify glycemic variability.

    Time frame: 6 months

06

Study locations

1 site
  • GAIA AG
    Hamburg, 22085, Germany
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
NCT06529965
Lead sponsor
Gaia AG
Collaborators
University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Philipps University Marburg
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jul 31, 2024
Start date
Oct 9, 2024
Primary completion
Dec 2026 (estimated)
Completion
Dec 2026 (estimated)
Last update
Jun 15, 2026

Study contacts

Kamila Jauch-Chara, Dr. med.
principal investigator · Zentrum für Integrative Psychiatrie, Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein

Oversight

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

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