Contemporary clinical trials
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Contemp Clin Trials · Mar 2017
Randomized Controlled TrialA cluster randomized trial of a primary palliative care intervention (CONNECT) for patients with advanced cancer: Protocol and key design considerations.
The addition of specialty palliative care to standard oncology care improves outcomes for patients with advanced cancer and their caregivers, but many lack access to specialty care services. Primary palliative care-meaning basic palliative care services provided by clinicians who are not palliative care specialists-is an alternative approach that has not been rigorously evaluated. ⋯ This trial addresses the need for more accessible models of palliative care by evaluating an intervention led by oncology nurses that can be widely disseminated in community oncology settings. The design confronts potential biases in palliative care research by randomizing at the practice level to avoid contamination, enrolling patients prior to informing them of group allocation, and conducting blinded outcome assessments. By collecting patient, caregiver, and healthcare utilization outcomes, the trial will enable understanding of the full range of a primary palliative care intervention's impact.
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Contemp Clin Trials · Mar 2017
Randomized Controlled TrialA study protocol for a single-blind, randomized controlled trial of adjunctive transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for chronic pain among patients receiving specialized, inpatient multimodal pain management.
Available treatments for chronic pain (CP) are modestly effective or associated with iatrogenic harm. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that may be an effective, adjunctive treatment to non-opioid therapies. In this randomized control trial (RCT), we compare adjunctive active versus sham tDCS among patients in a multimodal inpatient pain management program. The primary objectives of the RCT are to improve pain tolerance and subjective pain experience. ⋯ Interventions with cross-symptomatic therapeutic potential are absolutely essential in the context of CP, in which psychiatric comorbidity is the norm. Modalities that can be used in tandem with evidence-based, non-opioid therapies have the potential to have a synergistic effect, resulting in increased effectiveness of what have been modestly effective treatments to date.
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Contemp Clin Trials · Mar 2017
Randomized Controlled TrialDesign of the integrative medical group visits randomized control trial for underserved patients with chronic pain and depression.
Given the public health crisis of opioid overprescribing for pain, there is a need for evidence-based non pharmacological treatment options that effectively reduce pain and depression. We aim to examine the effectiveness of the Integrative Medical Group Visits (IMGV) model in reducing chronic pain and depressive symptoms, as well as increasing pain self-management. ⋯ Usual care of chronic pain through pharmacological treatment has mixed evidence of efficacy and may not improve quality of life or functional status. We aim to conduct a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of the IMGV model as compared to usual care in reducing self-reported pain and depressive symptoms as well as increasing pain management skills.