Using virtual reality to improve pain management in inflammatory bowel disease
Outpatient Virtual Reality-Directed Treatment for Pain in Inflammatory Bowel Disease
This study is testing whether a virtual reality program can help people with inflammatory bowel disease manage their pain better and improve their overall quality of life.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 40 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University of Michigan Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Ann Arbor, Michigan) |
| Trial ID | NCT06910787 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This research focuses on the feasibility and acceptability of a virtual reality (VR)-directed brain-gut behavioral therapy (BGBT) program for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The study aims to enhance pain treatment by assessing the program's completion rates and its impact on pain scores, symptom burden, and overall quality of life. Participants will engage in outpatient sessions using VR technology, with the goal of reducing reliance on opioids and healthcare utilization. The study will also evaluate the psychological benefits, including reductions in stress, anxiety, and depression.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults aged 18 and older with a confirmed diagnosis of IBD who experience moderate abdominal pain.
Not a fit: Patients who do not report pain or have conditions that may be exacerbated by VR are unlikely to benefit from this study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could significantly improve pain management and quality of life for patients with IBD.
How similar studies have performed: While the use of VR in healthcare is gaining traction, this specific application in IBD treatment is relatively novel and has not been extensively tested.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Adult outpatients (18 years and older) that carry a diagnosis of IBD and confirmed in the electronic health record (EHR) as receiving IBD-targeted treatment * IBD-targeted treatment include 5-aminosalicylates, thiopurines, biologics, or small molecules such as Janus kinase inhibitor (JAK) inhibitors or sphingosine-1-receptor modulators. * Self-report abdominal pain with an average severity ≥ 2 on a 0-10 pain scale over the last 24 hours, * Participants are willing and able to pick-up and drop-off VR equipment at University of Michigan (UM) Exclusion Criteria: * Patients that do not report pain (i.e., score\<2) as they are less likely to benefit from VR-directed BGBT * Patients with a history of conditions that could potentially be harmed by VR including seizures/epilepsy, loss of awareness, binocular vision loss, current pregnancy, or uncontrolled cardiac (e.g., arrhythmia, coronary artery disease) or neurological/cerebrovascular disease.
Where this trial is running
Ann Arbor, Michigan
- University of Michigan — Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Shirley Cohen-Mekelburg, MD, MS — University of Michigan
- Study coordinator: Shirley Cohen-Mekelburg, MD, MS
- Email: shcohen@med.umich.edu
- Phone: 734-845-5735
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.