Perception of Unpleasant Sensations During Study Procedures in ALS Patients (PESALS)

November 17, 2025 updated by: Istituto Auxologico Italiano

Perception of Unpleasant Sensations in Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis During Procedures Performed in Clinical Trials

Diagnosis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is considered a traumatic life event for both the patient and their next-of-kin/carers, due to the lack of treatment. Clinical Trials can offer pioneering treatment to reduce the impact of the disease and improve future treatments worldwide. Research protocols may involve routine diagnostic and/or therapeutic procedures which the patients may be already aware of and, therefore, expecting specific sensations. These could compromise participation or drop-out rate. Despite everything, participation in a clinical trial can guarantee continuity of care also thanks to the execution of these same procedures, through preferential access compared to other patients.

Aim of this study is to investigate the unpleasant sensations perceived by ALS patients during procedures in clinical trials. Analysing what type of pain/discomfort frightens patients during diagnostic and/or therapeutic procedures, including the different methods of administration of the study drug. Provide data to implement effective therapy and offer constant patients support throughout ALS specific and needed procedures. Evaluate if this support could influence adherence rate of ALS patients to conduct clinical trials as required. Provide information for future studies to create an ALS Clinical Trials multiple-retention-factors adherence scale. Create and implement an ALS-specific pain scale accounting for its impact on daily activities, aiding an interdisciplinary approach of pain management. Identify the best pain management strategies and compliance techniques to address ALS, not merely in clinical trials. Provide the best individualized care for ALS patients improving their quality of life and mental state.

This is a descriptive phenomenological study and data will be analyzed according to Sundler's method. Based on the experience of the researchers and the recommendations proposed by Sandelowski, a total of 20 interviews are estimated in order to reach the theoretical saturation per category of reference. Data collection will be carried out through in-depth semi-structured interviews recorded (13 open-ended questions after the execution of the procedures).

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
15

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • Italy
      • Milan, Italy, 20145
        • Istituto Auxologico italiano IRCSS, San Luca Hospital

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) patients who are currently participating in interventional clinical studies or who have particpated in the recent past.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Spinal or bulbar Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
  • Age > 18 years
  • Adequate understanding of Italian language
  • Full understanding of the study
  • Informed consent signed
  • Current or past participation in interventional clinical studies
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS) score of item # 4 ≥ 2, or score of item #1 ≥ 1

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Clinically relevant cognitive dysfunction
  • Inability to answer orally or by writing to the questions of the interview
  • Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) scale ≥ 11

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Prevalence of experience of unpleasant sensations or pain
Time Frame: At enrollment
Prevalence of reported experience of unpleasant sensations orn pain during study procedures
At enrollment
Study procedure that causes unpleasant sensations or pain
Time Frame: At enrollment
Qualitative description of study procedure that causes unpleasant sensations or pain
At enrollment
Duration of unpleasant sensations or pain caused by the study procedure
Time Frame: At enrollment
Duration in minutes of unpleasant sensations or pain caused by the study procedure
At enrollment

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
HADS score
Time Frame: At enrollment
Score on Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) scale
At enrollment
ALSFRS score
Time Frame: At enrollment
Score on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS) scale
At enrollment

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Istituto Auxologico Italiano

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
April 19, 2023

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
January 24, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
January 24, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
March 16, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 16, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
March 22, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
November 18, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 17, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
November 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 23C305

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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