Does CBT Improve the Perception/Impact of Cough and Breathlessness in IPF Patients

December 11, 2012 updated by: Ian Forrest, Royal Victoria Infirmary

Does Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Delivered by a Respiratory Nurse Reduce Anxiety and the Impact of Cough and Breathlessness on Quality of Life in Patients With Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF)?

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic progressive lung disease of unknown cause for which there is no effective medical treatment. The main symptoms are increasing breathlessness and cough which can significantly impact on quality of life (QOL) often leading to anxiety and depression. The focus of disease management is shifting from pharmacological attempts to reduce disease progression to managing symptoms and a more holistic approach. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is increasingly used to treat anxiety and depression in chronic disease. Our investigators aim to determine whether CBT can reduce anxiety and depression related to symptoms and improve QOL in patients with IPF. This study will compare CBT intervention (Group 1) against standard treatment (Group 2). Patients will be recruited from a specialist IPF clinic - all patients attending with IPF who suffer from anxiety will be eligible to participate in the study. The study aims to recruit 30 patients (15 in each group). Patients will be randomly allocated into each group using an envelope concealment system. At entry a baseline visit will be conducted with information gathered regarding disease severity, hospital admissions, medication, symptoms (subjective and objective), quality of life and anxiety and depression using questionnaires and routine clinical tests. Patients will then receive CBT intervention (Group 1) or no intervention (Group 2). Patients receiving CBT will undergo a maximum of 6 (minimum of 2) individual therapy sessions. Follow up visits for both groups will be conducted at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months with the same information gathered as at the baseline visit.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

Medical therapies (e.g. prednisolone, azathioprine and N-acetylcysteine) have not shown any benefit in patients with IPF and may cause harm. Therefore the focus of management has shifted towards a more holistic approach-management of the symptoms and how patients cope with these, in a chronic progressive terminal disease. Anxiety is recognised to contribute to patients' perceptions of symptoms and quality of life. CBT is being increasingly used in other chronic respiratory diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) where there is some evidence that it reduces anxiety and breathlessness. Currently there is no evidence regarding its use in IPF. If CBT is shown to reduce anxiety and help patients cope with symptoms of cough and breathlessness then it can be integrated into the care of all IPF patients to improve quality of life.

All patients attending our specialist IPF clinic will be asked to complete a hospital anxiety and depression questionnaire (HADS). All those with anxiety (HADS-A of equal to or greater than 8) will be eligible for entry. Study information will be provided to these patients and they will then be contacted between 24 and 48 hours later by telephone to confirm they wish to enter the study. If they wish to participate a hospital visit will be arranged to complete informed consent, gather baseline information and be randomised. If allocated to the CBT intervention group they will then receive a maximum of 6 (minimum of 2) sessions of CBT on an individual basis. Patients allocated to the placebo group will receive written information on anxiety management. All patients will attend four more clinic visits at three, six, nine and twelve months after randomisation. At each clinic visit they will complete five questionnaires (totalling 60 questions) and undergo lung function and six minute walk test. They will be consented to wear a cough monitor for a 24 hour period at both baseline and 3 month visits. The cough monitor records the number of times a patient coughs and how long they cough for during a 24 hour period. A small microphone is attached to the clothing and another small microphone to the chest wall which is connected to a small recording device. The device is carried around the waist. The patient will then return the cough monitor the following day. The monitor records not only coughing sounds but also other sounds around the microphone. However, computer software is used to remove parts of the recording where there is no sound, such as when reading or sleeping. It is also designed to remove distant noises, such as another person's conversation or noise from a television but this depends on how loud or close the noise is to the microphone.

The anonymised recordings will be analysed by a trained researcher at Manchester University who counts the number of coughs. The recordings are kept confidential and are stored anonymously at the University of Manchester for a period of 15 years.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Anticipated)

30

Phase

  • Not Applicable

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 Backup

Study Locations

      • Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, NE2 1HP
        • Royal Victoria Infirmary
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Ian Forrest, MRCP UK, PhD
        • Contact:
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Laura Tanner, MBBS, MRCP

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

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (ADULT, OLDER_ADULT)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

diagnosis of IPF confirmed by a specialist IPF MDT according to ATS/ERS criteria, agreement to participate and provide written, informed consent, agreement to attend a minimum of 2 and maximum of 6 CBT sessions.

Exclusion Criteria:

HADS-A equal or more than eight, Known psychiatric disorders, psychosis or personality disorders, currently receiving psychological therapy including counselling and/or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), cognitive impairment e.g. dementia preventing engagement with CBT, unwilling to engage in CBT, verbal and/or written communication problems limiting ability to engage with CBT or provide written consent (all attempts made to include patients in whom English is not their first language by using an interpreter).

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

  • Primary Purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE
  • Allocation: RANDOMIZED
  • Interventional Model: PARALLEL
  • Masking: NONE

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
ACTIVE_COMPARATOR: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Patient in this arm receive 2-6 sessions of cognitive behavioural therapy
Patient receive 2-6 sessions depending on individual need. first session is 1 hour duration with additional sessions approximately 30 minutes.
Other Names:
  • CBT
PLACEBO_COMPARATOR: Written information on CBT
Patients in this arm do not receive sessions of CBT but receive written information on anxiety control as per standard practice

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
validity of tools used
Time Frame: baseline and 12 months
to determine validity of tools used in pilot study to inform a future, multicentre RCT.
baseline and 12 months
estimation of recruitment rate
Time Frame: baseline to 12 months
to determine estimation of recruitment rate to inform a future RCT
baseline to 12 months
number of patients needed
Time Frame: baseline to 12 months
estimation of parameters such as variance of outcome variables to enable calculation of sample size in a future RCT.
baseline to 12 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
change in Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety subset
Time Frame: baseline and 3 months
to assess change in anxiety scores using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (anxiety subset) at 3 months.
baseline and 3 months
change in Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Depression subset
Time Frame: baseline and 3 months
to assess change in depression using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (depression subset) at 3 months.
baseline and 3 months
change in cough frequency
Time Frame: baseline and 3 months
to assess change in cough frequency using a 24 hour cough monitor
baseline and 3 months
change in Medical Research Council (MRC) dyspnoea scale
Time Frame: baseline and 3 months
to assess the impact on breathlessness using change in MRC dyspnoea scale at 3 months
baseline and 3 months
change in pulmonary function tests (FVC, TLCO)
Time Frame: baseline and 3 months
to assess impact on disease severity using pulmonary function tests at 3 months
baseline and 3 months
change in leicester cough questionnaire
Time Frame: baseline and 3 months
to assess the change in quality of life using the Leicester cough questionnaire at 3 months
baseline and 3 months
change in Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety subset
Time Frame: baseline and 6 months
change in anxiety score using Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (anxiety subset) at 6 months
baseline and 6 months
change in Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety subset
Time Frame: baseline and 9 months
change in anxiety score using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (anxiety subset) at 9 months
baseline and 9 months
change in Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety subset
Time Frame: baseline and 12 months
change in anxiety score using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (anxiety subset) at 12 months
baseline and 12 months
change in Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Depression subset
Time Frame: baseline and 6 months
to assess change in depression using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (depression subset) at 6 months.
baseline and 6 months
change in Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Depression subset
Time Frame: baseline and 9 months
to assess change in depression using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (depression subset) at 9 months.
baseline and 9 months
change in Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Depression subset
Time Frame: baseline and 12 months
to assess change in depression using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (depression subset) at 12 months.
baseline and 12 months
change in MRC dyspnoea scale
Time Frame: baseline and 6 months
to assess the impact on breathlessness using change in MRC dyspnoea scale at 6 months
baseline and 6 months
change in MRC dyspnoea scale
Time Frame: baseline and 9 months
to assess the impact on breathlessness using change in MRC dyspnoea scale at 9 months
baseline and 9 months
change in MRC dyspnoea scale
Time Frame: baseline and 12 months
to assess the impact on breathlessness using change in MRC dyspnoea scale at 12 months
baseline and 12 months
change in pulmonary function tests (FVC, TLCO)
Time Frame: baseline and 6 months
to assess impact on disease severity using pulmonary function tests at 6 months
baseline and 6 months
change in pulmonary function tests (FVC, TLCO)
Time Frame: baseline and 9 months
to assess impact on disease severity using pulmonary function tests at 9 months
baseline and 9 months
change in pulmonary function tests (FVC, TLCO)
Time Frame: baseline and 12 months
to assess impact on disease severity using pulmonary function tests at 12 months
baseline and 12 months
change in 6 minute walk distance
Time Frame: baseline and 3 months
to assess impact on disease severity using six minute walk distance and desaturation index at 3 months
baseline and 3 months
change in six minute walk distance
Time Frame: baseline and 6 months
to assess impact on disease severity using six minute walk distance and desaturation index at 6 months
baseline and 6 months
change in six minute walk distance
Time Frame: baseline and 9 months
to assess impact on disease severity using six minute walk distance and desaturation index at 9 months
baseline and 9 months
change in six minute walk distance
Time Frame: baseline and 12 months
to assess impact on disease severity using six minute walk distance and desaturation index at 12 months
baseline and 12 months
change in leicester cough questionnaire
Time Frame: baseline and 6 months
to assess the change in quality of life using the Leicester cough questionnaire at 6 months
baseline and 6 months
change in leicester cough questionnaire
Time Frame: baseline and 9 months
to assess the change in quality of life using the Leicester cough questionnaire at 9 months
baseline and 9 months
change in leicester cough questionnaire
Time Frame: baseline and 12 months
to assess the change in quality of life using the Leicester cough questionnaire at 12 months
baseline and 12 months
change in King's brief interstitial lung disease questionnaire
Time Frame: baseline and 3 months
to assess the change in quality of life using the King's brief Interstitial Lung Disease questionnaire at 3 months
baseline and 3 months
change in King's brief interstitial lung disease questionnaire
Time Frame: baseline and 6 months
to assess the change in quality of life using the King's brief Interstitial Lung Disease questionnaire at 6 months
baseline and 6 months
change in King's brief interstitial lung disease questionnaire
Time Frame: baseline and 9 months
to assess the change in quality of life using the King's brief Interstitial Lung Disease questionnaire at 9 months
baseline and 9 months
change in King's brief interstitial lung disease questionnaire
Time Frame: baseline and 12 months
to assess the change in quality of life using the King's brief Interstitial Lung Disease questionnaire at 12 months
baseline and 12 months
change in generalised anxiety disorder questionnaire
Time Frame: baseline and 3 months
to assess the change in quality of life using the Generalised anxiety disorder questionnaire at 3 months
baseline and 3 months
change in generalised anxiety disorder questionnaire
Time Frame: baseline and 6 months
to assess the change in quality of life using the Generalised anxiety disorder questionnaire at 6 months
baseline and 6 months
change in generalised anxiety disorder questionnaire
Time Frame: baseline and 9 months
to assess the change in quality of life using the Generalised anxiety disorder questionnaire at 9 months
baseline and 9 months
change in generalised anxiety disorder questionnaire
Time Frame: baseline and 12 months
to assess the change in quality of life using the Generalised anxiety disorder questionnaire at 12 months
baseline and 12 months
change in EuroQol5 Dimension questionnaire
Time Frame: baseline and 3 months
to assess the change in quality of life using the EuroQol5 Dimension questionnaire at 3 months
baseline and 3 months
change in EuroQol5 Dimension questionnaire
Time Frame: baseline and 6 months
to assess the change in quality of life using the EuroQol5 Dimension questionnaire at 6 months
baseline and 6 months
change in EuroQol5 Dimension questionnaire
Time Frame: baseline and 9 months
to assess the change in quality of life using the EuroQol5 Dimension questionnaire at 9 months
baseline and 9 months
change in EuroQol5 Dimension questionnaire
Time Frame: baseline and 12 months
to assess the change in quality of life using the EuroQol5 Dimension questionnaire at 12 months
baseline and 12 months

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Ian Forrest, MRCP UK, PhD, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

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

December 1, 2012

Primary Completion (ANTICIPATED)

February 1, 2014

Study Completion (ANTICIPATED)

February 1, 2014

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

November 28, 2012

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 29, 2012

First Posted (ESTIMATE)

November 30, 2012

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (ESTIMATE)

December 12, 2012

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 11, 2012

Last Verified

December 1, 2012

More Information

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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