Alleviating Persistent Dyspnea in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patients Treated With Non-Invasive Ventilation Through Immersive Virtual Reality (RVI-SLA)

The evolution of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is marked by dyspnea, anxiety and pain, major determinants of suffering induced by this disease. The only palliative treatment for respiratory failure is non-invasive ventilation (NIV), which compensates failing respiratory muscles and relieves dyspnea, improves quality of life and increases life expectancy. In ALS patients, the persistence of dyspnea outside of NIV sessions has highlighted the need for therapeutic alternatives in the treatment of persistent dyspnea, including immersive virtual reality (IVR) and auditory distraction through music (music therapy). This study evaluates the effect of IVR on respiratory discomfort in ALS patients with persistent dyspnea treated with NIV.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Immersive virtual reality (IVR) & Music therapy

Detailed Description

The evolution of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is marked by dyspnea, anxiety and pain, major determinants of suffering induced by this disease. The only palliative treatment for respiratory failure is non-invasive ventilation (NIV), which compensates failing respiratory muscles and relieves dyspnea, improves quality of life and increases life expectancy. In ALS patients, the persistence of dyspnea outside of NIV sessions has highlighted the need for therapeutic alternatives in the treatment of persistent dyspnea, including immersive virtual reality (IVR) and auditory distraction through music (music therapy). The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of IVR on respiratory discomfort (scale A1 of the Multidimensional Dyspnea Profile (MDP) questionnaire) of patients with ALS at the stage of respiratory failure treated with NIV. This will be an open-label, monocentric, randomized, controlled cross-over clinical study. ALS patients will be recruited during their respiratory evaluation carried out as part of their usual care provided in an ambulatory setting (day care hospital) in the Pneumology Department of Pitié Salpêtrière Hospital. Eligibility criteria will be verified during this visit. If the patient meets eligibility criteria, the investigator will present the study to him using the information letter. After a period of reflection that the patient deems necessary to make his decision and after having obtained an answer to all his questions, his written consent will be collected by the investigator. The patient will then be offered a digital therapy session based on immersive virtual reality (IVR) and a music therapy session, 60 minutes apart. The IVR session will be based on medical hypnosis (GAMIDA®) and the music therapy session will be based on the choice of music that the patient wishes. Each session will last 15 minutes. Patients will start either with the medical hypnosis session by IVR or with the music session depending on the randomization carried out before the start of the study. The random order will be provided by software (CleanWeb).

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 35
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Capucine MORELOT-PANZINI; Phone Number: 01 42 16 77 71; Email: capucine.morelot@aphp.fr
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Thomas SIMILOWSKI; Phone Number: 01 42 16 78 84; Email: thomas.similowski@aphp.fr

Study Locations

• France
  • France
    • Paris, France, France, 75013
      • Recruiting
      • Service de pneumologie
      • Contact: Capucine MORELOT PANZINI; Phone Number: 33 01 42 16 77 71; Email: capucine.morelot@aphp.fr

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• ≥ 18 years old
• Diagnosis of ALS confirmed according to the revised criteria of El Escorial
• Respiratory failure due to diaphragmatic dysfunction treated by non-invasive ventilation for more than a month
• Care provided in an ambulatory setting (day care hospital)
• Persistent dyspnea at rest ≥ 3 across a numerical scale (0 to 10) in a semi-sitting position
• Stable clinical condition, i.e., no episode of acute cardiac, respiratory and/or neurological failure leading to hospitalization in the previous 4 weeks
• Free, prior and informed written consent about the study has been obtained
• Benefiting a social security (French health insurance system)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Neurological disorders according to a neurological evaluation dating from less than one year, in particular diagnosed dementia (frontotemporal dementia, Alzheimer's disease, etc.), brain pathology (tumor, stroke, Parkinson's disease, etc.)
• Diagnosed psychiatric illness (severe depression, psychosis) or receiving antipsychotic treatment
• Acrophobia
• Claustrophobia
• Photophobia
• Hearing loss
• Visual impairment
• Subject under guardianship or curatorship

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Patients starting with RVI; Patients will begin by wear a virtual reality headset (GAMIDA®) and headphones (Bose®). A tablet (Samsung®) equipped with "Healthy Mind" software will allow patients to live a 360° visual and auditory 3D experience via Bluetooth connection. After that patients will be handed a smartphone with the Spotify® application to listen to music. Patients will wear headphones.	Device: Immersive virtual reality (IVR) & Music therapy; The patient will be offered a digital therapy session based on immersive virtual reality (IVR) and a music therapy session, 60 minutes apart. The IVR session will be based on medical hypnosis (GAMIDA®) and the music therapy session will be based on the choice of music the patient wishes. Each session will last 15 minutes. Patients will start either with the medical hypnosis session by IVR or with the music session depending on the randomization carried out before the start of the study. The random order will be provided by software (CleanWeb).
Active Comparator: Patients starting with music therapy; Patients will begin by handed a smartphone with the Spotify® application to listen to music. Patients will wear headphones. After that patients will wear a virtual reality headset (GAMIDA®) and headphones (Bose®). A tablet (Samsung®) equipped with "Healthy Mind" software will allow patients to live a 360° visual and auditory 3D experience via Bluetooth connection.	Device: Immersive virtual reality (IVR) & Music therapy; The patient will be offered a digital therapy session based on immersive virtual reality (IVR) and a music therapy session, 60 minutes apart. The IVR session will be based on medical hypnosis (GAMIDA®) and the music therapy session will be based on the choice of music the patient wishes. Each session will last 15 minutes. Patients will start either with the medical hypnosis session by IVR or with the music session depending on the randomization carried out before the start of the study. The random order will be provided by software (CleanWeb).

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Evaluate the effect of IVR on respiratory discomfort (A1)	Evaluate the effect of IVR on respiratory discomfort (scale A1 of the MDP questionnaire) of patients with ALS at the stage of respiratory failure treated with NIV	15 minutes

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Evaluate the effect of IVR on respiratory discomfort (QS and A2)	Evaluate the effect of IVR on the sensory (scale QS of the MDP questionnaire) and emotional (scale A2 of the MDP questionnaire) components of dyspnea of patients with ALS at the stage of respiratory failure treated with NIV.	15 minutes
Evaluate the effect of music therapy on respiratory discomfort (QS, A1 and A2)	Evaluate the effect of music therapy on the sensory (scale QS of the MDP questionnaire), affective (scale A1 of the MDP questionnaire) and emotional (scale A2 of the MDP questionnaire) components of dyspnea of patients with ALS at the stage of respiratory failure treated with NIV.	15 minutes
Compare the evolutionary profile on respiratory discomfort (QS, A1 and A2) under the effect of IVR and music therapy	Compare the evolutionary profile of the sensory ( scale QS of the MDP questionnaire ) and affective ( scale A1 and A2 of the MDP questionnaire) components of dyspnea under the effect of IVR and music therapy.	15 minutes
Compare the effect of IVR and music therapy on the respiratory discomfort in terms of preference.	Compare the effect of IVR and music therapy on the respiratory discomfort of ALS patients treated with NIV in terms of preference through a post-exposure questionnaire after the two interventions	15 minutes
Evaluate the acceptability of IVR	Evaluate the effect of IVR on dyspnea in terms of acceptability by a subjective questionnaire of six questions using a 7-point Likert scale.	15 minutes

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): April 4, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): April 4, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): April 4, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 25, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 25, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): September 1, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 25, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 23, 2026
• Last Verified: February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Non-Invasive Ventilation; Immersive Virtual Reality; Persistent Dyspnea
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Neuromuscular Diseases; Metabolic Diseases; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Spinal Cord Diseases; TDP-43 Proteinopathies; Proteostasis Deficiencies; Motor Neuron Disease; Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis; Therapeutics; Complementary Therapies; Patient Care; Psychotherapy; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities; Rehabilitation; Aftercare; Continuity of Patient Care; Sensory Art Therapies; Music Therapy
• Other Study ID Numbers: APHP230974

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No