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Peer-Mentor-Unterstützung für gefährdete Patienten mit Vorhofflimmern (EMPOWER-AF)

2. November 2026 aktualisiert von: Cecilie Mia Lykke Mielow, University College Copenhagen

Erkunden und Verbessern der psychischen Gesundheit bei gefährdeten Patienten mit Vorhofflimmern - Eine randomisierte kontrollierte Studie zu einer Peer-Mentor-Intervention

The goal of this randomized clinical trial is to evaluate whether a peer-mentor intervention can improve mental well-being among vulnerable patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Patients with AF often experience anxiety, uncertainty, and reduced quality of life. These challenges are particularly pronounced among individuals with low socioeconomic position, who may face additional barriers to accessing supportive care.

The main question the study aims to answer is:

Does a 16-week peer-mentor intervention reduce anxiety symptoms among patients with AF compared with usual care?

Researchers will compare peer-mentor support plus usual care with usual care alone.

Participants will:

Complete questionnaires about anxiety, depressive symptoms, quality of life, and self-efficacy at baseline and after 16 weeks.

Be randomized either to receive peer-mentor support for 16 weeks or to receive usual care only.

If allocated to the intervention group, be matched with a trained peer mentor with lived experience of atrial fibrillation who provides emotional support and practical guidance through approximately eight contacts over the 16-week period.

The study will also include follow-up using national health registers and a mixed-methods process evaluation exploring participants' and mentors' experiences with the intervention.

Studienübersicht

Status

Rekrutierung

Bedingungen

Intervention / Behandlung

Detaillierte Beschreibung

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia and is associated with significant symptom burden, reduced quality of life, and high levels of psychological distress. Anxiety is particularly prevalent among patients with AF and may worsen symptom perception, increase health-related worry, and negatively affect engagement in self-management and healthcare. Individuals with low socioeconomic position often experience greater disease burden and face additional barriers to accessing supportive care, contributing to social inequalities in cardiovascular health.

Peer support interventions have shown promising effects in other cardiac populations by providing emotional support, normalization of illness experiences, and practical guidance based on lived experience. Such interventions may enhance patients' confidence in managing their condition and navigating everyday life with chronic illness.

The EMPOWER-AF study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a peer-mentor intervention designed to support vulnerable patients with AF. The intervention is grounded in social cognitive theory, particularly the concept of self-efficacy, and is intended to strengthen patients' ability to manage symptoms, cope with uncertainty, and improve mental well-being.

The study is conducted as a randomized controlled trial with two parallel groups. Participants are randomized to either a peer-mentor intervention in addition to usual care or usual care alone. The intervention lasts 16 weeks and involves one-to-one support between a trained peer mentor and a patient with AF. Peer mentors are individuals with lived experience of AF who have achieved stable everyday management of the condition and who are trained to provide emotional support and experiential guidance. Contacts between mentors and mentees may take place via telephone, face-to-face meetings, or digital communication depending on participant preferences.

In addition to the randomized trial, the study includes an embedded mixed-methods process evaluation to explore participants' and mentors' experiences, mechanisms of impact, and contextual factors influencing engagement with the intervention.

The study seeks to generate evidence on whether peer-based support can improve mental well-being among vulnerable patients with AF and contribute to more equitable and person-centered care for this patient group.

Studientyp

Interventionell

Einschreibung (Geschätzt)

290

Phase

  • Unzutreffend

Kontakte und Standorte

Dieser Abschnitt enthält die Kontaktdaten derjenigen, die die Studie durchführen, und Informationen darüber, wo diese Studie durchgeführt wird.

Studienkontakt

Studienorte

Teilnahmekriterien

Forscher suchen nach Personen, die einer bestimmten Beschreibung entsprechen, die als Auswahlkriterien bezeichnet werden. Einige Beispiele für diese Kriterien sind der allgemeine Gesundheitszustand einer Person oder frühere Behandlungen.

Zulassungskriterien

Studienberechtigtes Alter

18 Jahre und älter (Erwachsene, Älterer Erwachsener)

Akzeptiert gesunde Freiwillige

Nein

Studienberechtigte Geschlechter

Alle

Beschreibung

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Adults (≥18 years) with a confirmed diagnosis of atrial fibrillation
  • Low socioeconomic position, primarily defined as educational attainment of vocational education or below
  • Able to understand and speak Danish
  • Able to provide written informed consent
  • Able to complete study questionnaires

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Inability to provide informed consent

Studienplan

Dieser Abschnitt enthält Einzelheiten zum Studienplan, einschließlich des Studiendesigns und der Messung der Studieninhalte.

Wie ist die Studie aufgebaut?

Designdetails

  • Hauptzweck: Behandlung
  • Zuteilung: Zufällig
  • Interventionsmodell: Parallele Zuordnung
  • Maskierung: Keine (Offenes Etikett)

Waffen und Interventionen

Teilnehmergruppe / Arm
Intervention / Behandlung
Experimental: Peer-Mentor Support + Usual Care

Participants randomized to this arm receive a 16-week peer-mentor intervention in addition to usual care. Each participant is matched with a trained peer mentor with lived experience of atrial fibrillation who provides emotional support, normalization of illness experiences, and practical guidance. The intervention includes approximately eight contacts over 16 weeks delivered via telephone, face-to-face meetings, or digital communication depending on participant preferences. Participants continue to receive usual medical care throughout the study period.

A 16-week peer-mentor program designed to support patients living with atrial fibrillation. Participants are matched with trained peer mentors who have lived experience with atrial fibrillation. Mentors provide emotional support, normalization of illness experiences, and practical non-clinical guidance for managing everyday life with the condition. Contacts between mentors and participants are planned approximately eight times during the intervention period and may take place via telephone, face-to-face meetings, or digital communication according to participant preferences. Mentors do not provide medical advice.

Kein Eingriff: Usual care

Participants randomized to this arm receive usual care according to local clinical practice for atrial fibrillation. No peer-mentor support is provided.

Was misst die Studie?

Primäre Ergebnismessungen

Ergebnis Maßnahme
Maßnahmenbeschreibung
Zeitfenster
Anxiety symptoms measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-A)
Zeitfenster: Baseline and 16 weeks

Anxiety symptoms are assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale - Anxiety subscale (HADS-A). The subscale consists of 7 items assessing symptoms such as tension, worry, and panic, each scored from 0 to 3. The total score ranges from 0 to 21, with higher scores indicating greater levels of anxiety symptoms.

Baseline and 16 weeks

Sekundäre Ergebnismessungen

Ergebnis Maßnahme
Maßnahmenbeschreibung
Zeitfenster
Depressive symptoms measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-D)
Zeitfenster: Baseline and 16 weeks

Depressive symptoms are assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale - Depression subscale (HADS-D). The subscale consists of 7 items assessing mood, interest, and enjoyment, each scored from 0 to 3. The total score ranges from 0 to 21, with higher scores indicating greater levels of depressive symptoms.

Baseline and 16 weeks
Atrial fibrillation-specific quality of life measured by the Atrial Fibrillation Effect on QualiTy-of-life (AFEQT)
Zeitfenster: Baseline and 16 weeks

Quality of life is assessed using the Atrial Fibrillation Effect on QualiTy-of-life (AFEQT) questionnaire. The questionnaire includes items assessing symptoms, daily activities, treatment concerns, and satisfaction over the past 4 weeks. Items are rated on a 7-point scale, and scores are transformed to a scale from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better quality of life.

Baseline and 16 weeks
Self-efficacy measured by the Self-Efficacy for Managing Chronic Disease scale (SES6G)
Zeitfenster: Baseline and 16 weeks

Self-efficacy is assessed using the Self-Efficacy for Managing Chronic Disease scale (SES6G), which includes 6 items assessing confidence in managing symptoms, emotional challenges, and daily activities related to chronic illness. Each item is scored on a scale from 1 to 10, and the total score is calculated as the mean of the items, with higher scores indicating greater self-efficacy.

Baseline and 16 weeks
Use of antidepressants and benzodiazepines based on redeemed prescriptions
Zeitfenster: From randomization to 24 weeks and 1 year follow-up

Use of psychotropic medication is assessed using national prescription register data. This includes antidepressants (ATC code N06A) and benzodiazepines (ATC code N05B). The outcome is defined as the occurrence of at least one redeemed prescription during follow-up.Outcome assessments are conducted at 24 weeks and 1 year after completion of the 16-week intervention.

From randomization to 24 weeks and 1 year follow-up
Diagnoses of anxiety and depression based on hospital records
Zeitfenster: From randomization to 24 weeks and 1 year follow-up

Diagnoses of anxiety and depression are assessed using national patient register data. Diagnoses include anxiety disorders (ICD-10 code F41*) and depressive disorders (ICD-10 codes F32-F33*). The outcome is defined as the occurrence of at least one diagnosis during follow-up. Outcome assessments are conducted at 24 weeks and 1 year after completion of the 16-week intervention.

From randomization to 24 weeks and 1 year follow-up
Atrial fibrillation-related hospital contacts
Zeitfenster: From randomization to 24 weeks and 1 year follow-up

Hospital contacts related to atrial fibrillation are assessed using national patient register data. Contacts are identified using ICD-10 code I48* and include inpatient admissions and outpatient visits. The outcome is defined as the occurrence of at least one AF-related hospital contact during follow-up. Outcome assessments are conducted at 24 weeks and 1 year after completion of the 16-week intervention.

From randomization to 24 weeks and 1 year follow-up
Cardiac death and suicide
Zeitfenster: From randomization to 24 weeks and 1 year follow-up

Mortality outcomes are assessed using national register data and include cardiac death and suicide during follow-up. The outcome is defined as the occurrence of death during the follow-up period. Outcome assessments are conducted at 24 weeks and 1 year after completion of the 16-week intervention.

From randomization to 24 weeks and 1 year follow-up

Mitarbeiter und Ermittler

Hier finden Sie Personen und Organisationen, die an dieser Studie beteiligt sind.

Sponsor

Mitarbeiter

Ermittler

  • Hauptermittler: Signe S Risom, Senior Researcher, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital

Studienaufzeichnungsdaten

Diese Daten verfolgen den Fortschritt der Übermittlung von Studienaufzeichnungen und zusammenfassenden Ergebnissen an ClinicalTrials.gov. Studienaufzeichnungen und gemeldete Ergebnisse werden von der National Library of Medicine (NLM) überprüft, um sicherzustellen, dass sie bestimmten Qualitätskontrollstandards entsprechen, bevor sie auf der öffentlichen Website veröffentlicht werden.

Haupttermine studieren

Studienbeginn (Tatsächlich)

26. Mai 2026

Primärer Abschluss (Geschätzt)

1. November 2027

Studienabschluss (Geschätzt)

1. Januar 2029

Studienanmeldedaten

Zuerst eingereicht

17. März 2026

Zuerst eingereicht, das die QC-Kriterien erfüllt hat

23. März 2026

Zuerst gepostet (Tatsächlich)

27. März 2026

Studienaufzeichnungsaktualisierungen

Letztes Update gepostet (Tatsächlich)

5. November 2026

Letztes eingereichtes Update, das die QC-Kriterien erfüllt

2. November 2026

Zuletzt verifiziert

1. Januar 2026

Mehr Informationen

Begriffe im Zusammenhang mit dieser Studie

Andere Studien-ID-Nummern

  • F-26003029

Arzneimittel- und Geräteinformationen, Studienunterlagen

Studiert ein von der US-amerikanischen FDA reguliertes Arzneimittelprodukt

Nein

Studiert ein von der US-amerikanischen FDA reguliertes Geräteprodukt

Nein

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