Mindfulness meditation for chronic pelvic pain management

ISRCTN ISRCTN10925965
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN10925965
ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT02721108
Secondary identifying numbers 20814
Submission date
27/06/2016
Registration date
28/06/2016
Last edited
16/03/2020
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Signs and Symptoms
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data

Plain English Summary

Background and study aims
Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) in women is where pain is felt in the pelvic region (the area below the belly button and between the hips) for at least 6 months. It is a relatively common condition, affecting around one million women in the UK every year, which is often painful and disabling, putting a great deal of strain on women’s lives and the NHS. The exact cause of CPP can vary, making it very difficult to treat. Mindfulness is a psychological treatment that works by teaching people to accept the sensations and emotions in the present moment. This can help people to accept their pain, allowing them to focus on daily activities and improve their quality of life. This type of treatment often takes place in eight-week face-to-face courses, however recently, smartphone applications have been used to deliver this type of treatment. The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based smartphone app in the treatment of CPP in women, in order to find out whether a large-scale study is possible.

Who can participate?
Adult women with CPP who have access to a smartphone.

What does the study involve?
Participants are randomly allocated to one of three groups. Those in the first group receive access a smartphone app delivering mindfulness instructions for 60 days. Those in the second group receive access to a smartphone app delivering muscle relaxation instructions for 60 days, in addition to usual care. Those in the third group receive usual care alone for 60 days. At the end of the study, the amount of participants that have been recruited and the amount of those who actively took part are recorded. In addition, participants who received the mindfulness app complete a questionnaire at 60 days about how user friendly the app is, and all participants complete a range of questionnaires at the start of the study, and then after 60 days, 3 months and 6 months, to measure their mental wellbeing, quality of life and acceptance of pain.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
There are not expected to be any direct benefits or risks for participants taking part in this study.

Where is the study run from?
1. Royal London Hospital (UK)
2. Whipps Cross Hospital (UK)

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
November 2015 to August 2017

Who is funding the study?
National Institute for Health Research (UK)

Who is the main contact?
1. Miss Sian Newton (public)
s.newton@qmul.ac.uk
2. Miss Elizabeth Ball (scientific)
Elizabeth.Ball@bartshealth.nhs.uk

Study website

Contact information

Miss Sian Newton
Public

Women’s Health Research Unit
Centre for Primary Care and Population Health
Blizard Institute
Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry
Yvonne Carter Building
58 Turner Street
Whitechapel
London
E1 2AB
United Kingdom

ORCiD logoORCID ID 0000-0001-8035-0411
Phone +44 (0)20 7882 5883
Email s.newton@qmul.ac.uk
Miss Elizabeth Ball
Scientific

Gynaecology Department
Royal London Hospital
Whitechapel High Street
London
E1 1BB
United Kingdom

ORCiD logoORCID ID 0000-0001-8739-090X
Phone +44 (0)7501 980269
Email Elizabeth.Ball@bartshealth.nhs.uk

Study information

Study designRandomised; Interventional; Design type: Treatment, Psychological & Behavioural
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)Hospital
Study typeTreatment
Participant information sheet Not available in web format, please use the contact details to request a patient information sheet
Scientific titleMindfulness meditation using a smart-phone application for women with chronic pelvic pain (MEMPHIS)
Study acronymMEMPHIS
Study hypothesisThe overall aim is to assess the feasibility of implementing a trial using psychological approaches delivered by a mobile phone app for patients with chronic pelvic pain (CPP).

The primary objectives are:
1. To provide feasibility data for a large multicentre RCT aimed at rigorously testing psychological approaches in CPP
2. To determine whether this app can be seamlessly integrated into clinical practice, especially CPP pathways
Ethics approval(s)London - Camden and Kings Cross Research Ethics Committee, 01/02/2016, ref: 15/LO/1967
ConditionSpecialty: Reproductive health and childbirth, Primary sub-specialty: General gynaecology; UKCRC code/ Disease: Other/ Symptoms and signs involving the digestive system and abdomen
InterventionFollowing provision of informed consent, patients will be randomised to one of three groups. Randomisation will be performed using a centralised internet service.

Group A - “Intervention”: Participants receive access to a smartphone app delivering mindfulness instructions for 60 days.
Group B - “Active control”: Participants receive access to a smartphone app delivering muscle relaxation instructions for 60 days, in addition to usual care.
Group C - Treatment as usual: Participants receive usual care

Clinical outcome data will be collected at 60 days, 3 months and 6 months post randomisation. App usability data will be collected at 60 days for the intervention and active control groups.
Intervention typeOther
Primary outcome measure1. Recruitment rate is measured at the end of follow up
2. Adherence rate is measured using data provided by Headspace during the intervention (first 60 days)
3. Usability of the app measured using a questionnaire at 60 days post randomisation
Secondary outcome measuresSecondary outcome measures as of 02/12/2016:
1. Quality of life-Physical Functioning subscale measured by the RAND Short form (36) Health Survey (SF-36) at baseline, 60 days, 3 months, and 6 months post-randomisation
2. Quality of life-Social Functioning subscale measured by the RAND Short form (36) Health Survey (SF-36) at baseline, 60 days, 3 months, and 6 months post-randomisation
3. Quality of life-Pain subscale measured by the RAND Short form (36) Health Survey (SF-36) at baseline, 60 days, 3 months, and 6 months post-randomisation
4. Quality of life-General Health subscale measured by the RAND Short form (36) Health Survey (SF-36) at baseline, 60 days, 3 months, and 6 months post-randomisation
5. Depression is measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) at baseline, 60 days, 3 months, and 6 months post-randomisation
6. Anxiety is measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) at v60 days, 3 months, and 6 months post-randomisation
7. Pain Acceptance is measured using the Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire (CPAQ-8) at baseline, 60 days, 3 months, and 6 months post-randomisation
8. Sexual health outcomes are measured using the Sexual Health Outcomes in Women Questionnaire (SHOW-Q) at baseline, 60 days, 3 months, and 6 months post-randomisation

Original secondary outcome measures:
1. Quality of life is measured using the Short form (36) Health Survey (SF-36) at baseline, 60 days, 3 months, and 6 months post-randomisation
2. Depression is measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) at baseline, 60 days, 3 months, and 6 months post-randomisation
3. Anxiety is measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) at v60 days, 3 months, and 6 months post-randomisation
4. Pain Acceptance is measured using the Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire (CPAQ-8) at baseline, 60 days, 3 months, and 6 months post-randomisation
5. Sexual health outcomes are measured using the Sexual Health Outcomes in Women Questionnaire (SHOW-Q) at baseline, 60 days, 3 months, and 6 months post-randomisation
Overall study start date01/11/2015
Overall study end date31/08/2017

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Patient
Age groupAdult
Lower age limit18 Years
SexFemale
Target number of participantsPlanned Sample Size: 90; UK Sample Size: 90
Total final enrolment90
Participant inclusion criteria1. Aged 18 or over
2. Women with organic and non-organic chronic pelvic pain lasting for six months or more
3. Capable of understanding the information provided, with use of an interpreter if required and being able to understand simple English as is used in the app
4. Give written informed consent
5. Access to a personal computer or smartphone
Participant exclusion criteria1. Males
2. Absence of diagnosis of organic and non-organic chronic pelvic pain (CPP)
3. Diagnosis of organic and non-organic chronic pelvic pain (CPP) lasting for less than 3 months
4. Aged under 18 years
5. No access to a Personal computer or smart phone
6. Unable to speak / understand English

Added 28/10/2016:
7. Current users of the Headspace app content available to the public
Recruitment start date13/05/2016
Recruitment end date20/09/2016

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • England
  • United Kingdom

Study participating centres

Royal London Hospital
Whitechapel Road
London
E1 1BB
United Kingdom
Whips Cross Hospital
Whipps Cross Road
Leytonstone
London
E11 1NR
United Kingdom

Sponsor information

Barts Health NHS Trust
Hospital/treatment centre

The Royal London Hospital
Whitechapel Road
London
E1 1BB
England
United Kingdom

ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/00b31g692

Funders

Funder type

Government

National Institute for Health Research
Government organisation / National government
Alternative name(s)
National Institute for Health Research, NIHR Research, NIHRresearch, NIHR - National Institute for Health Research, NIHR (The National Institute for Health and Care Research), NIHR
Location
United Kingdom

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date31/10/2019
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareNo
IPD sharing plan summaryNot expected to be made available
Publication and dissemination planPlanned publication in a high-impact peer reviewed journal.
IPD sharing plan

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Protocol article protocol 15/01/2018 Yes No
Results article results 12/03/2020 16/03/2020 Yes No
Results article user experience results 12/03/2020 16/03/2020 Yes No
HRA research summary 26/07/2023 No No

Editorial Notes

16/03/2020: Publication references and total final enrolment number added.
14/05/2019: No publications found. Verifying results with principal investigator. The intention to publish date was changed from 31/12/2018 to 31/10/2019.
31/01/2018: Publication reference added.
02/12/2016: The secondary outcome measures have been updated.
28/10/2016: The overall trial end date has been updated from 31/07/2017 to 31/08/2017 and the recruitment end date has been updated from 31/10/2016 to 20/09/2016. In addition, an additional exclusion criterion has been added.
06/07/2016: Verified study status with principal investigator.