A Multi-Site RCT of a Stepped-Care Intervention for Emergency Department Patients With Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder

NCT ID: NCT03632356

Last Updated: 2023-12-21

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

79 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2018-06-11

Study Completion Date

2024-11-30

Brief Summary

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Using a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design, the main objective of this study is to evaluate the clinical, patient-centered, and economic effectiveness of a stepped-care intervention for patients with panic attacks and panic disorder presenting to the busiest Accident and Emergency (A\&E) departments of the largest public healthcare group in Singapore.

The RCT will have two arms: 1) treatment via an enhanced care pathway consisting of a stepped-care intervention for panic attacks and panic disorder; and 2) a control arm consisting of screening for panic attacks and panic disorder in the A\&E and discharge (routine care). In addition to the baseline assessment, the study follow-up visits will occur at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months.

Detailed Description

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Specific Aims and Hypotheses

Aim 1 (Primary): To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of a stepped-care intervention for A\&E patients with panic attacks and panic disorder as compared to screening alone.

Aim 2: To evaluate the patient-centered effectiveness of a stepped-care intervention for A\&E patients with panic attacks and panic disorder as compared to screening alone.

Aim 3: To evaluate the incremental cost-effectiveness of a stepped-care intervention for A\&E patients with panic attacks and panic disorder compared to screening alone from the health system perspective.

Conditions

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Panic Attacks and Disorders

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

2 stage parallel group multi-site RCT design
Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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Stepped Care Intervention (STEP)

In a stepped-care model, all patients start with an evidence-based intervention of low intensity as a first treatment step. Progress is monitored and patients who do not respond adequately can subsequently be 'stepped up' to a higher intensity treatment. This model is now being recommended as the best strategy for treating panic attacks and panic disorder.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Stepped Care Intervention (STEP)

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

A stepwise progression of intervention according to the participant's response to the increasing levels of therapy. There will be 1 session of psychoeducation, followed by 5 sessions of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) if panic symptoms do not improve at 1-month follow-up.

Screening only

Screening only for panic attacks and panic disorder using a gold standard clinical interview that provides coverage of the core symptoms of panic attacks and panic disorder.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Screening only

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Screening for probable panic attacks or panic disorder using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5

Interventions

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Stepped Care Intervention (STEP)

A stepwise progression of intervention according to the participant's response to the increasing levels of therapy. There will be 1 session of psychoeducation, followed by 5 sessions of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) if panic symptoms do not improve at 1-month follow-up.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Screening only

Screening for probable panic attacks or panic disorder using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1. Male or female
2. 21+ years of age
3. Triage level 2 or 3
4. English or Mandarin speaking
5. Able to provide informed consent and read study materials
6. Presenting complaint of chest pain, palpitations, dizziness, or difficulty breathing
7. Score ≥ 3 on CDR screener
8. Diagnosis of panic attack or panic disorder confirmed on SCID interview
9. Willing to enter randomized trial

Exclusion Criteria

1. Altered mental status (dementia, psychosis, substance intoxication/withdrawal)
2. Triage level 1
3. Non-English or Mandarin speaking
4. Unwilling or unable to complete study procedures
5. Symptoms of clear cardiac origin as determined by A\&E physician
6. Deemed unfit due to possible adverse respiratory or cardiac outcomes by A\&E physician
7. Clear organic cause for panic symptoms as evidenced by laboratory tests (FBC, UE, ECG, TROPONIN T, CXR)
8. Does not meet criteria for panic attack or panic disorder on SCID interview
9. Received CBT for panic symptoms in previous 12 months
Minimum Eligible Age

21 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Changi General Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

National Medical Research Council (NMRC), Singapore

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role collaborator

Singapore General Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Sharon C Sung, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School

Locations

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Singapore General Hospital

Singapore, , Singapore

Site Status

Countries

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Singapore

References

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Shear MK, Rucci P, Williams J, Frank E, Grochocinski V, Vander Bilt J, Houck P, Wang T. Reliability and validity of the Panic Disorder Severity Scale: replication and extension. J Psychiatr Res. 2001 Sep-Oct;35(5):293-6. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3956(01)00028-0.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 11591432 (View on PubMed)

Guy, W., Clinical Global Impressions (CGI) Scale., In: Rush, A. J., First, M. B. and Blacker, D. (eds), Handbook of Psychiatric Measures, Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc., 2008.

Reference Type BACKGROUND

First, M. B., Williams, J. B. W., Karg, R. S. and Spitzer, R. L., Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 Disorders-Clinician Version (SCID-5-CV), Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association, 2015.

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Ware JE Jr, Sherbourne CD. The MOS 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36). I. Conceptual framework and item selection. Med Care. 1992 Jun;30(6):473-83.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 1593914 (View on PubMed)

World Health Organization, Measuring Health and Disability: Manual for WHO Disability Assessment Schedule - WHODAS 2.0, Geneva, 2010.

Reference Type BACKGROUND

EuroQol Group. EuroQol--a new facility for the measurement of health-related quality of life. Health Policy. 1990 Dec;16(3):199-208. doi: 10.1016/0168-8510(90)90421-9.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 10109801 (View on PubMed)

Sung SC, Rush AJ, Earnest A, Lim LEC, Pek MPP, Choi JMF, Ng MPK, Ong MEH. A Brief Interview to Detect Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder in Emergency Department Patients with Cardiopulmonary Complaints. J Psychiatr Pract. 2018 Jan;24(1):32-44. doi: 10.1097/PRA.0000000000000283.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 29320381 (View on PubMed)

Zimmerman M, Mattia JI. A self-report scale to help make psychiatric diagnoses: the Psychiatric Diagnostic Screening Questionnaire. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2001 Aug;58(8):787-94. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.58.8.787.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 11483146 (View on PubMed)

Sung SC, Lim L, Lim SH, Finkelstein EA, Chin SLH, Annathurai A, Chakraborty B, Strauman TJ, Pollack MH, Ong MEH. Protocol for a multi-site randomized controlled trial of a stepped-care intervention for emergency department patients with panic-related anxiety. BMC Psychiatry. 2022 Dec 16;22(1):795. doi: 10.1186/s12888-022-04387-z.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 36527018 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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2018/2284

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id