Assessing the Impact of Weighted Blankets on Anxiety Among Inpatients With Anorexia Nervosa: a Study Protocol

NCT ID: NCT04191720

Last Updated: 2019-12-10

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

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

24 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2018-11-16

Study Completion Date

2019-11-30

Brief Summary

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The aim of this study is to conduct a randomized control trial (RCT) to assess the efficacy of weighted blankets (WB), on anxiety for patients with severe anorexia nervosa (AN) and avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) in an inpatient medical setting. We hypothesize that using weighted blankets will reduce anxiety in these patient populations.

Detailed Description

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Anorexia nervosa (AN) has one of the highest mortality rates of any psychiatric disorder with anxiety being a common comorbidity. The standard of care for inpatient medical stabilization for patients diagnosed with AN is a multidisciplinary approach with emphasis on nutrition, psychotherapy, and medical management of complaints. Weighted blankets, an example of deep pressure stimulation, have been shown to reduce anxiety. However, not much is known about the effect of weighted blankets in the eating disorder population. Therefore, this randomized control trial (RCT) protocol outlines a study design for assessing the effect of weighted blankets on patients with AN.

A two-arm RCT design will be implemented for this study. A convenience sample of 24 patients will be enrolled with 12 patients in the control and intervention groups based on inclusion criteria. The control group will receive Denver Health's standard of care for patients admitted to its well-known medical stabilization unit for patients with extreme form of eating disorders, while the intervention group will receive both the standard of care and a weighted blanket. A mixed-design ANOVA will be performed to explore differences in the Beck's Anxiety Inventory and Subjective Units of Distress Scale between the intervention and control groups.

Conditions

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Anorexia Nervosa Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder Anxiety

Keywords

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anorexia nervosa weighted blankets occupational therapy anxiety deep pressure stimulation randomized control trial

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Control group

The control group, or usual care group, will receive occupational therapy standard of care. Occupational therapy standard of care provide training, education, and therapeutic activities including relaxation strategies. These coping mechanisms are aimed at reducing the impact of anxiety on a patient's performance and participation in necessary and meaningful activities of daily living, refeeding and medical stabilization. Specifically, these interventions will include diaphragmatic and yogic breathing exercises, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) education and exercises, therapeutic restorative yoga activities, occupational therapy group participation, aromatherapy, identifying and promoting engagement in meaningful leisure activities, client-centered sensory diets to provide patients with consistent preferred sensory experiences, and individualized checklists and schedules to grade the self-initiation of effective coping strategies.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Weighted blanket group

In the weighted blanket intervention group, patients will receive usual occupational therapy care in addition to a weighted blanket. The patient will be given an appropriately weighted blanket, within 1 lb +/- of 10% of body weight as measured on day of admission. Further, the occupational therapy will provide education to the patient on the use of the weighted blanket. Patients will be free to use the weighted blanket at their discretion, however, during meals, over the shoulders or head, and during ambulation, weighted blanket use will not be permitted.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Weighted blanket

Intervention Type OTHER

Patients that were randomly assigned to the intervention group received a weighted blanket to use at their will to reduce anxiety

Interventions

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Weighted blanket

Patients that were randomly assigned to the intervention group received a weighted blanket to use at their will to reduce anxiety

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Clinically diagnosed with AN-R, AN-BP, or ARFID upon admission (per Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-V criteria)
* Moderate/Major Anxiety per initial evaluation score using BAI
* OT assessment

Exclusion Criteria

* Pregnant or nursing mothers
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

89 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Denver Health and Hospital Authority

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Rachel Ohene

Occupational Therapist

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Rachel Ohene, MOT

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Denver Health Hospital and Authority

Locations

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Denver Health and Hospital Authority

Denver, Colorado, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

References

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Other Identifiers

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18-0596

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id