A Multidisciplinary Approach to Assessing and Treating Fatigue in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

NCT ID: NCT05906043

Last Updated: 2023-06-22

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

UNKNOWN

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

250 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2023-06-20

Study Completion Date

2025-08-24

Brief Summary

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This study is examining fatigue in patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). IBD includes Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease. These are inflammatory conditions of the gastrointestinal tract and are associated with symptoms including diarrhoea, rectal bleeding and abdominal pain. Fatigue is a common problem for patents with IBD, affecting 80% of patients with active disease.This study aims to identify all IBD patients with fatigue. Initially, the investigators will address all medical causes of fatigue in line with current practice, using a stepwise approach (e.g. assessing for and treating active inflammation, anaemia as well as electrolyte, hormone and vitamin imbalances). The aim is to treat fatigue using a detailed algorithm, as fatigue is often a consequence of multiple issues in IBD patients. The investigators will assess the role of physical activity, nutritional status and psychological wellbeing in fatigue persisting in medically-optimised IBD patients. In addition, the contribution of the microbiome to fatigue will be assessed. For those in whom these factors are identified alongside persistent fatigue, interventions have been designed to address these factors and the resulting fatigue.

Detailed Description

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This is a longitudinal research study to define the extent and severity of fatigue in IBD patients; patients will be followed for a period of weeks to months depending on each individual participants needs. The study will be a cross-sectional in nature initially. The study is open to all mobile and non-pregnant Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis patients between the ages of 18 and 70 years. Recruitment will take place in St Vincent's University Hospital, an academic teaching hospital, from Gastroenterology clinics as well as through the IBD clinical nurse specialist service. Patients that meet inclusion criteria will be recruited from clinics and/or through the IBD clinical nurse specialist service. The recruited subjects will be briefed on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the nature of the study as well as the outcome measure. Participants will receive information packs and consent forms. All participants will have the opportunity to withdraw at any stage during the study and this will be explained to them. Patients will be followed up as clinically necessary within the parameters of the study and at the IBD clinic at clinically appropriate intervals. All patients attending the IBD service that meet inclusion criteria will be given the opportunity to participate in this study. Information will be collected at baseline including demographic data, IBD history and symptoms, co-morbidities and disease activity.

There are seven elements to this study that will be carried out in parallel:

1. An initial cross-sectional study to define the extent and severity of fatigue in IBD subjects incorporating a simple fitness test protocol. All patients attending the IBD service that meet inclusion criteria will be given the opportunity to participate in this study. Information will be collected at baseline including demographic data, IBD history and symptoms, co-morbidities and disease activity. Patients will have baseline blood tests taken to assess for causes of fatigue as well as faecal calprotectin to assess for evidence of inflammation. Patients without fatigue will at this point exit the study and will not require any further follow up. In those with fatigue, disease activity will be assessed and treated in accordance with current clinical guidelines (as would be standard of care). Fatigued patients will also be assessed for anaemia and other medical causes of fatigue and treated for these as per current clinical practice guidelines.
2. A longitudinal study of contemporary treatment for active disease and its effect on fatigue. Patients with active disease and fatigue will be followed prospectively while undergoing treatment for active IBD with the IBD team. Each patient's response to treatment will vary and so the exact time point between disease treatment and resolution of disease activity cannot be clearly defined. The study outcomes will be assessed at recruitment and when participants achieve clinical and biochemical remission. If fatigue resolves, participants will exit the study at this point. If fatigue persists, further assessments will take place as detailed below.
3. A longitudinal study assessing anaemia and the effect of treatment on fatigue in those subjects with inactive IBD. Patients with anaemia and fatigue will be followed prospectively while undergoing treatment for anaemia with the IBD team. Each patient's response to treatment will vary and so the exact time point between anaemia treatment and resolution of anaemia cannot be clearly defined. The study outcomes will be assessed at recruitment and when anaemia has resolved (this may occur in parallel with the disease activity arm). If fatigue resolves, participants will exit the study at this point. If fatigue persists, further assessments will take place as detailed below.
4. A longitudinal study assessing of dietary and exercise therapies for IBD subjects using a single case study (SCS) design. Participants will also have physical activity levels assessed at recruitment and as needed after active disease/anaemia/nutritional deficiencies have been adequately treated. These assessments will take place on site in St Vincent's University Hospital. If fatigue resolves, participants will exit the study at this point. Those with fatigue despite optimizing nutrition will be offered a physical activity intervention. The time interval between recruitment and resolution of micronutrient deficiencies will vary from patient to patient and so the exact time interval cannot be specified. Each participant will be assessed initially and subsequently assigned a physical activity intervention with a physical therapist designed by the Department of Sports Medicine, University College Dublin.
5. A longitudinal study of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in IBD subjects with psychological disability using a single case study (SCS) design. All patients will undergo psychological assessment as detailed above at recruitment and as needed after active disease/anaemia/nutritional deficiencies have been adequately treated. Those with fatigue and psychological disability will be referred to the IBD psychology service or recruited to a psychological intervention. Participants will receive an intervention with a psychologist from the School of Psychology in University College Dublin to address psychological disability and associated fatigue.
6. A longitudinal study of ACT for IBD subjects with sleep disturbance using a single case study (SCS) design. Patients will have sleep quality assessed at recruitment and as needed after active disease/anaemia/nutritional deficiencies have been adequately treated. Those with sleep disturbance will undergo sleep studies at home both at the start and end of the intervention. This device will be a non-invasive, widely available sleep device worn on the wrist or the patient's index finger for one to three consecutive nights. Participants will be referred to the sleep medicine unit in SVUH if sleep apnea or another diagnosis that requires medical intervention is identified. Otherwise participants will undergo an intervention with a psychologist from the School of Psychology in University College Dublin to address sleep quality.
7. A longitudinal study of probiotics for IBD subjects with fatigue. Participants will have stool samples analysed to assess the microbiome diversity. A twelve-week course of a probiotic which will be taken once daily will then be provided. Stool will be re-assessed at the completion of the intervention.

Each of the four treatment arms will be treated as multiple baseline single case experimental design (SCED). Thus, each participant is treated as an individual study. This type of study provides evidence for the effectiveness of interventions with much fewer participants than group average-based designs such as Randomized Controlled Trials. Standard group-based designs may find an overall treatment benefit on average but may underestimate risks, ineffectiveness, and benefits to the individual.

Each participant will receive a follow up phone call after the intervention is complete, to identify any challenges integrating skills discussed during the interventions. Completion of an online questionnaire will be required at the end of the study period, in order to assess the primary and secondary outcomes.

Any participants with ongoing fatigue will be able to opt to participate in the remaining treatment arms if needed.

Conditions

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Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Fatigue

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NON_RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Cross sectional study, with observational elements and four interventions utilising a single case experimental design
Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Cross Sectional Study to define the extent and severity of fatigue

All patients attending the IBD service that meet inclusion criteria will be given the opportunity to participate in this study. Information will be collected at baseline including demographic data, IBD history and symptoms, co-morbidities and disease activity. Patients will have baseline blood tests taken to assess for causes of fatigue as well as faecal calprotectin to assess for evidence of inflammation. Patients without fatigue will at this point exit the study and will not require any further follow up.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Treatment for active disease and its effect on fatigue.

A longitudinal study of contemporary treatment for active disease and its effect on fatigue. Patients with active disease and fatigue will be followed prospectively while undergoing treatment for active IBD with the IBD team. If their fatigue resolves, they will exit the study at this point. If their fatigue persists, they will be further assessed as detailed below.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

The effect of treating anaemia on fatigue in IBD

A longitudinal study assessing anaemia and the effect of treatment on fatigue in those subjects with inactive IBD.Patients with anaemia and fatigue will be followed prospectively while undergoing treatment for anaemia with the IBD team. The study outcomes will be assessed at recruitment and when their anaemia has resolved (this may occur in parallel with the disease activity arm). If their fatigue resolves, they will exit the study at this point. If their fatigue persists, they will be further assessed as detailed below.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Assessing exercise therapies in IBD subjects with fatigue

A longitudinal study assessing of dietary and exercise therapies for IBD subjects with fatigue using a single case study (SCS) design. They will have their physical activity levels assessed at recruitment and as needed after active disease/anaemia/nutritional deficiencies have been adequately treated. Those with fatigue despite optimisation will be offered a physical activity intervention. Each participant will be assessed initially and subsequently assigned a physical activity intervention with a physical therapist.

Group Type OTHER

Exercise Intervention

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Exercise intervention

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in IBD subjects with fatigue

A longitudinal study of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in IBD subjects with psychological disability and fatigue using a single case study (SCS) design. All patients will undergo psychological assessment as detailed above at recruitment and as needed after active disease/anaemia/nutritional deficiencies have been adequately treated. Those with fatigue and psychological disability will be referred to the IBD psychology service or recruited to a psychological intervention. Participants will receive an online intervention with a psychologist from the School of Psychology in University College Dublin to address psychological disability and associated fatigue.

Group Type OTHER

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

ACT will be used for patients with psychological disability as well as for those with sleep disturbance

ACT for IBD subjects with sleep disturbance and fatigue

A longitudinal study of ACT for IBD subjects with sleep disturbance using a single case study (SCS) design. Patients will have their sleep quality assessed at recruitment and as needed after active disease/anaemia/nutritional deficiencies have been adequately treated. Those with sleep disturbance will undergo sleep studies at home both at the start and end of the intervention. This device will be a non-invasive, widely available sleep device worn on the wrist or the patient's index finger for one to three consecutive nights. They will be referred to the sleep medicine unit in SVUH if sleep apnea or another diagnosis that requires medical intervention is identified. Otherwise they will undergo an online intervention with a psychologist from the School of Psychology in University College Dublin to address their sleep quality.

Group Type OTHER

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

ACT will be used for patients with psychological disability as well as for those with sleep disturbance

A longitudinal study of probiotics for IBD subjects with fatigue

Participants will have their stool analysed to assess the diversity of their microbiome. They will receive a twelve-week course of a probiotic which will be taken once daily. They will then have their stool re-assessed at the completion of the intervention.

Group Type OTHER

Probiotic

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Use of a probiotic

Interventions

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Exercise Intervention

Exercise intervention

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

ACT will be used for patients with psychological disability as well as for those with sleep disturbance

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Probiotic

Use of a probiotic

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Confirmed diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease

Exclusion Criteria

* Pregnant women
* Patients unable to consent
* Patients under 18 and over 70 years of age
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

70 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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University College Dublin

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Hugh Mulcahy

Prof. Hugh Mulcahy, FRCPI MD

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Hugh Mulcahy, MD FRCPI

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

St Vincent's University Hospital

Locations

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St Vincent's University Hospital

Dublin, , Ireland

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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Ireland

Central Contacts

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Anne M Fennessy, MB BCh BAO

Role: CONTACT

0035312214711

Hugh Mulcahy, MD FRCPI

Role: CONTACT

0035312214711

Facility Contacts

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Anne Fennessy, MB BCh BAO

Role: primary

0035312214711

References

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Villoria A, Garcia V, Dosal A, Moreno L, Montserrat A, Figuerola A, Horta D, Calvet X, Ramirez-Lazaro MJ. Fatigue in out-patients with inflammatory bowel disease: Prevalence and predictive factors. PLoS One. 2017 Jul 27;12(7):e0181435. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0181435. eCollection 2017.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 28749985 (View on PubMed)

Minderhoud IM, Samsom M, Oldenburg B. Crohn's disease, fatigue, and infliximab: is there a role for cytokines in the pathogenesis of fatigue? World J Gastroenterol. 2007 Apr 14;13(14):2089-93. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v13.i14.2089.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 17465453 (View on PubMed)

van Langenberg DR, Gibson PR. Systematic review: fatigue in inflammatory bowel disease. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2010 Jul;32(2):131-43. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2010.04347.x. Epub 2010 May 6.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 20456309 (View on PubMed)

Jelsness-Jorgensen LP, Bernklev T, Henriksen M, Torp R, Moum BA. Chronic fatigue is more prevalent in patients with inflammatory bowel disease than in healthy controls. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2011 Jul;17(7):1564-72. doi: 10.1002/ibd.21530. Epub 2010 Nov 8.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 21674713 (View on PubMed)

Grimstad T, Norheim KB, Isaksen K, Leitao K, Hetta AK, Carlsen A, Karlsen LN, Skoie IM, Goransson L, Harboe E, Aabakken L, Omdal R. Fatigue in Newly Diagnosed Inflammatory Bowel Disease. J Crohns Colitis. 2015 Sep;9(9):725-30. doi: 10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjv091. Epub 2015 May 19.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 25994356 (View on PubMed)

Borren NZ, van der Woude CJ, Ananthakrishnan AN. Fatigue in IBD: epidemiology, pathophysiology and management. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2019 Apr;16(4):247-259. doi: 10.1038/s41575-018-0091-9.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30531816 (View on PubMed)

Cohen BL, Zoega H, Shah SA, Leleiko N, Lidofsky S, Bright R, Flowers N, Law M, Moniz H, Merrick M, Sands BE. Fatigue is highly associated with poor health-related quality of life, disability and depression in newly-diagnosed patients with inflammatory bowel disease, independent of disease activity. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2014 Apr;39(8):811-22. doi: 10.1111/apt.12659. Epub 2014 Feb 20.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 24612278 (View on PubMed)

Jelsness-Jorgensen LP, Bernklev T, Henriksen M, Torp R, Moum BA. Chronic fatigue is associated with impaired health-related quality of life in inflammatory bowel disease. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2011 Jan;33(1):106-14. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2010.04498.x. Epub 2010 Oct 25.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 21083587 (View on PubMed)

Romberg-Camps MJ, Bol Y, Dagnelie PC, Hesselink-van de Kruijs MA, Kester AD, Engels LG, van Deursen C, Hameeteman WH, Pierik M, Wolters F, Russel MG, Stockbrugger RW. Fatigue and health-related quality of life in inflammatory bowel disease: results from a population-based study in the Netherlands: the IBD-South Limburg cohort. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2010 Dec;16(12):2137-47. doi: 10.1002/ibd.21285.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 20848468 (View on PubMed)

van Gennep S, de Boer NKH, Gielen ME, Rietdijk ST, Gecse KB, Ponsioen CY, Duijvestein M, D'Haens GR, Lowenberg M, de Boer AGEM. Impaired Quality of Working Life in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients. Dig Dis Sci. 2021 Sep;66(9):2916-2924. doi: 10.1007/s10620-020-06647-y. Epub 2020 Oct 16.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 33063191 (View on PubMed)

Nocerino A, Nguyen A, Agrawal M, Mone A, Lakhani K, Swaminath A. Fatigue in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Etiologies and Management. Adv Ther. 2020 Jan;37(1):97-112. doi: 10.1007/s12325-019-01151-w. Epub 2019 Nov 23.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 31760611 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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RS22-038

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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