Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) to Treat Chronic Pruritus

NCT ID: NCT06771375

Last Updated: 2025-01-13

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 30 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-03-31
• Study Completion Date: 2026-09-30

Brief Summary

Pruritus is a common symptom of numerous dermatological and non-dermatological conditions. Current treatments for chronic pruritus (CP) are often not fully effective and may have burdensome side effects. Recently, the trauma exposure technique Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) that is recommended as first line treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder has been reported to be also effective in the treatment of CP in anecdotal clinical case observations. However, to the best of the investigator's knowledge, the efficacy of EMDR in CP has not yet been systematically explored. This study aims at addressing this unmet need in a prospective pilot study comparing EMDR versus treatment as usual (TAU).

Conditions

Chronic Pruritus

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NON_RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Intervention Group

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)-Treatment of patients suffering from CP + Treatment as Usual (TAU).

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

EMDR is a psychotherapeutic approach originally designed for individuals suffering from trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It facilitates the processing of memories through a structured eight-phase treatment, involving the patient's focused attention on traumatic images, thoughts, and sensations while simultaneously engaging in bilateral stimulation, typically through guided eye movements. This process aims to reduce the emotional distress associated with aversive memories, promoting adaptive coping mechanisms and psychological healing. Recently, the indications for the method have been extended so that EMDR is also used for chronic pain and depressive disorders.

Standard of care group

Treatment as Usual (TAU) - depending on the underlying disease

Group Type: NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

EMDR is a psychotherapeutic approach originally designed for individuals suffering from trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It facilitates the processing of memories through a structured eight-phase treatment, involving the patient's focused attention on traumatic images, thoughts, and sensations while simultaneously engaging in bilateral stimulation, typically through guided eye movements. This process aims to reduce the emotional distress associated with aversive memories, promoting adaptive coping mechanisms and psychological healing. Recently, the indications for the method have been extended so that EMDR is also used for chronic pain and depressive disorders.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Provided written informed consent
• Age 18 to 75 years
• Skindex-29 (questionnaire) symptoms subscale ≥42
• Confirmed diagnosis CP
• Itch intensity of min. ≥ 4 on the 0-10 numerical rating scale within the last 7 days
• Stable course of treatment in the two weeks prior to the study

Exclusion Criteria

• Inability to follow the procedures of the study, e.g. due to language problems, severe psychiatric disorders such as delusional disorder, suicidality or dementia.
• Patients on phototherapy
• Acute attacks of an autoimmune disease such as Crohn's disease
• Serious cardiac disease

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 75 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Chrysovalandis Schwale, Dr.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland

Locations

University Hospital Basel

Basel, , Switzerland

Countries

Switzerland

Central Contacts

Chrysovalandis Schwale, Dr.

Role: CONTACT

chrysovalandis.schwale@usb.ch

+41 61 265 52 94

Rainer Schaefert, Prof.

Role: CONTACT

rainer.schaefert@usb.ch

+41 61 265 52 94

Facility Contacts

Chrysovalandis Schwale, Dr. med.

Role: primary

chrysovalandis.schwale@usb.ch

+41 61 265 52 94

Rainer Schäfert, Prof. Dr.

Role: backup

rainer.schaefert@usb.ch

+41 61 265 52 94

Other Identifiers

2024-02597, th24schaefert

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id