Rheumatoid ArthritisPARASSNCT01525654
Patient Rheumatoid Arthritis Social Support Study
A study testing Peer Support Program in people with Rheumatoid Arthritis, run by Brigham and Women's Hospital at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The goal of PARASS is to develop a network of increased social support for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients that will improve patient outcomes and further promote understanding of RA among physicians and patients in the clinic community. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- What is being tested?
- Peer Support Program
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 65 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- Mar 2009to Mar 2019
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- billing diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (714.0) or seronegative inflammatory arthritis or a member of the BRASS and PACO studies at Brigham and Women's Hospital
Who cannot join
- less than 18 years of age
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, 02115
About this study
Official title: Rheumatoid Arthritis Patient-to-Patient Connection Program
The goal of PARASS is to develop a network of increased social support for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients that will improve patient outcomes and further promote understanding of RA among physicians and patients in the clinic community. This will be accomplished with the development and implementation of Buddy pairing and one -on- one informational support to be called Patient-to-Patient Connection.
Read the detailed description
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic disabling disease that affects nearly 1% of the U. S. population [1]. The illness causes destruction of joint cartilage and erosion of adjacent bone, leading to joint replacement as well as extra-articular disease including cardiopulmonary manifestations, vasculitis, gastrointestinal and infectious complications [2]. Many patients with RA over time suffer progressive disability [3, 4], pain [5], work loss [3, 6], substantial health care costs [7], and premature mortality [8]. The current treatment of RA results in only modest improvements in functional status and many patients progress to chronic disability. Treatment is focused on ameliorating symptoms and halting disease progression as early as possible to prevent joint damage and functional decline.
Research has shown that while patient response to different medications may vary, those with chronic illness universally require social support and human empathy to achieve the best physical and emotional outcomes. From the 2006 PACO focus groups, we learned that RA patients' greatest concern was social isolation, that almost all had never talked with another person with RA, and that they feel alone dealing with the challenges of the disease. Psychosocial support is a seminal aspect of disease management since interpersonal relationships are often affected by the fatigue and physical disability of the disease and self-efficacy by the resulting loss of independence. The purpose of this study is to further patient care by providing social support services to better arthritis outcomes and patient satisfaction. In this pilot initiative called PARASS Patient-to-Patient Connection, patients will be able to connect with fellow patients who have similar concerns and fears and can find empathy and understanding based on personal experience. Buddy systems matching patients with similar needs or interests have been successful in addiction rehabilitation and oncology treatment, and group sessions have long been used as teaching and support tools in diabetes management. Rheumatology, however, has to date focused largely on providing patients with tools to improve the more physical manifestations of pain, swelling and fatigue. Furthermore, efforts to enhance self efficacy through leader initiated self help courses have not produced expected improvements in clinical outcomes. The purpose of this initiative is to develop a novel method of patient empowerment using peer support in order to better arthritis outcomes and patient satisfaction. To our knowledge, no rheumatology clinics in the United States have developed or instituted organized programs for peer social support or group informational discussion.
The goal of PARASS is to develop a network of increased social support for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients that will improve patient outcomes and further promote understanding of RA among physicians and patients in the clinic community. This will be accomplished with the development and implementation of a "buddy pairing" program called Patient-to-Patient Connection.
- Conditions
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Being tested
- Peer Support Program
- Keywords
- Rheumatoid Arthritis, peer support, self-efficacy, medication adherence
- Medical subject headings
- Arthritis, Rheumatoid, Medication Adherence
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Peer Support ProgramBehavioural
Partners, are interested in having a support person to talk with while others. Coaches initiate contact, usually via phone but can use email or face to face, with their Partner. During this initial contact, partners determine how often to speak up to a total of 6 months. Peer Support discussions focus on sharing information, education, support related to living with RA.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Partners | Active comparator | Patients who are matched with support partners and have a billing diagnosis of RA (714.0) or seronegative inflammatory arthritis who are enrolled in the Brigham and Women's Rheumatoid Arthritis Sequential Study (BRASS) or the Patient-Centered Outcomes Initiative (PACO) Receives: Behavioral: Peer Support Program |
| Controls | No intervention | Controls will be BRASS patients who continue to receive regular care without being matched with a peer support partner. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
change in functional status
functional status is measured by the Multi Dimensional Health Assessment Questionnaire doing scale and flare activity
Measured: baseline and 6 months
change in medication adherence
assessed with the Adherence Barrier Survey-20 medication adherence questionnaire
Measured: baseline and 6 months
Secondary outcomes (3)
change in self-efficacy
assessed using the Arthritis Self-Efficacy Scale
Measured: baseline and 6 months
change in fatigue
assessed by the Multi Dimensional Health Assessment Questionnaire Visual Analog Scale fatigue question
Measured: baseline and 6 months
change in pain
assessed by the Multi Dimensional Health Assessment Questionnaire Visual Analog Scale pain question
Measured: baseline and 6 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted3 Feb 2012 (estimated)
- Study startMar 2009
- Primary completionMar 2019
- Study completionMar 2019
Why it stopped: Ran out of funding
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (10)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Rheumatoid ArthritisStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Brigham and Women's HospitalThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 65 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Amgen
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Nancy Shadick, Brigham and Women's Hospital
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT01525654
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2006P000795
- Acronym
- PARASS
- Status last verified
- Sep 2025
- First submitted
- 1 Feb 2012
- Last updated
- 26 Sep 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
Publications
Linos A, Worthington JW, O'Fallon WM, Kurland LT. The epidemiology of rheumatoid arthritis in Rochester, Minnesota: a study of incidence, prevalence, and mortality. Am J Epidemiol. 1980 Jan;111(1):87-98. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a112878.
PubMed 7352462Pincus T, Callahan LF, Sale WG, Brooks AL, Payne LE, Vaughn WK. Severe functional declines, work disability, and increased mortality in seventy-five rheumatoid arthritis patients studied over nine years. Arthritis Rheum. 1984 Aug;27(8):864-72. doi: 10.1002/art.1780270805.
PubMed 6431998Sherrer YS, Bloch DA, Mitchell DM, Young DY, Fries JF. The development of disability in rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 1986 Apr;29(4):494-500. doi: 10.1002/art.1780290406.
PubMed 3707627Callahan LF, Brooks RH, Summey JA, Pincus T. Quantitative pain assessment for routine care of rheumatoid arthritis patients, using a pain scale based on activities of daily living and a visual analog pain scale. Arthritis Rheum. 1987 Jun;30(6):630-6. doi: 10.1002/art.1780300605.
PubMed 3606681Yelin E, Meenan R, Nevitt M, Epstein W. Work disability in rheumatoid arthritis: effects of disease, social, and work factors. Ann Intern Med. 1980 Oct;93(4):551-6. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-93-4-551.
PubMed 7436187Meenan RF, Yelin EH, Henke CJ, Curtis DL, Epstein WV. The costs of rheumatoid arthritis. A patient-oriented study of chronic disease costs. Arthritis Rheum. 1978 Sep-Oct;21(7):827-33. doi: 10.1002/art.1780210714.
PubMed 100122Pincus T, Brooks RH, Callahan LF. Prediction of long-term mortality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis according to simple questionnaire and joint count measures. Ann Intern Med. 1994 Jan 1;120(1):26-34. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-120-1-199401010-00005.
PubMed 8250453Lorig K, Chastain RL, Ung E, Shoor S, Holman HR. Development and evaluation of a scale to measure perceived self-efficacy in people with arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 1989 Jan;32(1):37-44. doi: 10.1002/anr.1780320107.
PubMed 2912463Hahn SR, Park J, Skinner EP, Yu-Isenberg KS, Weaver MB, Crawford B, Flowers PW. Development of the ASK-20 adherence barrier survey. Curr Med Res Opin. 2008 Jul;24(7):2127-38. doi: 10.1185/03007990802174769. Epub 2008 Jun 12.
PubMed 18554431Harris, E.D., Rheumatoid arthritis. 1997, Philadelphia: Saunders. xxiii, 433.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 26 Sep 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Rheumatoid Arthritis Patient-to-Patient Connection Program
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT01525654
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- PARASS / 2006P000795
- Conditions
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Keywords
- Rheumatoid Arthritis, peer support, self-efficacy, medication adherence
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- TerminatedReason stopped: Ran out of funding
- Enrolment
- 65 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Brigham and Women's HospitalUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Amgen
- Study start
- Mar 2009
- Primary completion
- Mar 2019 (actual)
- Study completion
- Mar 2019 (actual)
- First posted
- 3 Feb 2012 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The goal of PARASS is to develop a network of increased social support for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients that will improve patient outcomes and further promote understanding of RA among physicians and patients in the clinic community. This will be accomplished with the development and implementation of Buddy pairing and one -on- one informational support to be called Patient-to-Patient Connection.
Detailed description
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic disabling disease that affects nearly 1% of the U. S. population [1]. The illness causes destruction of joint cartilage and erosion of adjacent bone, leading to joint replacement as well as extra-articular disease including cardiopulmonary manifestations, vasculitis, gastrointestinal and infectious complications [2]. Many patients with RA over time suffer progressive disability [3, 4], pain [5], work loss [3, 6], substantial health care costs [7], and premature mortality [8]. The current treatment of RA results in only modest improvements in functional status and many patients progress to chronic disability. Treatment is focused on ameliorating symptoms and halting disease progression as early as possible to prevent joint damage and functional decline.
Research has shown that while patient response to different medications may vary, those with chronic illness universally require social support and human empathy to achieve the best physical and emotional outcomes. From the 2006 PACO focus groups, we learned that RA patients' greatest concern was social isolation, that almost all had never talked with another person with RA, and that they feel alone dealing with the challenges of the disease. Psychosocial support is a seminal aspect of disease management since interpersonal relationships are often affected by the fatigue and physical disability of the disease and self-efficacy by the resulting loss of independence. The purpose of this study is to further patient care by providing social support services to better arthritis outcomes and patient satisfaction. In this pilot initiative called PARASS Patient-to-Patient Connection, patients will be able to connect with fellow patients who have similar concerns and fears and can find empathy and understanding based on personal experience. Buddy systems matching patients with similar needs or interests have been successful in addiction rehabilitation and oncology treatment, and group sessions have long been used as teaching and support tools in diabetes management. Rheumatology, however, has to date focused largely on providing patients with tools to improve the more physical manifestations of pain, swelling and fatigue. Furthermore, efforts to enhance self efficacy through leader initiated self help courses have not produced expected improvements in clinical outcomes. The purpose of this initiative is to develop a novel method of patient empowerment using peer support in order to better arthritis outcomes and patient satisfaction. To our knowledge, no rheumatology clinics in the United States have developed or instituted organized programs for peer social support or group informational discussion.
The goal of PARASS is to develop a network of increased social support for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients that will improve patient outcomes and further promote understanding of RA among physicians and patients in the clinic community. This will be accomplished with the development and implementation of a "buddy pairing" program called Patient-to-Patient Connection.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Partners | Active comparator | Behavioral: Peer Support ProgramPatients who are matched with support partners and have a billing diagnosis of RA (714.0) or seronegative inflammatory arthritis who are enrolled in the Brigham and Women's Rheumatoid Arthritis Sequential Study (BRASS) or the Patient-Centered Outcomes Initiative (PACO) |
| Controls | No intervention | –Controls will be BRASS patients who continue to receive regular care without being matched with a peer support partner. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- billing diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (714.0) or seronegative inflammatory arthritis or a member of the BRASS and PACO studies at Brigham and Women's Hospital
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- less than 18 years of age
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Peer Support ProgramPartners, are interested in having a support person to talk with while others. Coaches initiate contact, usually via phone but can use email or face to face, with their Partner. During this initial contact, partners determine how often to speak up to a total of 6 months. Peer Support discussions focus on sharing information, education, support related to living with RA. | Behavioural | Partners |
Primary outcome
change in functional status
Time frame: baseline and 6 months
functional status is measured by the Multi Dimensional Health Assessment Questionnaire doing scale and flare activity
change in medication adherence
Time frame: baseline and 6 months
assessed with the Adherence Barrier Survey-20 medication adherence questionnaire
3 secondary outcomes
change in self-efficacy
Time frame: baseline and 6 months
change in fatigue
Time frame: baseline and 6 months
change in pain
Time frame: baseline and 6 months
Results and safety
The study was stopped early (reason given: Ran out of funding). Results are not available in the source record.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 26 Sep 2025.
- Background: PubMed 7352462Linos A, Worthington JW, O'Fallon WM, Kurland LT. The epidemiology of rheumatoid arthritis in Rochester, Minnesota: a study of incidence, prevalence, and mortality. Am J Epidemiol. 1980 Jan;111(1):87-98. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a112878.
- Background: PubMed 6431998Pincus T, Callahan LF, Sale WG, Brooks AL, Payne LE, Vaughn WK. Severe functional declines, work disability, and increased mortality in seventy-five rheumatoid arthritis patients studied over nine years. Arthritis Rheum. 1984 Aug;27(8):864-72. doi: 10.1002/art.1780270805.
- Background: PubMed 3707627Sherrer YS, Bloch DA, Mitchell DM, Young DY, Fries JF. The development of disability in rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 1986 Apr;29(4):494-500. doi: 10.1002/art.1780290406.
- Background: PubMed 3606681Callahan LF, Brooks RH, Summey JA, Pincus T. Quantitative pain assessment for routine care of rheumatoid arthritis patients, using a pain scale based on activities of daily living and a visual analog pain scale. Arthritis Rheum. 1987 Jun;30(6):630-6. doi: 10.1002/art.1780300605.
- Background: PubMed 7436187Yelin E, Meenan R, Nevitt M, Epstein W. Work disability in rheumatoid arthritis: effects of disease, social, and work factors. Ann Intern Med. 1980 Oct;93(4):551-6. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-93-4-551.
- Background: PubMed 100122Meenan RF, Yelin EH, Henke CJ, Curtis DL, Epstein WV. The costs of rheumatoid arthritis. A patient-oriented study of chronic disease costs. Arthritis Rheum. 1978 Sep-Oct;21(7):827-33. doi: 10.1002/art.1780210714.
- Background: PubMed 8250453Pincus T, Brooks RH, Callahan LF. Prediction of long-term mortality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis according to simple questionnaire and joint count measures. Ann Intern Med. 1994 Jan 1;120(1):26-34. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-120-1-199401010-00005.
- Background: PubMed 2912463Lorig K, Chastain RL, Ung E, Shoor S, Holman HR. Development and evaluation of a scale to measure perceived self-efficacy in people with arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 1989 Jan;32(1):37-44. doi: 10.1002/anr.1780320107.
- Background: PubMed 18554431Hahn SR, Park J, Skinner EP, Yu-Isenberg KS, Weaver MB, Crawford B, Flowers PW. Development of the ASK-20 adherence barrier survey. Curr Med Res Opin. 2008 Jul;24(7):2127-38. doi: 10.1185/03007990802174769. Epub 2008 Jun 12.
- BackgroundHarris, E.D., Rheumatoid arthritis. 1997, Philadelphia: Saunders. xxiii, 433.
- Related InfoLink provided by the sponsor.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Peer Support Program in people with Rheumatoid Arthritis, run by Brigham and Women's Hospital at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: stopped early, as of the sponsor's last update on 26 Sep 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study was stopped early (reason given: Ran out of funding). Results are not available in the source record.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
change in functional status (time frame: baseline and 6 months). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT01525654, which also lists 10 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 26 Sep 2025.