Post-Traumatic Stress DisorderNCT03816007
Yoga and Mantram for Chronic Pain and PTSD
A study testing Yoga and Mantram Repetition and Veteran Calm in people with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Chronic Low Back Pain, run by VA Office of Research and Development at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
PTSD is prevalent among Veterans and is associated with physical and functional impairments in addition to PTSD symptoms. Veterans with PTSD experience more chronic pain and pain-related functional limitations than Veterans without PTSD. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Chronic Low Back Pain, Chronic Neck Pain
- What is being tested?
- Yoga and Mantram Repetition and Veteran Calm
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 32 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 Apr 2021to 31 Jan 2022
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view
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
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Veterans Affairs (VA) patients
- age > 18
- current diagnosis of PTSD
- score of 25 on Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)
- willing to reduce or cease opioid medications
- willing to attend 12-weeks of mind-body interventions and complete 3 assessments
Who cannot join
- serious or unstable psychiatric illness
- e.g. psychosis, mania
- suicidal or homicidal ideation
- < 3 months since major trauma event
- moderate or severe cognitive impairment
- practiced yoga or mantram repetition > 2x in the last 6 months
- coexisting medical illness with yoga contraindicated
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA
San Diego, California, 92161
About this study
Official title: An Enhanced Mind-body Intervention to Reduce Disability and Pain in Veterans With PTSD
PTSD is prevalent among Veterans and is associated with physical and functional impairments in addition to PTSD symptoms. Veterans with PTSD experience more chronic pain and pain-related functional limitations than Veterans without PTSD. Mind-body interventions such as yoga and meditation are non-pharmacological options for treating both chronic pain and PTSD. This pilot study will add an existing mantram repetition (MR) component designed for Veterans with PTSD to an active yoga intervention known to improve function in chronic back pain patients. The study will examine the acceptability of the interventions, adverse events, and the feasibility of recruitment, attendance, retention, treatment fidelity, and assessments by recruiting and randomizing 32 VA patients with PTSD to either yoga plus MR or to a relaxation/health education control. Health outcomes including pain-related function, pain, and PTSD symptoms will be measured. If feasible, the data will be used to plan a full-scale trial of enhanced yoga for pain in VA patients with PTSD.
Read the detailed description
The objectives of the proposed project are to examine the feasibility of delivering a combined yoga and MR intervention to VA patients with PTSD and cLBP and/or cNP within a randomized controlled trial study design. MR enhances the active yoga intervention for this specific population by providing a portable tool for managing stress and anxiety, and improving mental and emotional functioning in situations of daily life. The investigators will recruit and randomize 32 Veterans with PTSD to either enhanced yoga interventions or a relaxation/health education (R/HE) comparison intervention. The goal of the pilot randomized trial is to demonstrate the acceptability of the interventions, to study the feasibility of recruitment, retention, adherence, randomization, and assessments with military Veterans with PTSD, and to measure any adverse events. Data will inform plans for a full-scale effectiveness RCT.
Researchers and content experts will adapt and blend two manualized interventions (MR and yoga) into a single manualized and acceptable intervention. In addition, the existing yoga intervention and MR manuals will be adapted to provide a structured intervention guide for instructors. Next, the investigators will recruit and screen 32 Veterans with PTSD. Eligible participants will be randomized to either the enhanced yoga interventions or the (R/HE) comparison intervention. Assessments will occur at baseline, 12-weeks, and again 6-weeks after the intervention ends (18-weeks). The enhanced yoga intervention will consist of 1x weekly instructor-led yoga sessions lasting approximately 75 minutes, augmented by home practice of yoga for 20 minutes/day. The R/HE control intervention will be manualized and will meet weekly for 12 weeks for approximately 75 minutes per week. Short homework assignments will be included. The investigators will track and measure adverse events, recruitment rates, attendance and home practice rates, use of MR and yoga principles in daily life, attrition rates, and time to complete assessments. Questionnaires will assess pain-related function, pain, PTSD symptoms, insomnia/sleep, alcohol use, and quality of life. The investigators will also conduct qualitative interviews with 12 study participants to examine acceptability, recommendations, and factors affecting attendance and attrition. The investigators will target 7-8 yoga participants and 4-5 control participants. Data will be used to plan a full-scale RCT powered to detect differences in health outcomes.
- Being tested
- Yoga and Mantram Repetition, Veteran Calm
- Keywords
- PTSD, chronic pain, yoga, mantram repetition, mind-body interventions, complementary and integrative medicine
- Medical subject headings
- Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Chronic Pain
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Yoga and Mantram RepetitionBehavioural
Also called Yoga _+ MR
An existing yoga intervention designed for persons with chronic pain will be augmented with training in mantram repetition. The intervention meets 1x weekly for 75 minutes for 12 weeks, and includes a home practice component.
Veteran CalmBehavioural
Also called VC
A relaxation intervention used previously as a comparator intervention will be delivered by a health educator 1x weekly for 75 minutes for 12 weeks, and includes a home practice component.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Yoga and Mantram Repetition | Experimental | An existing yoga intervention designed for persons with chronic pain will be augmented with training in mantram repetition. The intervention meets 1x weekly for 75 minutes for 12 weeks, and includes a home practice component. Receives: Behavioral: Yoga and Mantram Repetition |
| Relaxation/Health Education | Active comparator | A relaxation intervention used previously as a comparator intervention will be delivered by a health educator. Receives: Behavioral: Veteran Calm |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ)
The RMDQ has 23 questions asking about limitations experienced with daily activities. The scale is reliable and well validated. It has been used in other yoga studies. Scores can range from 0-24. Higher scores indicate more impairment, and when considering the change from baseline to follow-up assessments, negative scores indicate improvement. The scale has been shown to be reliable and is well validated. It has been used in another yoga RCT, allowing for comparisons.
Measured: Change between baseline and 12-weeks
Secondary outcomes (7)
BPI Pain Severity
Brief Pain Inventory Pain Severity - The total score is the mean of the 4 pain severity items. Scores range from 0-10 with higher scores indicating greater pain severity.
Measured: change from baseline to 12 weeks
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist- Version 5 (PCL-5)
The PCL-5 is a 20-item self-report measure assessing 20 DSM-5 symptoms of PTSD. Each question is rated on a scale from 0-4 and the total score ranges from 0-80 with higher scores indicating a greater severity of PTSD symptoms.
Measured: Change between baseline and 12-weeks
BPI Pain Interference
Brief Pain Inventory Pain Interference - The total score is the mean of the 7 pain interference items. Scores range from 0-10 with higher scores indicating greater pain interference.
Measured: change from baseline to 12 weeks
Insomnia Severity Index (ISI)
Insomnia Severity Index is a 7-item instrument that assesses the impact of insomnia. Each question is rated on a scale from 0-4 and the total score ranges from 0-28 with higher scores indicating a greater severity of insomnia.
Measured: Change between baseline and 12-weeks
Quality of Life - EQ5D
Health-related Quality of Life will be measured with the EQ5D-3L. Scores range from 0 to 1.0 with higher scores indicating better quality of life.
Measured: Change between baseline and 12-weeks
AUDIT-C
AUDIT-C is a 3-item screen for problem drinking and will refer to alcohol use over the past 3-month period. The measure has questions on typical consumption and binge drinking frequency. Each question is rated on a scale from 0-4 and the total score ranges from 0-12 with higher scores indicating a greater likelihood of alcohol use problems.
Measured: Change between baseline and 12-weeks
Fatigue
Fatigue Severity Scale - The scale consists of 9 items describing the functional impact of fatigue on daily life rated on a scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree) with the total fatigue score ranging from 9-63. Higher scores reflect greater fatigue severity and less energy.
Measured: change from baseline to 12 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted25 Jan 2019
- Study start1 Apr 2021
- Primary completion31 Jan 2022
- Study completion31 Jan 2022
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Other trials for Post-Traumatic Stress DisorderStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by VA Office of Research and DevelopmentThe 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
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Eligible participants will be randomized to either the enhanced yoga interventions or the (R/HE) comparison intervention. Assessments will occur at baseline, 12-weeks, and again 6-weeks after the intervention ends (18-weeks). The enhanced yoga intervention will consist of 1x weekly instructor-led yoga sessions lasting approximately 75 minutes, augmented by home practice of yoga for 20 minutes/day. The R/HE control intervention will be manualized and will meet weekly for 12 weeks for approximately 75 minutes per week. Short homework assignments will be included.
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Participant
- Enrolment
- 32 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- VA Office of Research and Development
- Sponsor type
- US federal agency
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Erik J. Groessl, PhD BA BS, Principal investigator, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03816007
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- D3009-P
- Status last verified
- Oct 2023
- First submitted
- 17 Jan 2019
- Last updated
- 31 Oct 2023
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: A de-identified, anonymized dataset will be created and shared. Requests for access to this data must be made in writing signed by a requestor from the United States. The request should reference the publication underlying the request. Requests may be made to the Principal Investigator/lead point-of-contact for the publication. Should the investigator leave the VASDHS the requests may be sent to the VA San Diego Associate Chief of Staff for Research. One or more data sets without personal identifiers will be generated during the data analysis phase of this study. The data sets will include all data underlying any publications generated by this study and therefore sufficient to reproduce or verify any published findings. Publications will specify the statistical analytic methods used, thereby enabling recipients to analyze the same data and validate study results.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 31 Oct 2023. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- An Enhanced Mind-body Intervention to Reduce Disability and Pain in Veterans With PTSD
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03816007
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- D3009-P
- Keywords
- PTSD, chronic pain, yoga, mantram repetition, mind-body interventions, complementary and integrative medicine
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 32 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- VA Office of Research and DevelopmentUS federal agency
- Study start
- 1 Apr 2021 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Jan 2022 (actual)
- Study completion
- 31 Jan 2022 (actual)
- First posted
- 25 Jan 2019 (actual)
- Results
- Posted 31 Oct 2023
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
PTSD is prevalent among Veterans and is associated with physical and functional impairments in addition to PTSD symptoms. Veterans with PTSD experience more chronic pain and pain-related functional limitations than Veterans without PTSD. Mind-body interventions such as yoga and meditation are non-pharmacological options for treating both chronic pain and PTSD. This pilot study will add an existing mantram repetition (MR) component designed for Veterans with PTSD to an active yoga intervention known to improve function in chronic back pain patients. The study will examine the acceptability of the interventions, adverse events, and the feasibility of recruitment, attendance, retention, treatment fidelity, and assessments by recruiting and randomizing 32 VA patients with PTSD to either yoga plus MR or to a relaxation/health education control. Health outcomes including pain-related function, pain, and PTSD symptoms will be measured. If feasible, the data will be used to plan a full-scale trial of enhanced yoga for pain in VA patients with PTSD.
Detailed description
The objectives of the proposed project are to examine the feasibility of delivering a combined yoga and MR intervention to VA patients with PTSD and cLBP and/or cNP within a randomized controlled trial study design. MR enhances the active yoga intervention for this specific population by providing a portable tool for managing stress and anxiety, and improving mental and emotional functioning in situations of daily life. The investigators will recruit and randomize 32 Veterans with PTSD to either enhanced yoga interventions or a relaxation/health education (R/HE) comparison intervention. The goal of the pilot randomized trial is to demonstrate the acceptability of the interventions, to study the feasibility of recruitment, retention, adherence, randomization, and assessments with military Veterans with PTSD, and to measure any adverse events. Data will inform plans for a full-scale effectiveness RCT.
Researchers and content experts will adapt and blend two manualized interventions (MR and yoga) into a single manualized and acceptable intervention. In addition, the existing yoga intervention and MR manuals will be adapted to provide a structured intervention guide for instructors. Next, the investigators will recruit and screen 32 Veterans with PTSD. Eligible participants will be randomized to either the enhanced yoga interventions or the (R/HE) comparison intervention. Assessments will occur at baseline, 12-weeks, and again 6-weeks after the intervention ends (18-weeks). The enhanced yoga intervention will consist of 1x weekly instructor-led yoga sessions lasting approximately 75 minutes, augmented by home practice of yoga for 20 minutes/day. The R/HE control intervention will be manualized and will meet weekly for 12 weeks for approximately 75 minutes per week. Short homework assignments will be included. The investigators will track and measure adverse events, recruitment rates, attendance and home practice rates, use of MR and yoga principles in daily life, attrition rates, and time to complete assessments. Questionnaires will assess pain-related function, pain, PTSD symptoms, insomnia/sleep, alcohol use, and quality of life. The investigators will also conduct qualitative interviews with 12 study participants to examine acceptability, recommendations, and factors affecting attendance and attrition. The investigators will target 7-8 yoga participants and 4-5 control participants. Data will be used to plan a full-scale RCT powered to detect differences in health outcomes.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (participant)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Eligible participants will be randomized to either the enhanced yoga interventions or the (R/HE) comparison intervention. Assessments will occur at baseline, 12-weeks, and again 6-weeks after the intervention ends (18-weeks). The enhanced yoga intervention will consist of 1x weekly instructor-led yoga sessions lasting approximately 75 minutes, augmented by home practice of yoga for 20 minutes/day. The R/HE control intervention will be manualized and will meet weekly for 12 weeks for approximately 75 minutes per week. Short homework assignments will be included.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Yoga and Mantram Repetition | Experimental | Behavioral: Yoga and Mantram RepetitionAn existing yoga intervention designed for persons with chronic pain will be augmented with training in mantram repetition. The intervention meets 1x weekly for 75 minutes for 12 weeks, and includes a home practice component. |
| Relaxation/Health Education | Active comparator | Behavioral: Veteran CalmA relaxation intervention used previously as a comparator intervention will be delivered by a health educator. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Veterans Affairs (VA) patients
- age > 18
- current diagnosis of PTSD
- score of 25 on Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)
- willing to reduce or cease opioid medications
Key exclusion criteria (7 listed)
- serious or unstable psychiatric illness
- suicidal or homicidal ideation
- < 3 months since major trauma event
- moderate or severe cognitive impairment
- practiced yoga or mantram repetition > 2x in the last 6 months
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Yoga and Mantram RepetitionAlso: Yoga _+ MRAn existing yoga intervention designed for persons with chronic pain will be augmented with training in mantram repetition. The intervention meets 1x weekly for 75 minutes for 12 weeks, and includes a home practice component. | Behavioural | Yoga and Mantram Repetition |
| Veteran CalmAlso: VCA relaxation intervention used previously as a comparator intervention will be delivered by a health educator 1x weekly for 75 minutes for 12 weeks, and includes a home practice component. | Behavioural | Relaxation/Health Education |
Primary outcome
Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ)
Time frame: Change between baseline and 12-weeks
The RMDQ has 23 questions asking about limitations experienced with daily activities. The scale is reliable and well validated. It has been used in other yoga studies. Scores can range from 0-24. Higher scores indicate more impairment, and when considering the change from baseline to follow-up assessments, negative scores indicate improvement. The scale has been shown to be reliable and is well validated. It has been used in another yoga RCT, allowing for comparisons.
7 secondary outcomes
BPI Pain Severity
Time frame: change from baseline to 12 weeks
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist- Version 5 (PCL-5)
Time frame: Change between baseline and 12-weeks
BPI Pain Interference
Time frame: change from baseline to 12 weeks
Insomnia Severity Index (ISI)
Time frame: Change between baseline and 12-weeks
Quality of Life - EQ5D
Time frame: Change between baseline and 12-weeks
AUDIT-C
Time frame: Change between baseline and 12-weeks
Fatigue
Time frame: change from baseline to 12 weeks
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 31 Oct 2023.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. A de-identified, anonymized dataset will be created and shared. Requests for access to this data must be made in writing signed by a requestor from the United States. The request should reference the publication underlying the request. Requests may be made to the Principal Investigator/lead point-of-contact for the publication. Should the investigator leave the VASDHS the requests may be sent to the VA San Diego Associate Chief of Staff for Research. One or more data sets without personal identifiers will be generated during the data analysis phase of this study. The data sets will include all data underlying any publications generated by this study and therefore sufficient to reproduce or verify any published findings. Publications will specify the statistical analytic methods used, thereby enabling recipients to analyze the same data and validate study results.
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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.
Erik J. Groessl, PhD BA BS principal investigator
VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Yoga and Mantram Repetition and Veteran Calm in people with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Chronic Low Back Pain, run by VA Office of Research and Development 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 6 inclusion and 7 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: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 31 Oct 2023. 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?
Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 31 Oct 2023). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.
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?
Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) (time frame: Change between baseline and 12-weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 31 Oct 2023; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 7 Nov 2026.