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Small Fiber NeuropathyNCT05798949

Chronic Pain Rehabilitation in Patients With Small Fiber Neuropathy

A study testing Chronic pain rehabilitation: exposure in vivo, Chronic pain rehabilitation: graded activity and Chronic pain rehabilitation: acceptance and commitment therapy in people with Small Fiber Neuropathy, run by Academisch Ziekenhuis Maastricht at 2 sites in Netherlands.

Unknown status

Status not confirmed. The sponsor has not verified this record for over two years, so it may be out of date.

Official record
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Trial summary

Small fiber neuropathy (SFN) is a condition that is dominated by invalidating neuropathic pain. Pharmacological neuropathic pain treatment is often disappointing, since pain reduction is mostly slight and side effects can be debilitating. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
Conditions the study is for
Small Fiber Neuropathy
What is being tested?
Chronic pain rehabilitation: exposure in vivo, Chronic pain rehabilitation: graded activity and Chronic pain rehabilitation: acceptance and commitment therapy
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
10 participants
Where
2 sitesNetherlands
Study dates
9 Mar 2023to Oct 2025
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
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Aged older than 18 years,
  • Skin-biopsy proven idiopathic small fiber neuropathy (SFN),
  • Main goal/purpose to achieve with rehabilitation therapy.

Who cannot join

  • Are not able to provide written informed consent,
  • Have an underlying condition of SFN (diabetes, SCN (sodium voltage-gated channel alpha) 9A (subunit 9A) /10A (subunit 10A) /11A (subunit 11A) mutation, hypothyroidism, renal failure, vitamin B12 deficiency, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, alcohol abuses, malignancies, chemotherapeutic drugs),
  • Have other neurological disease than SFN that may cause pain in the feet and/or damage to the somatosensory nervous system, are excluded,
  • Have received any form of cognitive behavioral therapy within the last 6 months will be excluded from this study,
  • Have insufficient comprehension of the Dutch language.

Trial locations and contacts

2 sites in 1 country.

Netherlands2 sites, 2 recruiting
  • Adelante Zorggroep

    Maastricht, Limburg, 6229HX

    J. A.C. Verbunt, MD, PhD, 00313877151, j.verbunt@adelante-zorggroep.nl

    Recruiting
  • Maastricht University Medical Center

    Maastricht

    Catharina G Faber, MD, PhD, +31433877059, c.faber@mumc.nl

    Recruiting

Other trials in Netherlands

About this study

Small fiber neuropathy (SFN) is a condition that is dominated by invalidating neuropathic pain. Pharmacological neuropathic pain treatment is often disappointing, since pain reduction is mostly slight and side effects can be debilitating. Although neuropathic pain is caused by a lesion of the somatosensory system, also psychological factors, such as fear and catastrophizing, appear to play a role in the origin and maintenance of disability in chronic pain. Rehabilitation based on pain education and cognitive behavioral treatment including elements of acceptance and commitment therapy, exposure in vivo or graded activity can be performed to influence these factors. To date no specific rehabilitation programs are available for patients diagnosed with SFN.

Read the detailed description

Small fiber neuropathy (SFN) presents with neuropathic pain and autonomic dysfunction, caused by damage of the myelinated Aδ- and unmyelinated C-fibers. Neuropathic pain in SFN is chronic and severe. In 47% of the SFN cases, an underlying cause can be found. The diagnosis of SFN is established on the clinical signs and symptoms, in combination with reduced intra-epidermal nerve fiber density in the skin biopsy and/or abnormal quantitative sensory testing, with no abnormalities in the nerve conduction test (no large fiber involvement). Without underlying cause or when causative treatment is not sufficient, the treatment is focused on symptomatic neuropathic pain relief. Nevertheless, current pharmacological treatment is not sufficient enough in pain relief. In less than 50% of the pain patients, pain reduction of 30-40% has been observed with the most potent analgesia. Besides the lack of effectiveness of pharmacological medication, side effects and abuse are reported. These insufficient treatment options of SFN enables the necessity to search for other possible treatments.

In the treatment of (chronic) pain disability, a biopsychosocial approach seems to be effective in reducing disability and quality of life (QOL) in SFN. As we know based on earlier studies, chronic (neuropathic) pain, such as SFN, is influenced by several psychological factors, especially in causing and perpetuating pain. First, catastrophizing is one of those disabling psychological factors, which is defined as exaggerated negative mental set brought to bear during actual or anticipated pain experience Catastrophizing is seen as a precursor of pain, rather than consequence. Evidence showed a relation between the severity of chronic neuropathic pain and catastrophizing. Pain catastrophizing has been correlated to pain intensity, independent of physical impairment. In chronic pain, negative and catastrophic thoughts about illness often increase the level of disability. It seems that catastrophizing is one of the factors influencing QOL. Second, fear is another disabling psychological factor. Fear of pain can result in avoidance behavior and reduction of daily activities. Avoidance is the behavior aimed at postponing or preventing an aversive situation from occurring, which are mostly seen as a threat. According to the basic fear avoidance (conditioning) model, chronic pain and disability are induced by behavior. Neutral stimulus receives a negative load. In daily activities, these stimuli will remind patients to the painful experiences and so predicting pain. The intensity of pain combined with psychosocial factors can result in escape and avoidance behavior with eventually an impact for the level of physical activity.

These factors can be treated with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which aims to change the behavior, mindset, or feelings of the patient, helping to experience less distress, enjoying more and being more productive. Varying CBT modalities exists: exposure in vivo, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and graded activity (GA), which will be discussed. All the mentioned modalities will be provided by a treatment team consisting of a psychologist and an occupational therapist, whom both are experienced in the modalities of CBT. For every patient an individualized program will be designed based on the results of a screening. First, a patient will receive education about disabling factors that interfere with functioning in their personal situation. Thereafter, an individual treatment plan containing elements that specifically target disabling factors in the patient's situation will guide further treatment. Additional treatment elements can be based on three cognitive behavioral approaches: exposure in vivo, graded activity and acceptance commitment therapy (ACT). One or more modalities can be combined.

The main (primary) objective is to test the effectiveness of a personally tailored rehabilitation treatment targeting the specific psychological and behavioral factors related to decreasing disability, and improving QOL in SFN. The secondary objective is the personally tailored rehabilitation treatment program will have decrease of pain intensity, mood, and pain catastrophizing.

Being tested
Chronic pain rehabilitation: exposure in vivo, Chronic pain rehabilitation: graded activity, Chronic pain rehabilitation: acceptance and commitment therapy
Medical subject headings
Small Fiber Neuropathy

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Chronic pain rehabilitation: exposure in vivoBehavioural

    Also called Exposure in vivo

    Behavioral, chronic pain rehabilitation therapy

  • Chronic pain rehabilitation: graded activityBehavioural

    Also called graded activity

    Behavioral, chronic pain rehabilitation therapy

  • Chronic pain rehabilitation: acceptance and commitment therapyBehavioural

    Also called acceptance and commitment therapy

    Behavioral, chronic pain rehabilitation therapy

Study groups in NCT05798949
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Exposure in vivo-therapyActive comparatorIn the first phase, patients with idiopathic small fiber neuropathy will receive exposure in vivo therapy for at least 4 weeks, 2 sessions/week. In the second phase, the therapy will be expanded with either 4 weeks or 6 weeks, 2sessions/week, depending on the outcome of the first session.
Receives: Behavioral: Chronic pain rehabilitation: exposure in vivo
Graded activity-therapyActive comparatorIn the first phase, patients with idiopathic small fiber neuropathy will receive graded activity-therapy for at least 4 weeks, 2 sessions/week. In the second phase, the therapy will be expanded with either 4 weeks or 6 weeks, 2sessions/week, depending on the outcome of the first session.
Receives: Behavioral: Chronic pain rehabilitation: graded activity
Acceptance and commitment therapyActive comparatorIn the first phase, patients with idiopathic small fiber neuropathy will receive acceptance and commitment therapy for at least 4 weeks, 2 sessions/week. In the second phase, the therapy will be expanded with either 4 weeks or 6 weeks, 2sessions/week, depending on the outcome of the first session.
Receives: Behavioral: Chronic pain rehabilitation: acceptance and commitment therapy

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Disability measured with small fiber neuropathy rash built overall disability scale (SFN-RODS)

    This is a questionnaire consisting of 12 questions, in which a higher score is indicating more disability. There is no cut-off point. The minimum score is 0. The maximum score is 100.

    Measured: Through study completion, an average of 1 year

  2. Health related quality of life measured with short form 12 questionnaire (SF-12)

    This is a questionnaire consisting of 8 items measuring the quality of life, in which a lower score is indicating a lower quality of life compared to healthy individuals. The minimum score is 0, and the maximum score is 100.

    Measured: Through study completion, an average of 1 year

Secondary outcomes (3)
  1. Pain intensity measured with numeric rating scale (NRS)

    This is a measurement about the pain intensity. On a scale of 0-10 (Likert 11), a higher score is indicating more pain, in which 0 is indicating no pain at all (minimum score), and 10 is indicating the worst pain ever. (maximum score).

    Measured: Through study completion, an average of 1 year

  2. Mood measured with hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS)

    HADS is a questionnaire measuring symptoms of anxiety and depression with 14 questions, consisting of 2 subscales (with each 7 items): a score between 0-7 is seen as normal, between 8-10 is seen as borderline, and a score higher than 11 indicates an underlying anxiety or depressive disorder. The minimum score is 0, and the maximum score is 21.

    Measured: Through study completion, an average of 1 year

  3. Pain catastrophizing measured with pain catastrophizing scale (PCS)

    PCS is a questionnaire consisting of 13 questions, a higher score is indicating the presence of more catastrophic thoughts, there is no cut-off point. The minimum score is 0, and the maximum score is 52.

    Measured: Through study completion, an average of 1 year

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted5 Apr 2023
  2. Study start9 Mar 2023
  3. Primary completionOct 2025 (estimated)
  4. Study completionOct 2025 (estimated)

Resources

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
Sequential
Model description
Sequential replicated randomized single-case experimental-design
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Investigator
Enrolment
10 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT05798949
Sponsor's protocol ID
SFN-rehabilitation
Status last verified
Mar 2023
First submitted
9 Mar 2023
Last updated
5 Apr 2023
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Damci A, den Hollander M, Hoeijmakers JGJ, Faber CG, Goossens MEJB, Verbunt JAMCF. Biopsychosocial rehabilitation therapy in small fiber neuropathy: research protocol to study the effect of rehabilitation treatment. Front Neurol. 2024 Nov 13;15:1493326. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1493326. eCollection 2024.

    PubMed 39606707

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Chronic pain rehabilitation: exposure in vivo, Chronic pain rehabilitation: graded activity and Chronic pain rehabilitation: acceptance and commitment therapy in people with Small Fiber Neuropathy, run by Academisch Ziekenhuis Maastricht at 2 sites in Netherlands.

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 3 inclusion and 5 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: status not confirmed, as of the sponsor's last update on 5 Apr 2023. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 2 sites in Netherlands. 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?

Results are not available in the source record.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

Contact A. Damci, MD (0031433876584, aysun.damci@mumc.nl), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Disability measured with small fiber neuropathy rash built overall disability scale (SFN-RODS) (time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year). 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 NCT05798949, which also lists 1 linked publication.

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 5 Apr 2023.

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