Chronic PruritusNCT06771375
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) to Treat Chronic Pruritus
A study testing Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing in people with Chronic Pruritus, run by University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland at 1 site in Switzerland.
Trial 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. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 75 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Chronic Pruritus
- What is being tested?
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 30 participants
- Where
- 1 siteSwitzerland
- Study dates
- Mar 2025to Sep 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
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 to 75 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- 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
Who cannot join
- 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
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Switzerland1 site
University Hospital Basel
Basel, 4031
Chrysovalandis Schwale, Dr. med., +41 61 265 52 94, chrysovalandis.schwale@usb.ch
Rainer Schäfert, Prof. Dr., +41 61 265 52 94, rainer.schaefert@usb.ch
About this study
Official title: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) to Treat Chronic Pruritus in a Multidisciplinary Tertiary Care Setting- a Feasibility Study
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
- Being tested
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
- Keywords
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Eye Movement Desensitization and ReprocessingBehavioural
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.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention Group | Experimental | EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)-Treatment of patients suffering from CP + Treatment as Usual (TAU). Receives: Behavioral: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing |
| Standard of care group | No intervention | Treatment as Usual (TAU) - depending on the underlying disease |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Adherence (%)
Adherence/ receipt of intervention and retention will be assessed by tracking % of sessions completed, number of dropouts and number of patients completing final assessment.
Measured: up to 8 month
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted13 Jan 2025
- Study startMar 2025 (estimated)
- Primary completionSep 2026 (estimated)
- Study completionSep 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Chronic PruritusStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University Hospital, Basel, SwitzerlandThe 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
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- non-randomized, open-label two-arm pre-post design feasibility-study
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Chrysovalandis Schwale, Dr., Principal investigator, University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06771375
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2024-02597, th24schaefert
- Status last verified
- Jan 2025
- First submitted
- 7 Jan 2025
- Last updated
- 13 Jan 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 13 Jan 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) to Treat Chronic Pruritus in a Multidisciplinary Tertiary Care Setting- a Feasibility Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06771375
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2024-02597, th24schaefert
- Conditions
- Chronic Pruritus
- Keywords
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University Hospital, Basel, SwitzerlandUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Mar 2025 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Sep 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 13 Jan 2025 (actual)
- 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.
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).
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- non-randomized, open-label two-arm pre-post design feasibility-study
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention Group | Experimental | Behavioral: Eye Movement Desensitization and ReprocessingEMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)-Treatment of patients suffering from CP + Treatment as Usual (TAU). |
| Standard of care group | No intervention | –Treatment as Usual (TAU) - depending on the underlying disease |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 75 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- 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
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- 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
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Eye Movement Desensitization and ReprocessingEMDR 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. | Behavioural | Intervention Group |
Primary outcome
Adherence (%)
Time frame: up to 8 month
Adherence/ receipt of intervention and retention will be assessed by tracking % of sessions completed, number of dropouts and number of patients completing final assessment.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 13 Jan 2025.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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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.
Chrysovalandis Schwale, Dr. principal investigator
University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing in people with Chronic Pruritus, run by University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland at 1 site in Switzerland.
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 4 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: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 13 Jan 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 Switzerland. 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?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Chrysovalandis Schwale, Dr. (+41 61 265 52 94, chrysovalandis.schwale@usb.ch), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Adherence (%) (time frame: up to 8 month). 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 13 Jan 2025.