Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA)PPIDCNCT07772544
Prevention of Psoriatic Arthritis Inflammation Through Digital Care: A Feasibility Mixed-Methods Study
A study testing iPROLEPSIS Digital Health Ecossystem in people with Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA), run by Sociedade Portuguesa de Reumatologia at 4 sites in 2 countries.
Trial summary
This is an international, multicentre, feasibility mixed-methods, single-arm study evaluating the implementation of the iPROLEPSIS digital health promotion programme for adults with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in real-world clinical practice. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA)
- What is being tested?
- iPROLEPSIS Digital Health Ecossystem
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 72 participants
- Where
- 4 sitesin 2 countries
- Study dates
- Sep 2026to Dec 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
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
- Willing and able to provide informed consent
- Female or male, aged 18 years or older at the time of enrolment
- Diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis
- Had a rheumatology appointment in the past 12 months
- Owns a smartphone (Android) compatible with the study apps
- Willing to use the study smartwatch (Garmin Vivoactive 5) for the 12-month follow-up period
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- Proficient in the local language
- Willing and able to provide informed consent
- Involved in the clinical follow-up of PsA patients enrolled in the study
Who cannot join
- Illiteracy or inability to comply with the study protocol (e.g., due to hearing or visual impairments or significant cognitive impairment)
- Lack of access to the necessary technology to participate in the study (e.g., smartphone or stable internet connection)
Trial locations and contacts
4 sites in 2 countries. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Cátia Gonçalves, PhD contact
4 sites in 2 countries
Portugal3 sites
Unidade Local de Saúde de Aveiro, Serviço de Reumatologia, Hospital Infante Dom Pedro
Aveiro
Anabela Barcelos, MD, PhD, +351 966894176, barcelos.anabela@gmail.com
Unidade Local de Saúde de São José, Serviço de Reumatologia, Hospital Santo António dos Capuchos
Lisbon
Ana Teresa Melo, MD, +351 918613549, anateresamelo1992@gmail.com
Unidade Local de Saúde de São João, Serviço de Reumatologia, Hospital São João
Porto
Alexandra Bernardo, MD, +351 938507343, alexbernardo@sapo.pt
Greece1 site
Hipokrateion Hospital Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Ioanna Katsigianni, MD, +30 231 089 2000, katsigianniioan@gmail.com
About this study
Official title: iPROLEPSIS-PPIDC: Prevention of Psoriatic Arthritis Inflammation Through Digital Care: A Feasibility Mixed-Methods Study
This is an international, multicentre, feasibility mixed-methods, single-arm study evaluating the implementation of the iPROLEPSIS digital health promotion programme for adults with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in real-world clinical practice.
The study will enrol 72 adults with PsA (18 participants per country) across Portugal, the Netherlands, Greece, and the United Kingdom. Participants will be followed for 12 months, including a 1-month baseline monitoring period without intervention, followed by an 11-month intervention period during which participants will use the iPROLEPSIS digital health ecosystem. The iPROLEPSIS ecosystem integrates multiple digital health tools designed to support lifestyle management, self-monitoring, and patient engagement in PsA care. Participants will use the miPROLEPSIS app for active and passive data collection and personalised lifestyle recommendations related to diet and physical activity; biAURA for sleep and stress management using binaural beats; iPROLEPSIS Games to promote physical and emotional well-beingthrough serious games; and the miPROLEPSIS Joint Landmarker app for video-based functional assessments. The ecosystem will also integrate data from a Garmin vívoactive 5 smartwatch and wireless earbuds. Healthcare professionals involved in participant follow-up will access a dedicated clinical dashboard to support monitoring and clinical management. The primary objective of this feasibility study is to evaluate the usability of the iPROLEPSIS digital health ecosystem among patients with PsA and healthcare professionals using the System Usability Scale (SUS) and the eHealth UsaBility Benchmarking Instrument (HUBBI). Secondary objectives include assessing participant retention, acceptability of study participation, engagement with the digital health tools, adherence to study procedures, and identifying barriers and facilitators influencing the implementation of the digital health programme in routine clinical practice.The study will also generate preliminary evidence regarding potential changes in clinical and patient-reported outcomes associated with the use of the iPROLEPSIS ecosystem and include a preliminary budget impact analysis to inform the design of a future larger-scale clinical trial.
- Conditions
- Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA)
- Being tested
- iPROLEPSIS Digital Health Ecossystem
- Keywords
- Psoriatic Arthritis, Digital Health, Feasibility Study, Usability, Disease Self-Management, Digital Biomarkers, Remote Monitoring, eHealth
- Medical subject headings
- Arthritis, Psoriatic
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
iPROLEPSIS Digital Health EcossystemBehavioural
The iPROLEPSIS Digital Health Programme is a multimodal digital health intervention designed to support self-management, healthy lifestyle behaviours, and remote clinical follow-up in adults with psoriatic arthritis. Participants will use the miPROLEPSIS mobile application for symptom monitoring, passive and active data collection, and personalised lifestyle recommendations; biAURA for sleep and stress management; iPROLEPSIS Games to promote physical and emotional well-being; and the miPROLEPSIS Joint Landmarker application for video-based functional assessment. The ecossystem also integrates a smartwatch and wireless earbuds.
Healthcare professionals will use a dedicated clinical dashboard to monitor participant data and support clinical management throughout the intervention period.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| iPROLEPSIS Digital Health Ecossystem | Experimental | Participants with psoriatic arthritis will undergo a 12-month study period consisting of a 1-month baseline monitoring phase followed by an 11-month intervention phase. During the intervention period, participants will receive the iPROLEPSIS digital health programme , integrated with a wearable smartwatch and wireless earbuds. Healthcare professionals involved in participant follow up will use a dedicated clinical dashboard. Receives: Behavioral: iPROLEPSIS Digital Health Ecossystem |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
System Usability Scale (SUS)
A validated 10-item questionnaire assessing ease of system use, scored on a 5-point Likert scale and converted to a 0-100 scale. A score ≥68 indicates above-average usability.
Measured: T0 (Month 1), T3 (Month 4), and T11 (Month 12); Healthcare professionals: T11 (Month 12)
eHealth UsaBility Benchmarking instrument (HUBBI)
A structured heuristic tool assessing usability across seven domains (Basic System Performance, Task-Technology Fit, Interface Design, Navigation \& Structure, Information \& Terminology, Guidance \& Support, Satisfaction). Results are presented as categorical ratings (Good, Moderate, Insufficient, Poor).
Measured: T0 (Month 1), T3 (Month 4), and T11 (Month 12); Healthcare professionals: T11 (Month 12)
Secondary outcomes (42)
Acceptability
Number of eligible participants who agree to participate in the study.
Measured: Baseline
Perceptions of acceptability, barriers, facilitators, and experiences (patients)
Semi-structured focus group interviews
Measured: T11 (Month 12)
Step counts
Count of steps collected unobtrusively from the smartwatch of patient to measure physical activity. Patients will wear the smartwatch daily
Measured: Continuous, throughout 12 months
Accelerometer data
Accelerometer data collected unobtrusively from smartphone of patient and smartwatch to measure physical activity. Patients will wear the smartwatch daily
Measured: Continuous, throughout 12 months
Number of Flares Reported via the miPROLEPSIS Application
Number of disease flares self-reported by patients directly through the miPROLEPSIS application.
Measured: Continuous throughout 12 months
Number of Flares Reported via Patient and Rheumatologist
Count of disease flares reported using the structured Patient and Rheumatologist flare questionnaires developed in the iPROLEPSIS-PDPID study, completed during clinical visits.
Measured: Baseline, T0 (Month 1), T3 (Month 4), and T11 (Month 12);
Body Mass Index (BMI)
Calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters (kg/m²). Used to classify nutritional status (underweight, normal weight, overweight, obesity).
Measured: Baseline
Minimal Disease Activity (MDA) status
Minimal Disease Activity status based on predefined criteria, determined from joint counts, pain, global activity, and function.
Measured: Baseline, T0 (Month 1), T3 (Month 4), and T11 (Month 12)
Psoriatic Arthritis Disease Activity Score (PASDAS)
Composite disease activity score combining clinical and patient-reported variables. Total score ranges from 0 to 10; higher scores indicate more active disease. Low disease activity is defined as a score <3.2.
Measured: Baseline, T0 (Month 1), T3 (Month 4), and T11 (Month 12)
Disease Activity in Psoriatic Arthritis (DAPSA) Score
Composite score derived from tender joint count (0-68), swollen joint count (0-66), C-reactive protein level (mg/dL), patient pain (0-10 cm VAS), and patient global assessment (0-10). Higher scores indicate more active disease.
Measured: Baseline, T0 (Month 1), T3 (Month 4), and T11 (Month 12)
Psoriatic Arthritis Impact of Disease (PsAID)
Validated patient-reported measure assessing disease impact across domains such as pain, fatigue, work, and emotional well-being
Measured: Baseline, T0 (Month 1), T3 (Month 4), and T11 (Month 12)
Arthritis Self-Efficacy Scale (ASES)
8-item scale measuring perceived self-efficacy in managing pain and other arthritis-related symptoms. Scores range from 10 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater self-efficacy.
Measured: Baseline, T0 (Month 1), T3 (Month 4), and T11 (Month 12)
Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)
9-item instrument for screening and measuring the severity of depressive symptoms in the previous two weeks. Score ranges from 0 to 27. Higher scores indicate more severe depressive symptoms
Measured: Baseline, T0 (Month 1), T3 (Month 4), and T11 (Month 12)
Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)
Self-reported questionnaire measuring the degree to which individuals perceive their life situations as stressful, over the past month. Scores are calculated by summing item responses, with higher scores indicating greater perceived stress.
Measured: Baseline, T0 (Month 1), T3 (Month 4), and T11 (Month 12)
Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36)
Standardised questionnaire assessing assessing health-related quality of live across eight domains: physical functioning, role limitations due to physical health, bodily pain, general health perceptions, vitality, social functioning, role limitations due to emotional problems, and mental health. Scores are transformed to a 0-100 scale. Higher scores indicate better health status.
Measured: Baseline, T0 (Month 1), T3 (Month 4), and T11 (Month 12)
International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Form (IPAQ-SF)
Self-reported physical activity levels across intensity domains (walking, moderate, vigorous), duration, and frequency over the past 7 days
Measured: T0 (Month 1), T3 (Month 4), and T11 (Month 12)
Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI)
20-item scale assessing difficulties in performing daily activities. Responses range from 0 (no difficulty) to 3 (unable to do). Higher scores indicate worse functional disability.
Measured: Baseline, T0 (Month 1), T3 (Month 4), and T11 (Month 12)
14-item Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (14-MEDAS)
Questionnaire assessing adherence to Mediterranean dietary pattern. Score ranges from 0 to 14; higher scores reflect greater adherence.
Measured: Baseline, T0 (Month 1), T3 (Month 4), and T11 (Month 12)
EuroQoL 5-Dimensions 5-Levels (EQ-5D-5L)
Standardised instrument measuring quality of life across five domains: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression. Includes an index score and visual analogue scale (VAS).
Measured: Baseline, T0 (Month 1), T3 (Month 4), and T11 (Month 12)
Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI)
Self-reported questionnaire measuring the degree to which health problems affect work productivity and regular activities. Includes absenteeism, presenteeism, and overall work and activity impairment.
Measured: Baseline, T0 (Month 1), T3 (Month 4), and T11 (Month 12);
Healthcare utilisation
Self-reported use of healthcare services, including visits to GPs and specialists.
Measured: Baseline, T0 (Month 1), T3 (Month 4), and T11 (Month 12)
Safety assessment
Number of adverse events (AEs) and serious adverse events (SAEs).
Measured: Baseline, T0 (Month 1), T3 (Month 4), and T11 (Month 12)
Heart rate
Heart rate collected unobtrusively from smartwatch of patient. Patients will wear the smartwatch daily
Measured: Continuous throughout 12 months
Heart rate variability
Heart rate variability (HRV) collected unobtrusively from the patient's smartwatch to assess variations in heart rate. This is a feature provided by the smartwatch. Patients will wear the smartwatch daily.
Measured: Continuous throughout 12 months
Stress (digital)
Stress levels collected unobtrusively from smartwatch of patient to measure stress on a scale. This is a feature provided by the smartwatch. Patients will wear the smartwatch daily
Measured: Continuous throughout 12 months
Sleeping time
Sleeping time (hours) collected unobtrusively from smartwatch of patient
Measured: Continuous throughout 12 months
Sleeping type
Sleeping type (%) collected unobtrusively from smartwatch of patient
Measured: Continuous throughout 12 months
Hand and feet photos
Images of hands and feet of the patient captured by the smartphone camera of the patient, to produce a feature vector relative to the condition of nails and joints of hands and toes resulting in an imaging digital biomarker
Measured: 12 months (follow-up every 6 weeks and in case of flare)
Hand and body movements videos
Videos of pre-specified movements of hand and body recorded by the smartphone camera of the patient, to produce a set of time series with landmark coordinates (obtained from the videos) resulting in an imaging digital biomarker
Measured: 12 months (follow-up every 6 weeks and in case of flare)
Physical activity intensity and categories
Physical activity intensity and physical activity categories collected unobtrusively from the smartwatch of patient to measure physical activity. Intensity and categories are features provided by the smartwatch. Patients will wear the smartwatch daily
Measured: Continuous throughout 12 months
Gyroscope sensor data
Gyroscope sensor data for orientation collected unobtrusively from smartphone of patient
Measured: Continuous throughout 12 months
Keystroke Dynamics
Keypad time-related data (e.g., inter-key press intervals) and associated metadata, collected unobtrusively from the patient's smartphone during app use, for fine motor function.
Measured: Continuous throughout 12 months
Session Frequency (iPROLEPSIS apps)
Number of discrete user sessions or app log-ins over the study period, indicating engagement consistency and sustained participation.
Measured: Continuous, through 12 months of follow-up
Session Duration (iPROLEPSIS apps)
Dwell time within each application, i.e., duration of each user session, in minutes.
Measured: Continuous, throughout 11 months
Feature Access Rate (iPROLEPSIS Apps)
Number of times users access specific app features or modules, reflecting breadth and depth of feature engagement.
Measured: Continuous throughout 12 months
Task Completion Rate (iPROLEPSIS Apps)
Ratio of the number of completed tasks to the number of abandoned or incomplete tasks
Measured: Continuous throughout 12 months
Notification Action Rate (iPROLEPSIS Apps)
Ratio of the number of opened notifications to the number of resulting task completions
Measured: Continuous throughout 12 months
Time on Task (iPROLEPSIS Apps)
Time taken by users to complete a defined in-app task, in minutes.
Measured: Continuous throughout 12 months
Error Rate (iPROLEPSIS Apps)
Application) Ratio of the number of successful task attempts to the number of failed attempts (e.g., failed photo submissions or failed video tests).
Measured: Continuous throughout 12 months
User-Generated Data Entries (iPROLEPSIS Apps)
Frequency and quantity of user-initiated data input, indicating active engagement and perceived app utility
Measured: Continuous throughout 12 months
Number of Dashboard Sessions Logged (HCP Dashboard)
Number of times healthcare professionals log into the iPROLEPSIS clinical dashboard
Measured: Continuous throughout 12 months
Incremental Cost of Implementing the iPROLEPSIS Digital Health Programme Compared with Standard Care
Estimated incremental cost (local currency) of implementing the iPROLEPSIS digital health tools vs. standard care, from a healthcare system perspective, including key cost drivers and sensitivity analyses.
Measured: Baseline, T0 (Month 1), T3 (Month 4), and T11 (Month 12)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted19 Aug 2026
- Study startSep 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completionDec 2027 (estimated)
- Study completionDec 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA)Studies of the same condition, open and under way.
- 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
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 72 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Sociedade Portuguesa de Reumatologia
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Erasmus Medical Center, University of Oxford, Aristotle University Of Thessaloniki, NOVA Medical School
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Ana Maria Rodrigues, MD, PhD, Principal investigator, NOVA Medical School
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07772544
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 014/2026/CENMS
- Other IDs
- 101095697
- Acronym
- PPIDC
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 8 Aug 2026
- Last updated
- 16 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided