Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37434163›Full record

ArticleTrials2023

A self-guided Internet-based intervention for individuals with chronic pain and depressive symptoms: study protocol of a randomized controlled trial.

Swantje Borsutzky, Steffen Moritz, Birgit Hottenrott, Josefine Gehlenborg

Open access · goldAbstract readClinical Trial Protocol
In one paragraph

Article in Trials, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
1.3field-weighted citation impact, top 20% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 5 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Swantje BorsutzkyDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany. s.borsutzky@uke.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0978-234X
Steffen MoritzDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.
Birgit HottenrottDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.
Josefine GehlenborgDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0029-2029
Universität Hamburg · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDespite the existence of evidence-based therapy options for the treatment of chronic pain and comorbid depressive symptoms (e.g., CBT), many individuals remain untreated. Treatment gaps result from a lack of specialists, patient fear of stigmatization, or patient immobility. Internet-based self-help interventions could serve as an anonymous and flexible alternative treatment option. In a pilot study, chronic pain patients with comorbid depressive symptoms who used a generic Internet-based depression program showed a significant reduction in depressive symptoms (but not pain symptoms) compared to a waitlist control group. Based on these findings, we developed the low-threshold, anonymous, and cost-free Internet-based self-help intervention Lenio that is tailored to the specific needs of chronic pain patients with comorbid depressive symptoms. Lenio is accompanied by the smartphone application (app) COGITO designed to increase therapeutic success. With Lenio and COGITO addressing both chronic pain and depressive symptoms, the trial aims to increase treatment effects of online interventions for chronic pain patients by reducing both depressive symptoms and pain.

methodsThe effectiveness of the Internet-based self-help intervention and accompanying smartphone app will be evaluated in a randomized controlled trial (RCT). A total of 300 participants will be randomized into an intervention group (Lenio/COGITO), an active control group (depression-focused smartphone app), or a waitlist control group. Assessments will be done at baseline, after an 8-week intervention period (post), and after 16 weeks (follow-up). The primary outcome is the post-assessment reduction in "pain impairment" (mean value of impairment in daily life, free time, and work) as assessed by the DSF (German pain questionnaire). Secondary outcomes will include the reduction in depressive symptoms as well as in the severity of pain. DISCUSSION: Lenio is one of the first Internet-based interventions to reduce chronic pain and depression that will be empirically evaluated. Internet-based interventions could offer a promising alternative to conventional face-to-face psychotherapy in the treatment of chronic pain patients. The primary objective of the current study is to add essential insight into the feasibility, effectiveness, and acceptance of Internet-based interventions for people with chronic pain and depressive symptoms.

trial registrationDRKS-ID DRKS00026722, Registered on October 6th, 2021.

Indexed as

Chronic PainInternet-Based InterventionDepressionHumansInternetPsychotherapyRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicCBTChronic painEmotional problemsInternet-based self-helpOnline-interventionRandomized controlled trial

Identifiers

PMID37434163
PMCPMC10334640
OpenAlexW4383907640

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.