Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40034007›Full record

ArticleJournal of neuromuscular diseases2025

The participants' perspective on facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy trials in The Netherlands - A qualitative study.

Lizan Stinissen, Joost Kools, Sietse Bouma, Emma Lenssen, Eline Sanders, Anke Lanser, Ria de Haas, Baziel Gm van Engelen, Wija Oortwijn, Nicol C Voermans

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of neuromuscular diseases, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

10 authors.

Lizan StinissenDepartment of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.ORCID 0009-0003-7180-484X
Joost KoolsDepartment of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Sietse BoumaDepartment of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Emma LenssenClinical Research Unit, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Eline SandersClinical Research Unit, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Anke LanserDutch FSHD patient advocacy group, Wassenaar, The Netherlands.
Ria de HaasFSHD Europe, Den Haag, The Netherlands.
Baziel Gm van EngelenDepartment of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Wija OortwijnResearch Institute for Medical Innovation, Science department IQ Health, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Nicol C VoermansDepartment of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-5837-7295

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFacioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is a hereditary muscle disease without an available cure. The first trials with potentially disease-modifying therapies have started, including a phase ll open-label study and a phase lll double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial assessing the safety and efficacy of losmapimod. Having a more in-depth understanding of the patient's experience of these trials will further enhance the design and recruitment of future trials.

objectiveTo explore the motivation, expectations, concerns, and experiences of FSHD patients in the first clinical trials in the Netherlands resulting in recommendations for future trials.

methodsSemi-structured interviews with participants of phase II and III losmapimod trials were conducted. The interview guide was based on previous conducted literature reviews and consultation of a patient representative. Participants were selected through convenience sampling. Four main themes were discussed: motivation for participation, expectations regarding study drug and trial visits, trial participation experience, and recommendations for future trials. The interviews were transcribed, anonymized, and analyzed using Atlas.ti version 23.1.1 using a deductive approach.

resultsThirteen participants were interviewed; six phase II participants and seven phase III participants. The primary motivations to participate concerned altruistic motives, contribute to science or improve their own health status. The participants had realistic expectations of the effect of the study drug before trial participation. Overall, participants were positive about their trial participation. Specifically, the personal and transparent communication within a trusting and dedicated trial team was appreciated. The phase III participants reported a higher than expected psychological burden on participating in a placebo-controlled trial. Recommendations consisted of more frequent updates on the overall progress and results of the trials.

conclusionsThis study presents the participants' perspective on FSHD trials, providing important key findings for future clinical trial design, study site practices and patient education.

Indexed as

Muscular Dystrophy, FacioscapulohumeralPyridinesAdultAgedClinical Trials, Phase II as TopicFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedMotivationNetherlandsQualitative ResearchPyridinesclinical trialsneuromuscular diseasespatient participationqualitative research

Identifiers

PMID40034007
PMCPMC13142829

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

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.