A Quality-of-Life Evaluation Study Assessing Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients Receiving Medicinal Cannabis (the QUEST Initiative): Protocol for a Longitudinal Observational Study
BackgroundEvidence supports several countries introducing legislation to allow cannabis-based medicine as an adjunctive treatment for the symptomatic relief of chronic pain, chemotherapy-induced nausea, spasticity in multiple sclerosis (MS), epileptic seizures, depression, an...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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JMIR Publications
2021-11-01
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| Series: | JMIR Research Protocols |
| Online Access: | https://www.researchprotocols.org/2021/11/e32327 |
| _version_ | 1797735550729322496 |
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| author | Margaret-Ann Tait Daniel S J Costa Rachel Campbell Richard Norman Stephan Schug Claudia Rutherford |
| author_facet | Margaret-Ann Tait Daniel S J Costa Rachel Campbell Richard Norman Stephan Schug Claudia Rutherford |
| author_sort | Margaret-Ann Tait |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
BackgroundEvidence supports several countries introducing legislation to allow cannabis-based medicine as an adjunctive treatment for the symptomatic relief of chronic pain, chemotherapy-induced nausea, spasticity in multiple sclerosis (MS), epileptic seizures, depression, and anxiety. However, clinical trial participants do not represent the entire spectrum of disease and health status seen in patients currently accessing medicinal cannabis in practice.
ObjectiveThis study aims to collect real-world data to evaluate health-related quality of life in patients prescribed medicinal cannabis oil and describe any differences over time, from before starting therapy to after 3 and 12 months of therapy.
MethodsAdult patients newly prescribed medicinal cannabis oil by authorized prescribers and under the Special Access Schemes across Australia will be screened for eligibility and invited to participate. A sample size of 2142 is required, with a 3-month follow-up. All participants will complete the EuroQol 5-Dimension; European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-30; Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21; Patients’ Global Impression of Change; Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Short Form (SF) version 1.0: Sleep Disturbance 8b; and PROMIS SF Fatigue 13a questionnaires. Patients with chronic pain conditions will also complete the PROMIS SF version 1.0: Pain Intensity 3a and PROMIS SF version 1.0: Pain Interference 8a. Patients with movement disorders will also complete Quality of Life in Neurological Disorders (Neuro-QoL) SF version 1.0: Upper Extremity Function (Fine Motor and Activities of Daily Living) and if chorea is indicated, the Neuro-QoL SF version 2.0: Huntington’s Disease health-related Quality of LIFE-Chorea 6a. All questionnaires will be administered at baseline, 2 weeks (titration), monthly up to 3 months, and then every 2 months up to 1 year.
ResultsRecruitment commenced in November 2020. By June 2021, 1095 patients were screened for the study by 69 physicians in centers across 6 Australian states: Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, and Western Australia. Of the patients screened, 833 (39% of the target sample size) provided consent and completed baseline questionnaires. Results are expected to be published in 2022. Results of this study will show whether patient-reported outcomes improve in patients accessing prescribed medicinal cannabis from baseline to 3 months and whether any changes are maintained over a 12-month period. This study will also identify differences in improvements in patient-reported outcomes among patients with different chronic conditions (eg, chronic pain, MS, epilepsy, Parkinson disease, or cancer).
ConclusionsThis protocol contains detailed methods that will be used across multiple sites in Australia. The findings from this study have the potential to be integral to treatment assessment and recommendations for patients with chronic pain and other health indicators for accessing medicinal cannabis.
Trial RegistrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ANZCTRN12621000063819; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=380807&isReview=true
International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/32327 |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T13:00:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ab8d19b5fd8b4a6393f573e7386a3b18 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1929-0748 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T13:00:42Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | JMIR Research Protocols |
| spelling | doaj.art-ab8d19b5fd8b4a6393f573e7386a3b182023-08-28T19:49:55ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Research Protocols1929-07482021-11-011011e3232710.2196/32327A Quality-of-Life Evaluation Study Assessing Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients Receiving Medicinal Cannabis (the QUEST Initiative): Protocol for a Longitudinal Observational StudyMargaret-Ann Taithttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-9907-1049Daniel S J Costahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-6111-0620Rachel Campbellhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5013-8361Richard Normanhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-3112-3893Stephan Schughttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-0302-2315Claudia Rutherfordhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-4637-4572 BackgroundEvidence supports several countries introducing legislation to allow cannabis-based medicine as an adjunctive treatment for the symptomatic relief of chronic pain, chemotherapy-induced nausea, spasticity in multiple sclerosis (MS), epileptic seizures, depression, and anxiety. However, clinical trial participants do not represent the entire spectrum of disease and health status seen in patients currently accessing medicinal cannabis in practice. ObjectiveThis study aims to collect real-world data to evaluate health-related quality of life in patients prescribed medicinal cannabis oil and describe any differences over time, from before starting therapy to after 3 and 12 months of therapy. MethodsAdult patients newly prescribed medicinal cannabis oil by authorized prescribers and under the Special Access Schemes across Australia will be screened for eligibility and invited to participate. A sample size of 2142 is required, with a 3-month follow-up. All participants will complete the EuroQol 5-Dimension; European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-30; Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21; Patients’ Global Impression of Change; Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Short Form (SF) version 1.0: Sleep Disturbance 8b; and PROMIS SF Fatigue 13a questionnaires. Patients with chronic pain conditions will also complete the PROMIS SF version 1.0: Pain Intensity 3a and PROMIS SF version 1.0: Pain Interference 8a. Patients with movement disorders will also complete Quality of Life in Neurological Disorders (Neuro-QoL) SF version 1.0: Upper Extremity Function (Fine Motor and Activities of Daily Living) and if chorea is indicated, the Neuro-QoL SF version 2.0: Huntington’s Disease health-related Quality of LIFE-Chorea 6a. All questionnaires will be administered at baseline, 2 weeks (titration), monthly up to 3 months, and then every 2 months up to 1 year. ResultsRecruitment commenced in November 2020. By June 2021, 1095 patients were screened for the study by 69 physicians in centers across 6 Australian states: Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, and Western Australia. Of the patients screened, 833 (39% of the target sample size) provided consent and completed baseline questionnaires. Results are expected to be published in 2022. Results of this study will show whether patient-reported outcomes improve in patients accessing prescribed medicinal cannabis from baseline to 3 months and whether any changes are maintained over a 12-month period. This study will also identify differences in improvements in patient-reported outcomes among patients with different chronic conditions (eg, chronic pain, MS, epilepsy, Parkinson disease, or cancer). ConclusionsThis protocol contains detailed methods that will be used across multiple sites in Australia. The findings from this study have the potential to be integral to treatment assessment and recommendations for patients with chronic pain and other health indicators for accessing medicinal cannabis. Trial RegistrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ANZCTRN12621000063819; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=380807&isReview=true International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/32327https://www.researchprotocols.org/2021/11/e32327 |
| spellingShingle | Margaret-Ann Tait Daniel S J Costa Rachel Campbell Richard Norman Stephan Schug Claudia Rutherford A Quality-of-Life Evaluation Study Assessing Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients Receiving Medicinal Cannabis (the QUEST Initiative): Protocol for a Longitudinal Observational Study JMIR Research Protocols |
| title | A Quality-of-Life Evaluation Study Assessing Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients Receiving Medicinal Cannabis (the QUEST Initiative): Protocol for a Longitudinal Observational Study |
| title_full | A Quality-of-Life Evaluation Study Assessing Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients Receiving Medicinal Cannabis (the QUEST Initiative): Protocol for a Longitudinal Observational Study |
| title_fullStr | A Quality-of-Life Evaluation Study Assessing Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients Receiving Medicinal Cannabis (the QUEST Initiative): Protocol for a Longitudinal Observational Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Quality-of-Life Evaluation Study Assessing Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients Receiving Medicinal Cannabis (the QUEST Initiative): Protocol for a Longitudinal Observational Study |
| title_short | A Quality-of-Life Evaluation Study Assessing Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients Receiving Medicinal Cannabis (the QUEST Initiative): Protocol for a Longitudinal Observational Study |
| title_sort | quality of life evaluation study assessing health related quality of life in patients receiving medicinal cannabis the quest initiative protocol for a longitudinal observational study |
| url | https://www.researchprotocols.org/2021/11/e32327 |
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