In-Home Virtual Reality Program for Chronic Lower Back Pain: A Randomized Sham-Controlled Effectiveness Trial in a Clinically Severe and Diverse Sample

Objective: To determine whether an 8-week, self-administered in-home, behavioral skills virtual reality program for chronic low back pain (RelieVRx) that trains diaphragmatic breathing, biofeedback, cognition and emotion regulation, mindfulness, and pain education skills, is superior to a strong act...

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Main Authors: Todd Maddox, PhD, Liesl Oldstone, PhD, Charisse Y. Sparks, MD, Josh Sackman, MBA, Alexis Oyao, BS, Laura Garcia, PhD, Roselani U. Maddox, BS, Kelsey Ffrench, MS, Heidy Garcia, JD, Takisha Adair, MBA, Ann Irvin, BS, David Maislin, PhD, Brendan Keenan, MS, Robert Bonakdar, MD, Beth D. Darnall, PhD
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2023-12-01
Series:Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Digital Health
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949761223000834
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author Todd Maddox, PhD
Liesl Oldstone, PhD
Charisse Y. Sparks, MD
Josh Sackman, MBA
Alexis Oyao, BS
Laura Garcia, PhD
Roselani U. Maddox, BS
Kelsey Ffrench, MS
Heidy Garcia, JD
Takisha Adair, MBA
Ann Irvin, BS
David Maislin, PhD
Brendan Keenan, MS
Robert Bonakdar, MD
Beth D. Darnall, PhD
author_facet Todd Maddox, PhD
Liesl Oldstone, PhD
Charisse Y. Sparks, MD
Josh Sackman, MBA
Alexis Oyao, BS
Laura Garcia, PhD
Roselani U. Maddox, BS
Kelsey Ffrench, MS
Heidy Garcia, JD
Takisha Adair, MBA
Ann Irvin, BS
David Maislin, PhD
Brendan Keenan, MS
Robert Bonakdar, MD
Beth D. Darnall, PhD
author_sort Todd Maddox, PhD
collection DOAJ
description Objective: To determine whether an 8-week, self-administered in-home, behavioral skills virtual reality program for chronic low back pain (RelieVRx) that trains diaphragmatic breathing, biofeedback, cognition and emotion regulation, mindfulness, and pain education skills, is superior to a strong active Sham at day 56 for improving pain intensity and pain interference, in a large real-world sample. Patients and Methods: Participants included a national sample of demographically diverse individuals with self-reported nonmalignant chronic low back pain ≥3 months duration with an average pain intensity and pain interference of ≥4/10. Participants were randomized 1:1 to RelieVRx or active Sham, and data were collected from January 31, 2022, to October 31, 2022. We evaluated group differences in brief pain inventory, pain intensity, and pain interference to day 56 (end of treatment). Results: Of the 1067 participants (772 women, 293 men, and 2 others; mean ± SD age, 50.8±13.2 years) randomized (1:1) into 2 groups: RelieVRx (n=536) and Sham (n=531) comprised the modified intention-to-treat analytic dataset. RelieVRx was superior to Sham for pain intensity and pain interference reductions from pretreatment to day 56 (difference from Sham, pain intensity: 0.406 [0.170-0.642] and pain interference: 0.523 [0.285-0.760]). Pain intensity and interference reductions for RelieVRx at day 56 were clinically meaningful (pain intensity: 2.0 [out of 10] points [1.73-2.06], pain interference: 2.3 points [1.99-2.33]). Conclusion: An 8-week self-administered behavioral skills virtual reality program was found to impart clinically meaningful improvements above a strong active control comparison on pain intensity and pain interference in clinically severe and diverse adults with chronic low back pain. Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT05263037
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spelling doaj.art-e8e9d5aa3dd34f92acdf15ce7c10e5bb2024-03-28T06:40:53ZengElsevierMayo Clinic Proceedings: Digital Health2949-76122023-12-0114563573In-Home Virtual Reality Program for Chronic Lower Back Pain: A Randomized Sham-Controlled Effectiveness Trial in a Clinically Severe and Diverse SampleTodd Maddox, PhD0Liesl Oldstone, PhD1Charisse Y. Sparks, MD2Josh Sackman, MBA3Alexis Oyao, BS4Laura Garcia, PhD5Roselani U. Maddox, BS6Kelsey Ffrench, MS7Heidy Garcia, JD8Takisha Adair, MBA9Ann Irvin, BS10David Maislin, PhD11Brendan Keenan, MS12Robert Bonakdar, MD13Beth D. Darnall, PhD14AppliedVR, Inc., Van Nuys, CA; Correspondence: Address to Todd Maddox, PhD, 16760 Stagg Street, Suite 216. Van Nuys, CA 91406-1642.AppliedVR, Inc., Van Nuys, CAAppliedVR, Inc., Van Nuys, CAAppliedVR, Inc., Van Nuys, CAAppliedVR, Inc., Van Nuys, CAFound Inc., San Francisco, CAAppliedVR, Inc., Van Nuys, CAAppliedVR, Inc., Van Nuys, CAAppliedVR, Inc., Van Nuys, CAAppliedVR, Inc., Van Nuys, CAAppliedVR, Inc., Van Nuys, CABiomedical Statistical Consulting, Wynnewood, PABiomedical Statistical Consulting, Wynnewood, PAScripps Center for Integrative Medicine, La Jolla, CADepartment of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CAObjective: To determine whether an 8-week, self-administered in-home, behavioral skills virtual reality program for chronic low back pain (RelieVRx) that trains diaphragmatic breathing, biofeedback, cognition and emotion regulation, mindfulness, and pain education skills, is superior to a strong active Sham at day 56 for improving pain intensity and pain interference, in a large real-world sample. Patients and Methods: Participants included a national sample of demographically diverse individuals with self-reported nonmalignant chronic low back pain ≥3 months duration with an average pain intensity and pain interference of ≥4/10. Participants were randomized 1:1 to RelieVRx or active Sham, and data were collected from January 31, 2022, to October 31, 2022. We evaluated group differences in brief pain inventory, pain intensity, and pain interference to day 56 (end of treatment). Results: Of the 1067 participants (772 women, 293 men, and 2 others; mean ± SD age, 50.8±13.2 years) randomized (1:1) into 2 groups: RelieVRx (n=536) and Sham (n=531) comprised the modified intention-to-treat analytic dataset. RelieVRx was superior to Sham for pain intensity and pain interference reductions from pretreatment to day 56 (difference from Sham, pain intensity: 0.406 [0.170-0.642] and pain interference: 0.523 [0.285-0.760]). Pain intensity and interference reductions for RelieVRx at day 56 were clinically meaningful (pain intensity: 2.0 [out of 10] points [1.73-2.06], pain interference: 2.3 points [1.99-2.33]). Conclusion: An 8-week self-administered behavioral skills virtual reality program was found to impart clinically meaningful improvements above a strong active control comparison on pain intensity and pain interference in clinically severe and diverse adults with chronic low back pain. Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT05263037http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949761223000834behavioral healthchronic low back painvirtual reality
spellingShingle Todd Maddox, PhD
Liesl Oldstone, PhD
Charisse Y. Sparks, MD
Josh Sackman, MBA
Alexis Oyao, BS
Laura Garcia, PhD
Roselani U. Maddox, BS
Kelsey Ffrench, MS
Heidy Garcia, JD
Takisha Adair, MBA
Ann Irvin, BS
David Maislin, PhD
Brendan Keenan, MS
Robert Bonakdar, MD
Beth D. Darnall, PhD
In-Home Virtual Reality Program for Chronic Lower Back Pain: A Randomized Sham-Controlled Effectiveness Trial in a Clinically Severe and Diverse Sample
Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Digital Health
behavioral health
chronic low back pain
virtual reality
title In-Home Virtual Reality Program for Chronic Lower Back Pain: A Randomized Sham-Controlled Effectiveness Trial in a Clinically Severe and Diverse Sample
title_full In-Home Virtual Reality Program for Chronic Lower Back Pain: A Randomized Sham-Controlled Effectiveness Trial in a Clinically Severe and Diverse Sample
title_fullStr In-Home Virtual Reality Program for Chronic Lower Back Pain: A Randomized Sham-Controlled Effectiveness Trial in a Clinically Severe and Diverse Sample
title_full_unstemmed In-Home Virtual Reality Program for Chronic Lower Back Pain: A Randomized Sham-Controlled Effectiveness Trial in a Clinically Severe and Diverse Sample
title_short In-Home Virtual Reality Program for Chronic Lower Back Pain: A Randomized Sham-Controlled Effectiveness Trial in a Clinically Severe and Diverse Sample
title_sort in home virtual reality program for chronic lower back pain a randomized sham controlled effectiveness trial in a clinically severe and diverse sample
topic behavioral health
chronic low back pain
virtual reality
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949761223000834
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