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Shah N, Morone N, Kim E, Ellis TD, Cohn E, LaValley MP, Kumar D. Telehealth mindful exercise for people with knee osteoarthritis: A decentralized feasibility randomized controlled trial. OSTEOARTHRITIS AND CARTILAGE OPEN 2024; 6:100494. [PMID: 39021877 PMCID: PMC11254171 DOI: 10.1016/j.ocarto.2024.100494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective Negative psychological beliefs like fear avoidance and catastrophizing can interfere with exercise engagement in people with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Mindfulness, when integrated with exercise, could potentially address both psychological and physical impairments. Our objectives were to optimize and assess the feasibility of a novel telehealth, group-based mindful exercise intervention for people with knee OA. Methods We conducted a decentralized randomized controlled trial where participants (n = 40) with symptomatic knee OA were randomized into mindful exercise (n = 21) or exercise-only (n = 19) groups. Both groups received supervised group-based interventions weekly for 8-weeks via Zoom. Primary outcomes were safety, fidelity, and feasibility of the mindful exercise intervention. Participants completed patient-reported outcomes (PRO) for pain, function, and psychological measures at baseline, week-8, and week-14. Results Participants were from 21 US states; >90% identified as having White race, 16% were from rural areas, and approximately 40% had an annual income < $50,000. At 8-weeks, mindful exercise and exercise groups had retention rates of 86% (18/21) and 100% (19/19), and attendance was 54% (11.4/21) and 68% (13/19) respectively. There were no adverse events in the mindful exercise group and four in the exercise group related to exacerbation of knee pain. Preliminary findings showed numerically larger improvements in several PROs for the mindful exercise group. Conclusion An 8-week telehealth, group-based, mindful exercise intervention was safe for people with knee OA. Our decentralized approach was feasible in terms of recruitment and retention. Further refinement is needed to improve intervention attendance and participant diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nirali Shah
- Department of Physical Therapy, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Natalia Morone
- Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ehyun Kim
- Department of Physical Therapy, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Terry D. Ellis
- Department of Physical Therapy, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ellen Cohn
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michael P. LaValley
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Boston University, MA, USA
| | - Deepak Kumar
- Department of Physical Therapy, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
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Richards DP, Queenan J, Aasen-Johnston L, Douglas H, Hawrysh T, Lapenna M, Lillie D, McIntosh EI, Shea J, Smith M, Marlin S. Patient and Public Perceptions in Canada About Decentralized and Hybrid Clinical Trials: "It's About Time we Bring Trials to People". Ther Innov Regul Sci 2024; 58:965-977. [PMID: 38904884 PMCID: PMC11335844 DOI: 10.1007/s43441-024-00665-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Little is known about patient and the public perspectives on decentralized and hybrid clinical trials in Canada. METHODS We conducted an online survey (English and French) promoted on social media to understand perspectives of people in Canada about decentralized and hybrid clinical trials. The survey had two sections. We co-produced this project entirely with patient, caregiver, and family partners. RESULTS The survey had 284 (14 French) individuals who started or completed Section 1, and 180 (16 French) individuals who started or completed Section 2. People prefer to have options to participate in clinical trials where aspects are decentralized or hybridized. 79% of respondents preferred to have options related to study visits. There were concerns about handling adverse events or potential complications in decentralized trials, however, communication options such as a dedicated contact person for participants was deemed helpful. Most respondents were amenable to informed consent being done at a satellite site closer to home or via technology and were split on privacy concerns about this. Most preferred travel to a site within an hour, depending on what the trial was for or its impact on quality of life. Due to the response rate, we were unable to explore associations with gender, age, health status, geography, ethnicity, and prior clinical trial participation. CONCLUSION Our findings indicate an openness in Canada to participating in trials that decentralize or hybridize some aspects. These trials are perceived to provide benefits to participants and ways to increase equity and accessibility for participants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawn P Richards
- Clinical Trials Ontario, MaRS Centre, West Tower, 661 University Avenue, Suite 460, M5G 1M1, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - John Queenan
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, K7L 3N6, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | | | - Heather Douglas
- College of Lived Experience Member, Clinical Trials Ontario, MaRS Centre, West Tower, 661 University Avenue, Suite 460, M5G 1M1, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Terry Hawrysh
- College of Lived Experience Member, Clinical Trials Ontario, MaRS Centre, West Tower, 661 University Avenue, Suite 460, M5G 1M1, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Michael Lapenna
- College of Lived Experience Member, Clinical Trials Ontario, MaRS Centre, West Tower, 661 University Avenue, Suite 460, M5G 1M1, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Donna Lillie
- College of Lived Experience Member, Clinical Trials Ontario, MaRS Centre, West Tower, 661 University Avenue, Suite 460, M5G 1M1, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Emily I McIntosh
- College of Lived Experience Member, Clinical Trials Ontario, MaRS Centre, West Tower, 661 University Avenue, Suite 460, M5G 1M1, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jenna Shea
- College of Lived Experience Member, Clinical Trials Ontario, MaRS Centre, West Tower, 661 University Avenue, Suite 460, M5G 1M1, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Maureen Smith
- College of Lived Experience Member, Clinical Trials Ontario, MaRS Centre, West Tower, 661 University Avenue, Suite 460, M5G 1M1, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Susan Marlin
- Clinical Trials Ontario, MaRS Centre, West Tower, 661 University Avenue, Suite 460, M5G 1M1, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Lin MJ, Yao H, Vera K, Patel E, Johnson M, Caroline P, Ramos J, Mehta J, Hu X, Blakeley JO, Romo CG, Sarin KY. Cutaneous Neurofibromas and Quality of Life in Adults With Neurofibromatosis Type 1. JAMA Dermatol 2024:2823064. [PMID: 39196570 PMCID: PMC11359107 DOI: 10.1001/jamadermatol.2024.2912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
Importance There is a burgeoning interest in therapeutic development for cutaneous neurofibromas (cNFs), a major cause of morbidity in persons with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). To determine meaningful clinical trial outcomes, deeper understanding is needed regarding how cNFs are associated with quality of life (QoL). However, this understanding has been hampered by challenges in recruiting participants with this rare genetic disease. Objective To develop a large, crowdsourced validated registry of persons with NF1 and determine the association of specific cNF features with QoL, pain, and itch. Design, Setting, and Participants From May 2021 to December 2023, a decentralized platform was developed and recruited persons 40 years or older with NF1 and at least 1 cNF from 49 states and 12 countries, who provided clinical survey data, detailed photographs, and genetic sequencing data. Photographs from 583 participants were scored on 12 features of cNFs, including general severity, number, size, facial severity, color, and subtypes. Exposure cNF features derived from participant-supplied photographs. Main Outcomes and Measures Total Skindex scores and subdomain scores (symptoms, emotion, function, pain, and itch). Results Of 583 participants, 384 (65.9%) were female, and the mean (range) age was 51.7 (40.0-83.0) years. Female sex, general severity, number, size, and facial severity of cNFs were negatively associated with QoL, as demonstrated by increased total Skindex scores. QoL had the largest association with the number of cNFs and presence of facial cNFs. Increasing number of cNFs was associated with worse QoL, and even individuals with a low cNF burden (<10 total cNFs) experienced a decrease in QoL. Conclusions and Relevance The results of this study suggest that reducing cNF number, particularly on the face, may be associated with improved QoL in individuals with NF1. In addition, early intervention before the development of numerous tumors may lead to the highest benefit in QoL. These data potentially provide insight into which individuals and cNF tumors may benefit most from therapy and highlights the utility of a completely decentralized, photograph-validated and age-controlled study for rare genetic disease. This cohort will allow analysis of disease and tumor heterogeneity after full phenotypic expression is achieved in NF1 and potentially serves as an example in its design for other rare diseases that struggle from poor recruitment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Jade Lin
- Department of Dermatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Redwood City, California
| | - Hanqi Yao
- Department of Dermatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Redwood City, California
| | - Katya Vera
- Department of Dermatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Redwood City, California
| | - Ekshika Patel
- Department of Dermatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Redwood City, California
| | - Mandi Johnson
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Peter Caroline
- Department of Dermatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Redwood City, California
| | - Jeanie Ramos
- Department of Dermatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Redwood City, California
| | - Jasmine Mehta
- Department of Dermatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Redwood City, California
| | - Xing Hu
- Department of Dermatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Redwood City, California
| | - Jaishri O. Blakeley
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Carlos G. Romo
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Kavita Y. Sarin
- Department of Dermatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Redwood City, California
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Silva RL, Keret S, Chandra T, Sharma A, Pongtarakulpanit N, Moghadam-Kia S, Oddis CV, Aggarwal R. Internet-based enrollment of a myositis patient cohort-a national experience. Clin Rheumatol 2024:10.1007/s10067-024-07091-3. [PMID: 39187744 DOI: 10.1007/s10067-024-07091-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 07/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Recruitment for idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) research is a challenge due to the rarity of the disease and the scarcity of specialized myositis centers. Online recruitment may be a feasible alternative to reach rare disease patients. We evaluated various online recruitment methods in a large longitudinal IIM cohort. METHODS The "Myositis Patient Centered Tele-Research" (My Pacer) is a prospective 6-month observational study of IIM, recruited online and through traditional clinic visits. We utilized diverse recruitment methods, such as physician referrals, social media, websites, direct emails, and partnerships with patient-support organizations. Participants self-enrolled and completed pre-screening, e-consenting, and release of medical information via the study-specific app or website. We compared the effectiveness of various recruitment and enrollment methods and the characteristics of the population recruited. RESULTS A total of 841 participants completed the pre-screening; 408 completed e-consent and registration. From those, 353 (86.5%) were remotely recruited. Email (201; 49.26%) and social media (77; 18.87%) were important recruitment tools. Patient-support organizations were responsible for disseminating the study to 312 (75.46%) participants. The study app was used by 232 (65.72%) individuals for enrollment, with app users being slightly younger than website users (p = 0.001). Participants were mostly female 317 (77.76%), mean age of 54.84 years, White 328 (80.42%), Black 49 (12%), Asian 13 (3.26%), and non-Hispanic 378 (92.65%). Our study reached all U.S. regions and 45 (90%) U.S. states. CONCLUSIONS Social media and partnerships with patient-support organizations lead to a high rate of recruitment, with a wide reach, and a reasonably diverse population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raisa Lomanto Silva
- Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Shiri Keret
- Faculty of Medicine, Rheumatology, Bnai-Zion Medical Center, Technion, Haifa, Israel
| | - Tanya Chandra
- Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Arthritis and Autoimmunity Center, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Akanksha Sharma
- Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Mercy Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Nantakarn Pongtarakulpanit
- Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Siamak Moghadam-Kia
- Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Arthritis and Autoimmunity Center, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Chester V Oddis
- Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Arthritis and Autoimmunity Center, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Rohit Aggarwal
- Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Arthritis and Autoimmunity Center, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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Jean-Louis G, Seixas AA. The value of decentralized clinical trials: Inclusion, accessibility, and innovation. Science 2024; 385:eadq4994. [PMID: 39172847 DOI: 10.1126/science.adq4994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024]
Abstract
In this Review, we explore the transformative potential of decentralized clinical trials (DCTs) in addressing the limitations of traditional randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We highlight the merits of DCTs fostering greater inclusivity, efficiency, and adaptability. We emphasize the challenges of RCTs, including limited participant diversity and logistical barriers, geographical constraints, and mistrust in research institutions, showing how DCTs are preferred in addressing these challenges by utilizing remote digital technologies and community providers to enable broader, more inclusive participation. Furthermore, we underscore the potential of DCTs for democratizing clinical research. We also stress the importance of addressing unresolved challenges, including data security and privacy, remote patient monitoring, and regulatory variations. Research is needed to devise standardized protocols to streamline DCT processes, explore its long-term impacts on patient outcomes, and overcome challenges through equitable stakeholder engagement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Girardin Jean-Louis
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
- Department of Neurology, Psychology, and Public Health, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Azizi A Seixas
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
- Department of Informatics and Health Data Science, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
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Brown S, Hind D, Strong E, Bradburn M, Din FVN, Lee E, Lee MJ, Lund J, Moffatt C, Morton J, Senapati A, Shackley P, Vaughan-Shaw P, Wysocki AP, Callaghan T, Jones H, Wickramasekera N. Treatment options for patients with pilonidal sinus disease: PITSTOP, a mixed-methods evaluation. Health Technol Assess 2024; 28:1-113. [PMID: 39045854 DOI: 10.3310/kfdq2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Background There is no consensus on optimal management of pilonidal disease. Surgical practice is varied, and existing literature is mainly single-centre cohort studies of varied disease severity, interventions and outcome assessments. Objectives A prospective cohort study to determine: • disease severity and intervention relationship • most valued outcomes and treatment preference by patients • recommendations for policy and future research. Design Observational cohort study with nested mixed-methods case study. Discrete choice experiment. Clinician survey. Three-stage Delphi survey for patients and clinicians. Inter-rater reliability of classification system. Setting Thirty-one National Health Service trusts. Participants Patients aged > 16 years referred for elective surgical treatment of pilonidal disease. Interventions Surgery. Main outcome measures Pain postoperative days 1 and 7, time to healing and return to normal activities, complications, recurrence. Outcomes compared between major and minor procedures using regression modelling, propensity score-based approaches and augmented inverse probability weighting to account for measured potential confounding features. Results Clinician survey: There was significant heterogeneity in surgeon practice preference. Limited training opportunities may impede efforts to improve practice. Cohort study: Over half of patients (60%; N = 667) had a major procedure. For these procedures, pain was greater on day 1 and day 7 (mean difference day 1 pain 1.58 points, 95% confidence interval 1.14 to 2.01 points, n = 536; mean difference day 7 pain 1.53 points, 95% confidence interval 1.12 to 1.95 points, n = 512). There were higher complication rates (adjusted risk difference 17.5%, 95% confidence interval 9.1 to 25.9%, n = 579), lower recurrence (adjusted risk difference -10.1%, 95% confidence interval -18.1 to -2.1%, n = 575), and longer time to healing (>34 days estimated difference) and time to return to normal activities (difference 25.9 days, 95% confidence interval 18.4 to 33.4 days). Mixed-methods analysis: Patient decision-making was influenced by prior experience of disease and anticipated recovery time. The burden involved in wound care and the gap between expected and actual time for recovery were the principal reasons given for decision regret. Discrete choice experiment: The strongest predictors of patient treatment choice were risk of infection/persistence (attribute importance 70%), and shorter recovery time (attribute importance 30%). Patients were willing to trade off these attributes. Those aged over 30 years had a higher risk tolerance (22.35-34.67%) for treatment failure if they could experience rapid recovery. There was no strong evidence that younger patients were willing to accept higher risk of treatment failure in exchange for a faster recovery. Patients were uniform in rejecting excision-and-leave-open because of the protracted nursing care it entailed. Wysocki classification analysis: There was acceptable inter-rater agreement (κ = 0.52, 95% confidence interval 0.42 to 0.61). Consensus exercise: Five research and practice priorities were identified. The top research priority was that a comparative trial should broadly group interventions. The top practice priority was that any interventions should be less disruptive than the disease itself. Limitations Incomplete recruitment and follow-up data were an issue, particularly given the multiple interventions. Assumptions were made regarding risk adjustment. Conclusions and future work Results suggest the burden of pilonidal surgery is greater than reported previously. This can be mitigated with better selection of intervention according to disease type and patient desired goals. Results indicate a framework for future higher-quality trials that stratify disease and utilise broad groupings of common interventions with development of a patient-centred core outcome set. Trial registration This trial is registered as ISRCTN95551898. Funding This award was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme (NIHR award ref: 17/17/02) and is published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 28, No. 33. See the NIHR Funding and Awards website for further award information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Brown
- Department of General Surgery, Northern General Hospital, Sheffield, UK
| | - Daniel Hind
- Sheffield Clinical Trials Research Unit, School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Emily Strong
- Sheffield Clinical Trials Research Unit, School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Mike Bradburn
- Sheffield Clinical Trials Research Unit, School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Farhat Vanessa Nasim Din
- Academic Coloproctology, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Ellen Lee
- Sheffield Clinical Trials Research Unit, School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Matthew J Lee
- Department of Oncology and Metabolism, The Medical School, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Jonathan Lund
- Derby Royal Infirmary, University Hospitals of Derby and Burton, Derby, UK
| | | | - Jonathan Morton
- Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals, Cambridge, UK
| | - Asha Senapati
- St Mark's Hospital, London, UK; Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth, UK
| | - Philip Shackley
- School of Health and Related Research, Regent Court, Sheffield, UK
| | - Peter Vaughan-Shaw
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, UK
| | | | - Tia Callaghan
- Sheffield Clinical Trials Research Unit, School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Helen Jones
- Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
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Howard L, Abdelnour C, Abner EL, Allegri RF, Dodge HH, Gauthier S, Hoyos CM, Jicha GA, Kehoe PG, Mummery CJ, Ogunniyi A, Scarmeas N, Chen X, Titiner JR, Weber CR, Peters R. Decentralized clinical trials for medications to reduce the risk of dementia: Consensus report and guidance. Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:4625-4634. [PMID: 38824659 PMCID: PMC11247660 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Recent growth in the functionality and use of technology has prompted an increased interest in the potential for remote or decentralized clinical trials in dementia. There are many potential benefits associated with decentralized medication trials, but we currently lack specific recommendations for their delivery in the dementia field. METHODS A modified Delphi method engaged an expert panel to develop recommendations for the conduct of decentralized medication trials in dementia prevention. A working group of researchers and clinicians with expertise in dementia trials further refined the recommendations. RESULTS Overall, the recommendations support the delivery of decentralized trials in dementia prevention provided adequate safety checks and balances are included. A total of 40 recommendations are presented, spanning aspects of decentralized clinical trials, including safety, dispensing, outcome assessment, and data collection. DISCUSSION These recommendations provide an accessible, pragmatic guide for the design and conduct of remote medication trials for dementia prevention. HIGHLIGHTS Clinical trials of medication have begun adopting decentralized approaches. Researchers in the field lack guidance on what would be appropriate circumstances and frameworks for what would be appropriate circumstances and frameworks for the use of decentralized trial methods in dementia prevention. The present report provides consensus-based expert recommendations for decentralized clinical trials for dementia prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leanne Howard
- Brain Health, The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Carla Abdelnour
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, USA
| | - Erin L Abner
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, University of Kentucky, Lexington, USA
| | - Ricardo F Allegri
- Departament of Cognitive Neurology, Neuropsychology, and Neuropsychiatry, Instituto de Investigaciones Neurologicas Fleni, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Department of Neurosciences, Universidad de la Costa, Barranquilla, Colombia
| | - Hiroko H Dodge
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Serge Gauthier
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Camilla M Hoyos
- Medicine, Human and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Gregory A Jicha
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, University of Kentucky, Lexington, USA
| | - Patrick G Kehoe
- Translational Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | | | | | - Nikolaos Scarmeas
- 1st Department of Neurology, Aiginition Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Xiaoying Chen
- Brain Health, The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jodie R Titiner
- International Society to Advance Alzheimer's Research and Treatment, Alzheimer's Association, Chicago, USA
| | - Christopher R Weber
- International Society to Advance Alzheimer's Research and Treatment, Alzheimer's Association, Chicago, USA
| | - Ruth Peters
- Brain Health, The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
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Ghusn W, Mosleh KA, Hage K, Salame M, Gala K, Edwards MA, Kindel TL, Ghanem OM. A comprehensive analysis of health care Inequities in randomized clinical trials following bariatric surgeries. Am J Surg 2024:115796. [PMID: 38871550 DOI: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2024.115796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Obesity is a global epidemic, leading to an increasing focus on interventions like bariatric surgeries. Despite this, there's a noticeable gap in understanding the demographic distribution of patients in clinical trials for bariatric surgery. METHODS We conducted a comprehensive analysis of 117 registered randomized clinical trials related to bariatric surgery on ClinicalTrials.gov. We extracted demographic information, including age, sex, race, and ethnicity, and performed descriptive statistical analyses. RESULTS The analysis covered 8,418 participants. The mean age was 43.8 years, with a substantial majority (93.8 %) falling within the 18-65 age group. Females comprised 74.9 % of participants, surpassing real-world estimates. Racially, 65.3 % of participants were White, while African Americans represented 18.5 %, Asians 1.2 %, Native Hawaiians 0.2 %, and American Indians 0.1 %, indicating an underrepresentation of diverse racial groups, notably lower compared to real-world demographic data. In terms of ethnicity, only 17.6 % were Hispanic. CONCLUSIONS This study reveals significant demographic disparities in patients undergoing bariatric surgeries in clinical trials. This suggests a lack of generalizability, emphasizing the need for inclusive recruitment strategies to enhance health equity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wissam Ghusn
- Department of Internal Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, 02118, USA; Division of Gastroenterology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | | | - Karl Hage
- Department of Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Marita Salame
- Department of Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Khushboo Gala
- Division of Gastroenterology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Michael A Edwards
- Advanced GI and Bariatric Surgery Division, Department of Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Tammy L Kindel
- Department of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Omar M Ghanem
- Department of Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
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Abdullayev K, Gorvett O, Sochiera A, Laidlaw L, Chico T, Manktelow M, Buckley O, Condell J, Van Arkel R, Diaz V, Matcham F. Stakeholder perspectives on contributors to delayed and inaccurate diagnosis of cardiovascular disease and their implications for digital health technologies: a UK-based qualitative study. BMJ Open 2024; 14:e080445. [PMID: 38772579 PMCID: PMC11110589 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-080445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to understand stakeholder experiences of diagnosis of cardiovascular disease (CVD) to support the development of technological solutions that meet current needs. Specifically, we aimed to identify challenges in the process of diagnosing CVD, to identify discrepancies between patient and clinician experiences of CVD diagnosis, and to identify the requirements of future health technology solutions intended to improve CVD diagnosis. DESIGN Semistructured focus groups and one-to-one interviews to generate qualitative data that were subjected to thematic analysis. PARTICIPANTS UK-based individuals (N=32) with lived experience of diagnosis of CVD (n=23) and clinicians with experience in diagnosing CVD (n=9). RESULTS We identified four key themes related to delayed or inaccurate diagnosis of CVD: symptom interpretation, patient characteristics, patient-clinician interactions and systemic challenges. Subthemes from each are discussed in depth. Challenges related to time and communication were greatest for both stakeholder groups; however, there were differences in other areas, for example, patient experiences highlighted difficulties with the psychological aspects of diagnosis and interpreting ambiguous symptoms, while clinicians emphasised the role of individual patient differences and the lack of rapport in contributing to delays or inaccurate diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS Our findings highlight key considerations when developing digital technologies that seek to improve the efficiency and accuracy of diagnosis of CVD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Anna Sochiera
- School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Falmer, UK
| | - Lynn Laidlaw
- Honorary Fellow, College of Health, Wellbeing and Life Sciences, Centre for Applied Health & Social Care Research (CARe), Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK
| | - Timothy Chico
- Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health, The Medical School, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Matthew Manktelow
- Centre for Personalised Medicine, Ulster University Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, Londonderry, UK
| | - Oliver Buckley
- School of Computing Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Joan Condell
- Centre for Personalised Medicine, Ulster University Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, Londonderry, UK
| | | | - Vanessa Diaz
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, UK
- Wellcome/EPSRC Centre for Interventional and Surgical Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Faith Matcham
- School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Falmer, UK
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10
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Schirinzi E, Bochicchio MA, Lochmüller H, Vissing J, Jordie-Diaz-Manerae, Evangelista T, Plançon JP, Fanucci L, Marini M, Tonacci A, Mancuso M, Segovia-Kueny S, Toscano A, Angelini C, Schoser B, Sacconi S, Siciliano G. E-Health & Innovation to Overcome Barriers in Neuromuscular Diseases. Report from the 3rd eNMD Congress: Pisa, Italy, 29-30 October 2021. J Neuromuscul Dis 2024:JND230091. [PMID: 38728200 DOI: 10.3233/jnd-230091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Neuromuscular diseases (NMDs), in their phenotypic heterogeneity, share quite invariably common issues that involve several clinical and socio-economical aspects, needing a deep critical analysis to develop better management strategies. From diagnosis to treatment and follow-up, the development of technological solutions can improve the detection of several critical aspects related to the diseases, addressing both the met and unmet needs of clinicians and patients. Among several aspects of the digital transformation of health and care, this congress expands what has been learned from previous congresses editions on applicability and usefulness of technological solutions in NMDs. In particular the focus on new solutions for remote monitoring provide valuable insights to increase disease-specific knowledge and trigger prompt decision-making. In doing that, several perspectives from different areas of expertise were shared and discussed, pointing out strengths and weaknesses on the current state of the art on topic, suggesting new research lines to advance technology in this specific clinical field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Schirinzi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Neurological Clinic, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Hanns Lochmüller
- Department of Medicine, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Division of Neurology, The Ottawa Hospital, and Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - John Vissing
- Copenhagen Neuromuscular Center, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jordie-Diaz-Manerae
- The John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- Neurology Department, Neuromuscular Disorders Unit, Hospital de la Santa Creu I Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Madrid, Spain
| | - Teresinha Evangelista
- AP-HP, H. Pitié-Salpêtrière, Institut de Myologie, Unité de Morphologie Neuromusculaire, Paris, France
- AP-HP, H. Pitié-Salpêtrière, Centre de référence des maladies neuromusculaires Nord/Est/Ile de France, Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Institut de Myologie, Centre de Recherche en Myologie, France
| | - Jean-Philippe Plançon
- European Patient Organisation for Dysimmune and Inflammatory Neuropathies (EPODIN) and EURO-NMD Educational board, Paris, France
| | - Luca Fanucci
- Department of Information Engineering, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Marco Marini
- Department of Information Engineering, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessandro Tonacci
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council - CNR, Pisa, Italy
| | - Michelangelo Mancuso
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Neurological Clinic, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Antonio Toscano
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Corrado Angelini
- Department Neurosciences, Padova University School of Medicine, Padova, Italy
| | - Benedikt Schoser
- Department of Neurology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Sabrina Sacconi
- Peripheral Nervous System and Muscle Department, Université Cúte d'Azur (UCA), Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice, Rare Neuromuscular Disease Reference Center, ERN-Euro-NMD, Nice, France
| | - Gabriele Siciliano
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Neurological Clinic, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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11
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Johnson EA, Hill G, Smith HA, Marsh L, Beer K. A global pilot comparative, cross-sectional study of clinical research nurses/research midwives: Definition, knowledge base, and communication skills related to the conduct of decentralized clinical trials. J Clin Transl Sci 2024; 8:e90. [PMID: 38836247 PMCID: PMC11148821 DOI: 10.1017/cts.2024.535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2024] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Background A gap in the literature exists pertaining to a global research nurse/research midwife resources and communication skill set necessary to engage with participants of diverse populations and geographic regions in the community or home-based conduct of decentralized clinical trials. Aims An embedded mixed methods study was conducted to examine research nurse/research midwife knowledge base, experiences, and communication skill sets pertaining to decentralized trials across global regions engaged in remote research: the USA, Republic of Ireland, United Kingdom, and Australia. Methods An online survey was deployed across international research nurse/research midwife stakeholder groups, collecting demographics, decentralized trial experience, barriers and facilitators to optimal trial conduct, and the self-perceived communication competence (SPCC) and interpersonal communication competence (IPCC) instruments. Results 86 research nurses and research midwives completed the survey across all countries: The SPCC and IPCC results indicated increased clinical research experience significantly correlated with increased SPCC score (p < 0.05). Qualitative content analysis revealed five themes: (1) Implications for Role, (2) Safety and Wellbeing, (3) Training and Education, (4) Implications for Participants, and (5) Barriers and Facilitators. Conclusions Common trends and observations across the global sample can inform decentralized trial resource allocation and policy pertaining to the research nurse/research midwife workforce. This study demonstrates shared cultural norms of research nursing and midwifery across varied regional clinical trial ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Johnson
- Mark & Robyn Jones College of Nursing, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Gordon Hill
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, SD, UK
| | - Hazel Ann Smith
- School of Health, Science, and Wellbeing, Staffordshire University, Stoke on Trent, UK
| | - Lisa Marsh
- Buntain College of Nursing, Northwest University, Kirkland, WA, USA
| | - Kelly Beer
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia
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12
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Lalji R, Hofstetter L, Kongsted A, von Wyl V, Braun J, Puhan MA, Hincapié CA. Swiss chiropractic cohort (Swiss ChiCo) pilot study: feasibility for a musculoskeletal cohort study conducted within a nationwide practice-based research network. EUROPEAN SPINE JOURNAL : OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE EUROPEAN SPINE SOCIETY, THE EUROPEAN SPINAL DEFORMITY SOCIETY, AND THE EUROPEAN SECTION OF THE CERVICAL SPINE RESEARCH SOCIETY 2024; 33:2068-2078. [PMID: 38480624 DOI: 10.1007/s00586-024-08175-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Practice-based research networks are collaborations between clinicians and researchers to advance primary care research. This study aims to assess the feasibility for longitudinal data collection within a newly established chiropractic PBRN in Switzerland. METHODS A prospective observational cohort feasibility study was performed. PBRN participating chiropractors were asked to recruit patients seeking new conservative health care for musculoskeletal pain from March 28, 2022, to September 28, 2022. Participants completed clinically oriented survey questions and patient-reported outcome measures before the initial chiropractic assessment as well as 1 h, 2 weeks, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks thereafter. Feasibility was assessed through a variety of process, resource, and management metrics. Patient clinical outcomes were also assessed. RESULTS A total of 76 clinicians from 35 unique primary care chiropractic clinics across Switzerland participated. A total of 1431 patients were invited to participate, of which 573 (mean age 47 years, 51% female) were enrolled. Patient survey response proportions were 76%, 64%, 61%, and 56%, at the 1-h, 2-, 6-, and 12-week survey follow-ups, respectively. Evidence of an association was found between increased patient age (OR = 1.03, 95%CI 1.01-1.04), patient from a German-speaking region (OR = 1.81, 95%CI 1.17-2.86), non-smokers (OR = 1.89, 95%CI 1.13-3.17), and increased pain impact score at baseline (OR = 1.18, 95%CI 1.01-1.38) and response to all surveys. CONCLUSION The Swiss ChiCo pilot study exceeded its prespecified feasibility objectives. Nationwide longitudinal data capture was highly feasible. Similar to other practice-based cohorts, participant retention remains a challenge. Trial registration Swiss chiropractic cohort (Swiss ChiCo) pilot study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05116020).
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahim Lalji
- EBPI-UWZH Musculoskeletal Epidemiology Research Group, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Forchstrasse 340, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute (EBPI), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- University Spine Centre Zurich (UWZH), Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Léonie Hofstetter
- EBPI-UWZH Musculoskeletal Epidemiology Research Group, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Forchstrasse 340, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Alice Kongsted
- Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Chiropractic Knowledge Hub, Odense, Denmark
| | - Viktor von Wyl
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute (EBPI), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute for Implementation Science in Health Care, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Julia Braun
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute (EBPI), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Milo A Puhan
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute (EBPI), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Cesar A Hincapié
- EBPI-UWZH Musculoskeletal Epidemiology Research Group, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Forchstrasse 340, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland.
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute (EBPI), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
- University Spine Centre Zurich (UWZH), Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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13
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Sakuma Y, Miller MLE, Babalis DS, Baker A, Reddi M, Anjum A, Bruton J, Jones KN, Mulla UZ, Taddese H. Shining a spotlight on the inclusion of disabled participants in clinical trials: a mixed methods study. Trials 2024; 25:281. [PMID: 38671497 PMCID: PMC11046956 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-024-08108-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is crucial to include a wide range of the population in clinical trials for the outcome to be applicable in real-world settings. Existing literature indicates that under-served groups, including disabled people, have been excluded from participating in clinical trials without justification. Exclusion from clinical trials exacerbates disparities in healthcare and diminishes the benefits for excluded populations. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate potential obstacles that prevent disabled people from participating in clinical trials in the United Kingdom (UK). METHODS The study was carried out through an explanatory sequential mixed methods design. The Imperial Clinical Trials Unit devised and implemented an online questionnaire-based survey (with open/closed-ended questions) and an online focus group discussion. The target population were disabled people, family members/carers of disabled people and staff involved in clinical trials, whereupon the sample was recruited by convenience sampling methods via posters and emails through various networks. The Qualtrics XM survey system was used as the host platform for the online survey, and Microsoft Teams was used for an online focus group discussion. The focus group discussion was conducted to gain a deeper understanding of the themes identified from the survey responses. We analysed responses to the survey via descriptive analysis and used thematic analysis to synthesise the free-text answers from the survey and focus group discussion. RESULTS We received 45 responses to the survey questionnaire and 5 disabled people took part in a focus group discussion. Our findings highlighted the differences between the perspectives of researchers and those "being researched" and different types of barriers experienced by disabled people: opportunity barriers (inadequate recruitment strategy and ambiguous eligibility criteria), awareness barriers (perception of disability) and acceptance/refusal barriers (available support and adjustment, and sharing of trial results). CONCLUSION Our findings support perspectives drawn from the Ford Framework regarding the need to consider all barriers, not just up to the point of enrolment into trials but also beyond the point of inclusion in clinical trials. We support calls for the introduction of legislation on including disabled people in clinical trials, implementation of industry/community-wide participatory approaches and the development of guidelines, a combined public-private approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshiko Sakuma
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
| | - Marie L E Miller
- Imperial Clinical Trials Unit, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Stadium House, 68 Wood Ln, London, W12 7RH, UK
| | - Daphne S Babalis
- Imperial Clinical Trials Unit, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Stadium House, 68 Wood Ln, London, W12 7RH, UK
| | - Alex Baker
- Imperial Clinical Trials Unit - Cancer, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Convergence Science Centre, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, Cancer Research, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Meena Reddi
- Imperial Clinical Trials Unit - Cancer, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Convergence Science Centre, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, Cancer Research, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Aisha Anjum
- Imperial Clinical Trials Unit, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Stadium House, 68 Wood Ln, London, W12 7RH, UK
| | - Jane Bruton
- Patient Experience Research Centre, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Kathryn N Jones
- Patient Experience Research Centre, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Umm Zeinab Mulla
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health, Medical School, Imperial College London, St Mary's Campus, 167, Praed Street, London, W2 1NY, UK
| | - Henock Taddese
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health, Medical School, Imperial College London, St Mary's Campus, 167, Praed Street, London, W2 1NY, UK
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14
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Anastasi JK, Capili B, Norton M, McMahon DJ, Marder K. Recruitment and retention of clinical trial participants: understanding motivations of patients with chronic pain and other populations. FRONTIERS IN PAIN RESEARCH 2024; 4:1330937. [PMID: 38606348 PMCID: PMC11006977 DOI: 10.3389/fpain.2023.1330937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
This paper aims to present and discuss the issues, challenges, and strategies related to recruitment and retention in clinical trials involving participants with chronic pain. The randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT) is widely regarded as the gold standard for evaluating clinical interventions. However, it is crucial to acknowledge and address the challenges associated with recruiting and retaining participants. To prioritize the experience of the study population, targeted outreach strategies and a patient-centric approach are necessary. Researchers should consider incorporating recruitment and retention strategies during the study design phase. Implementing multi-pronged recruitment methods, leveraging relationships with community providers, and involving representatives of the patient population are helpful approaches. Effective communication and maintaining a professional environment are vital for optimizing engagement and supporting the successful execution of clinical trials involving participants with chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joyce K. Anastasi
- Division of Special Studies in Symptom Management, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Bernadette Capili
- Heilbrunn Family Center for Research Nursing, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Margaret Norton
- Division of Special Studies in Symptom Management, New York University, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Nursing, St. Joseph's University, Brooklyn, NY, United States
| | - Donald J. McMahon
- Division of Special Studies in Symptom Management, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Karen Marder
- Irving Medical Center, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
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15
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Kilpatrick R, Greenberg RG. Making the Most of Missing Data. Pediatrics 2024; 153:e2023064938. [PMID: 38389480 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2023-064938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Kilpatrick
- Department of Pediatrics, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Rachel G Greenberg
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, North Carolina
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16
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Pelton M, Ssentongo P, Sun A, Groff D, Dalessio S, Clarke K. Race and Ethnic Representation in Crohn's Disease Trials of Biologic and Small Molecule Medications: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. J Crohns Colitis 2024; 18:204-211. [PMID: 37586091 DOI: 10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjad138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Randomised controlled trials historically under-represent marginalised racial and ethnic populations. As incidence and prevalence of Crohn's disease in these groups rise, it is important to characterise their inclusion in randomised controlled trials on first-line and pipe-line medications. METHODS PubMed was searched systematically for randomised controlled trials of biologic and small molecule inhibitor [SMI] medications, with a primary outcome related to efficacy following PRISMA guidelines. We used descriptive statistics to summarise demographic variables and meta-regression analyses to estimate temporal trends in racial inclusion. RESULTS More than a half of trials did not report any racial/ethnic demographics [53.7%] and several reported racial demographics for only one race [20.9%]. When racial data were reported, Whites made up 90.2% of participants. Percentages of Black, Asian, Native American/Pacific Islander, and participants considered 'Other' averaged 2.9%, 11.6%, 0.5%, and 1.6% out of the total sample sizes of 3901, 3742, 828 and 4027, respectively. Proportional representation of White participants decreased over time [p <0.01] and proportional representation of Asian participants increased over time [p = 0.047]. In ordinal logistic regression, mean year of trial enrolment significantly increased the number of racial groups reported [p <0.001]. CONCLUSIONS Half of published randomised controlled trials in Crohn's disease contain no racial or ethnic demographics, and the remaining often only have limited inclusion of Black, Native American/Pacific Islander, and Hispanic patients. Further work should characterise representation in observational and prospective trials. Researchers should work to: 1] increase reporting of racial and ethnic demographics; and 2] improve recruitment and retention of marginalised populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matt Pelton
- Department of Internal Medicine, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Paddy Ssentongo
- Department of Internal Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ashley Sun
- Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Destin Groff
- Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Shannon Dalessio
- Department of Gastroenterology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kofi Clarke
- Department of Gastroenterology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
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Besel JM, Johnson EA, Ma J, Kiesow B. Reimagining the joint task force core competency framework for rural and frontier clinical research professionals conducting hybrid and decentralized trials. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1309073. [PMID: 38178857 PMCID: PMC10764479 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1309073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Clinical research professionals (i.e., clinical research assistants, clinical research nurses, clinical research coordinators, etc.), as outlined by the Joint Task Force (JTF) Core Competency Framework, are highly trained to support the breadth of clinical trial operations and manage participant care. Clinical research professionals are uniquely equipped with a scope of practice that permits product administration, participant assessments, and data management. As clinical trials grow in complexity and their management expands beyond traditional, site-based operations models to decentralized and/or hybrid models, the need becomes great to ensure adequate staffing. However, rural hospitals frequently lack the research staff or patient recruiters that would allow them to support decentralized clinical trials across a sizeable rural geographic demographic. Methods: This paper examines the contributory factors of the clinical research professional workforce contraction and response efforts at professional and organizational levels within a large, Magnet-designated healthcare system in the rural northwestern United States. Perspectives are shared on adapting the Core Competency Framework to reflect the unique strengths and opportunities towards decentralized trials in rural regions of the United States and areas of priority for workforce cultivation and retention. A descriptive survey was used to gather initial data identifying the current research perspectives of healthcare workers working across a rural community. Participants were asked to complete questions about the JTF Competency domains and behavior-based questions. Analysis: Both competency and behavior-based questions were asked and related to roles. These were then cross-referenced using a Rasmussen Ladder system. Descriptive statistics were conducted for sample characteristics, self-reported competency domain questions, and behavior questions. Results and discussion: Survey findings suggest that although healthcare workers and clinical research teams interact, they are unlikely to ask their patients to participate in research. Based on the limited response rate, results suggest that better education throughout the rural community could benefit from decentralized research efforts. Increased use of technology was also highlighted as an area of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie M. Besel
- Billings Clinic, Collaborative Science and Innovation, Billings, MT, United States
- Mark and Robyn Jones College of Nursing, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
| | - Elizabeth A. Johnson
- Mark and Robyn Jones College of Nursing, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
- Biomedical Innovation for Research and Development Hub, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
| | - Jiahui Ma
- Biomedical Innovation for Research and Development Hub, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
- Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
| | - Becky Kiesow
- Billings Clinic, Diabetes Research, Billings, MT, United States
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18
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Narayanasamy S, Curtis LH, Hernandez AF, Woods CW, Moody MA, Sulkowski M, Turbett SE, Baden LR, Gulick RM, Pau AK, Adam SJ, Marks P, Stockbridge NL, Dobbins JR, Krofah E, Leav B, Pang P, Roessig L, Vedin O, Waldstreicher J, Berman SC, Cremisi H, Schofield L, Gandhi RT, Naggie S. Lessons From COVID-19 for Pandemic Preparedness: Proceedings From a Multistakeholder Think Tank. Clin Infect Dis 2023; 77:1635-1643. [PMID: 37435958 PMCID: PMC10724451 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciad418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
While the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to present global challenges, sufficient time has passed to reflect on lessons learned and use those insights to inform policy and approaches to prepare for the next pandemic. In May 2022, the Duke Clinical Research Institute convened a think tank with thought leaders from academia, clinical practice, the pharmaceutical industry, patient advocacy, the National Institutes of Health, the US Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to share, firsthand, expert knowledge of the insights gained from the COVID-19 pandemic and how this acquired knowledge can help inform the next pandemic response. The think tank focused on pandemic preparedness, therapeutics, vaccines, and challenges related to clinical trial design and scale-up during the early phase of a pandemic. Based on the multi-faceted discussions, we outline 10 key steps to an improved and equitable pandemic response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanti Narayanasamy
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Hubert-Yeargan Center for Global Health, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Lesley H Curtis
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Adrian F Hernandez
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Christopher W Woods
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Hubert-Yeargan Center for Global Health, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - M Anthony Moody
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Mark Sulkowski
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sarah E Turbett
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | | | - Alice K Pau
- National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Stacey J Adam
- Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, North Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Peter Marks
- US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | - Esther Krofah
- FasterCures & Center for Public Health, Milken Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Phil Pang
- Vir Biotechnology, Inc, San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - Ola Vedin
- Boehringer Ingelheim AB, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | | | | | - Lesley Schofield
- Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, East Hanover, New Jersey, USA
| | - Rajesh T Gandhi
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Susanna Naggie
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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Zion SR, Taub CJ, Heathcote LC, Ramiller A, Tinianov S, McKinley M, Eich G, Penedo FJ, Ganz PA, Antoni M, Shumay DM. Effects of a Cognitive Behavioral Digital Therapeutic on Anxiety and Depression Symptoms in Patients With Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial. JCO Oncol Pract 2023; 19:1179-1189. [PMID: 37862670 PMCID: PMC10732510 DOI: 10.1200/op.23.00210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Patients with cancer often experience elevated levels of distress. This double-blind, randomized controlled trial compared the impact of an app-based version of cognitive behavioral stress management (CBSM) versus a health education sham app on anxiety and depression symptoms. METHODS Patients with nonmetastatic (stage I-III) cancer who were receiving or recently completed (≤6 months) systemic treatment were recruited nationwide. The primary outcome of change in anxiety symptoms (PROMIS-Anxiety) over 12 weeks and the top secondary outcome of change in depression symptoms (PROMIS-Depression) over 12 weeks were analyzed using mixed-effects modeling with repeated measures (weeks 0, 4, 8, 12). Patient global impressions of change in anxiety and depression were reported at weeks 4, 8, and 12. In addition, self-reported adverse events were collected throughout the study and adjudicated by the site principal investigator. RESULTS Four hundred forty-nine patients were enrolled in the trial (age M [standard deviation] = 52.44 [11.46]; 81% female; 76% White; 53% breast cancer). Patients randomly assigned to digitized CBSM showed significantly greater reductions in anxiety (B = -0.03; P = .019) and depression (B = -0.02; P = .042) symptoms over 12 weeks. Patients who received digitized CBSM were also significantly more likely to perceive much or very much improvement (v no/minimal change or much/very much worse) in their symptoms of anxiety (χ2 = 31.76; P < .001) and depression (χ2 = 19.70; P < .001) compared with the control. CONCLUSION The use of digitized CBSM led to significant improvements in anxiety and depression outcomes compared with the sham app.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Geoff Eich
- Blue Note Therapeutics, San Francisco, CA
| | | | | | | | - Dianne M. Shumay
- Blue Note Therapeutics, San Francisco, CA
- University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
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20
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Pathiyil MM, Jena A, Venkataramana Raju AK, Omprakash TA, Sharma V, Sebastian S. Representation and reporting of diverse groups in randomised controlled trials of pharmacological agents in inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol 2023; 8:1143-1151. [PMID: 37832569 DOI: 10.1016/s2468-1253(23)00193-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is now recognised as a global disease, with incidence rapidly increasing in newly industrialised countries in South America, Asia, and Africa. Trials in IBD, therefore, should adequately represent diverse groups with respect to gender, age, place of residence, race, and ethnicity to ensure the global applicability and generalisability of their findings. In this systematic review, we searched PubMed and Embase for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) published in English from Jan 1, 1995, to Jan 13, 2023, evaluating the efficacy of any pharmacological intervention in patients with IBD. Of 7543 records yielded in the search, we included 617 records reporting data from 627 RCTs and 108 986 participants. The results show a paucity of adequate representation of diverse groups in these RCTs. This finding was true for various groups, including racially and ethnically diverse populations, older (aged >65 years) and younger (aged <18 years) populations, those who identify outside of the gender binary, and people from South America and Africa. Also, some regions had an apparent scarcity of funding sources for trials. Pharmaceutical companies and clinical trial organisations should aim to ensure adequate representation of such under-represented groups in future IBD trials.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anuraag Jena
- Department of Gastroenterology, Topiwala National Medical College and BYL Nair Hospital, Mumbai, India
| | | | - Tina Aswani Omprakash
- Dr Henry D Janowitz Division of Gastroenterology, Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; South Asian IBD Alliance, New York, NY, USA
| | - Vishal Sharma
- South Asian IBD Alliance, New York, NY, USA; Department of Gastroenterology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Shaji Sebastian
- South Asian IBD Alliance, New York, NY, USA; IBD Unit, Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Hull, UK.
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21
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Adedinsewo D, Eberly L, Sokumbi O, Rodriguez JA, Patten CA, Brewer LC. Health Disparities, Clinical Trials, and the Digital Divide. Mayo Clin Proc 2023; 98:1875-1887. [PMID: 38044003 PMCID: PMC10825871 DOI: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2023.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
In the past few years, there have been rapid advances in technology and the use of digital tools in health care and clinical research. Although these innovations have immense potential to improve health care delivery and outcomes, there are genuine concerns related to inadvertent widening of the digital gap consequentially exacerbating health disparities. As such, it is important that we critically evaluate the impact of expansive digital transformation in medicine and clinical research on health equity. For digital solutions to truly improve the landscape of health care and clinical trial participation for all persons in an equitable way, targeted interventions to address historic injustices, structural racism, and social and digital determinants of health are essential. The urgent need to focus on interventions to promote health equity was made abundantly clear with the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, which magnified long-standing social and racial health disparities. Novel digital technologies present a unique opportunity to embed equity ideals into the ecosystem of health care and clinical research. In this review, we examine racial and ethnic diversity in clinical trials, historic instances of unethical research practices in biomedical research and its impact on clinical trial participation, and the digital divide in health care and clinical research, and we propose suggestions to achieve digital health equity in clinical trials. We also highlight key digital health opportunities in cardiovascular medicine and dermatology as exemplars, and we offer future directions for development and adoption of patient-centric interventions aimed at narrowing the digital divide and mitigating health inequities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lauren Eberly
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, Center for Cardiovascular Outcomes, Quality, and Evaluative Research, and Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Olayemi Sokumbi
- Department of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL
| | - Jorge Alberto Rodriguez
- Division of General Internal Medicine and Primary Care, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Christi A Patten
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
| | - LaPrincess C Brewer
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Center for Health Equity and Community Engagement Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
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22
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Huh KY, Chung WK, Park J, Lee S, Kim M, Oh J, Yu K. Feasibility study for a fully decentralized clinical trial in participants with functional constipation symptoms. Clin Transl Sci 2023; 16:2177-2188. [PMID: 37632169 PMCID: PMC10651644 DOI: 10.1111/cts.13617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Decentralized clinical trials (DCTs) leverage digital technologies to reduce dependency on study sites and intermediaries. DCT should be balanced with accessibility and data reliability while meeting regulatory requirements. Here, we conducted a pilot study for functional constipation symptoms to investigate the feasibility of DCT. The study was an open, fully remote, randomized clinical trial in participants who had functional constipation symptoms. Electronic consent was obtained remotely, and study volunteers were screened through web-based questionnaires. Subjects were randomized to either receive Lactobacillus and vitamin C supplements or vitamin C alone in a 1:1 ratio, which were delivered directly to subjects. Subjects kept track of bowel diaries daily during the 1-week baseline and 2-week treatment period using mobile applications. Bowel symptoms and the validity of the records were descriptively evaluated. A total of 30 subjects were randomized and completed the study. A total of 26.7% of subjects resided outside of the metropolitan area. Two-week Lactobacillus treatments increased the number of defecations (+0.80 vs. +0.46 times per week) and decreased the defecation time (-3.94 h vs. -1.62 h) compared to the comparator group. Overall, 67.1% of bowel diary records were completed in accordance with the schedule whereas 32.9% were not. Implementation of DCTs can facilitate geographic accessibility but should be guaranteed for data reliability. Prompt detection of errors and response using objective metrics would be required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ki Young Huh
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and TherapeuticsSeoul National University College of Medicine and HospitalSeoulKorea
| | - Woo Kyung Chung
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and TherapeuticsSeoul National University College of Medicine and HospitalSeoulKorea
| | - Jiyeon Park
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and TherapeuticsSeoul National University College of Medicine and HospitalSeoulKorea
| | - SeungHwan Lee
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and TherapeuticsSeoul National University College of Medicine and HospitalSeoulKorea
| | - Min‐Gul Kim
- Nanum Space Co., LtdJeonjuKorea
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical SchoolJeonbuk National UniversityJeonjuKorea
| | - Jaeseong Oh
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and TherapeuticsSeoul National University College of Medicine and HospitalSeoulKorea
- Present address:
Department of PharmacologyJeju National University School of MedicineJejuRepublic of Korea
| | - Kyung‐Sang Yu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and TherapeuticsSeoul National University College of Medicine and HospitalSeoulKorea
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23
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Lee D, Rapp V CG, Loureiro J, Patel MT, Mikhailov D, Gusev AI. Decentralized clinical trial design using blood microsampling technology for serum bioanalysis. Bioanalysis 2023; 15:1287-1303. [PMID: 37855231 DOI: 10.4155/bio-2023-0136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Alternatives to phlebotomy in clinical trials increase options for patients and clinicians by simplifying and increasing accessibility to clinical trials. The authors investigated the technical and logistical considerations of one technology compared with phlebotomy. Methodology: Paired samples were collected from 16 donors via a second-generation serum gel microsampling device and conventional phlebotomy. Microsamples were subject to alternative sample handling conditions and were evaluated for quality, clinical testing and proteome profiling. Results: Timely centrifugation of blood serum microsamples largely preserved analyte stability. Conclusion: Centrifugation timing of serum microsamples impacts the quality of specific clinical chemistry and protein biomarkers. Microsampling devices with remote centrifugation and refrigerated shipping can decrease patient burden, expand clinical trial populations and aid clinical decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana Lee
- Biomarker Development, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, 220 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Charles G Rapp V
- Biomarker & Bioanalytical Science & Technology, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, 40 Landsdowne St., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Joseph Loureiro
- Chemical Biology & Therapeutics, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Michael T Patel
- Biomarker Development, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, 220 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Dmitri Mikhailov
- Biomarker Development, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, 220 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Arkady I Gusev
- Biomarker Development, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, 220 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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24
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Huml RA, Collyar D, Antonijevic Z, Beckman RA, Quek RGW, Ye J. Aiding the Adoption of Master Protocols by Optimizing Patient Engagement. Ther Innov Regul Sci 2023; 57:1136-1147. [PMID: 37615880 DOI: 10.1007/s43441-023-00570-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Master protocols (MPs) are an important addition to the clinical trial repertoire. As defined by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), this term means "a protocol designed with multiple sub-studies, which may have different objectives (goals) and involve coordinated efforts to evaluate one or more investigational drugs in one or more disease subtypes within the overall trial structure." This means we now have a unique, scientifically based MP that describes how a clinical trial will be conducted using one or more potential candidate therapies to treat patients in one or more diseases. Patient engagement (PE) is also a critical factor that has been recognized by FDA through its Patient-Focused Drug Development (PFDD) initiative, and by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which states on its website that it has been actively interacting with patients since the creation of the Agency in 1995. We propose that utilizing these PE principles in MPs can make them more successful for sponsors, providers, and patients. Potential benefits of MPs for patients awaiting treatment can include treatments that better fit a patient's needs; availability of more treatments; and faster access to treatments. These make it possible to develop innovative therapies (especially for rare diseases and/or unique subpopulations, e.g., pediatrics), to minimize untoward side effects through careful dose escalation practices and, by sharing a control arm, to lower the probability of being assigned to a placebo arm for clinical trial participants. This paper is authored by select members of the American Statistical Association (ASA)/DahShu Master Protocol Working Group (MPWG) People and Patient Engagement (PE) Subteam. DahShu is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, founded to promote research and education in data science. This manuscript does not include direct feedback from US or non-US regulators, though multiple regulatory-related references are cited to confirm our observation that improving patient engagement is supported by regulators. This manuscript represents the authors' independent perspective on the Master Protocol; it does not represent the official policy or viewpoint of FDA or any other regulatory organization or the views of the authors' employers. The objective of this manuscript is to provide drug developers, contract research organizations (CROs), third party capital investors, patient advocacy groups (PAGs), and biopharmaceutical executives with a better understanding of how including the patient voice throughout MP development and conduct creates more efficient clinical trials. The PE Subteam also plans to publish a Plain Language Summary (PLS) of this publication for clinical trial participants, patients, caregivers, and the public as they seek to understand the risks and benefits of MP clinical trial participation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Robert A Beckman
- Departments of Oncology and of Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, & Biomathematics, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center and Innovation Center for Biomedical Informatics, Georgetown University Medical Center, District of Columbia (DC), Washington, USA
| | - Ruben G W Quek
- Health Economics & Outcomes Research, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY, USA
| | - Jingjing Ye
- Data Science and Operational Excellent, Global Statistics and Data Sciences, BeiGene, Ltd., Washington, DC, USA
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25
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Shang W, Wei L, Liu Y, Pu H, Li X, Niu J, Ge L, Lu C, Yang K. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the conduct of non-COVID-19 clinical trials: protocol for a scoping review. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e074128. [PMID: 37816556 PMCID: PMC10565133 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-074128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The COVID-19 pandemic posed a detrimental impact on the conduct of non-COVID-19 related clinical trials, raising concerns about the completeness of these studies and waste of resources. While several measures and strategies have been suggested to address these issues, a thorough and timely summarisation is still lacking. Therefore, our aim is to conduct a scoping review to summarise the negative effects of COVID-19 on non-COVID-19 clinical trials, outline the effective measures for mitigating these impacts, and provide insights for future pandemics. METHODS AND ANALYSIS This scoping review will be conducted in line with the Joanna Briggs Institute's scoping review methodological framework, and the results will be reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews. Relevant articles will be searched in PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library from 1 December 2019 to 1 July 2023. We will also screen the reference lists of the included studies manually to identify more potentially relevant articles. Articles focusing on the adverse impacts of COVID-19 on non-COVID-19 clinical trials and effective measures for mitigating them will be included. Two investigators will perform study selection and data extraction independently. A narrative summary as well as a descriptive analysis of the basic characteristics and key results of the included studies will be performed. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Ethical approval is not required, as this scoping review will be completed based only on published literature. The findings of this scoping review will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication and/or conference presentations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenru Shang
- Evidence Based Medicine Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, P. R. China
- WHO Collaborating Center for Guideline Implementation and Knowledge Translation, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center, First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, P.R.China
| | - Lili Wei
- School of Business and Management, Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, P. R. China
| | - Yujia Liu
- First school of Clinical Medicine, Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, P. R. China
| | - Haosheng Pu
- Evidence Based Medicine Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, P. R. China
| | - Xiuxia Li
- Evidence Based Medicine Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, P. R. China
- WHO Collaborating Center for Guideline Implementation and Knowledge Translation, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center, First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, P.R.China
| | - Junqiang Niu
- Collaborative Innovation Center, First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, P.R.China
- Traditional Chinese Medicine Department, First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, P. R. China
| | - Long Ge
- Evidence Based Medicine Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, P. R. China
- WHO Collaborating Center for Guideline Implementation and Knowledge Translation, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center, First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, P.R.China
| | - Cuncun Lu
- Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Lanzhou, P. R. China
| | - Kehu Yang
- Evidence Based Medicine Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, P. R. China
- WHO Collaborating Center for Guideline Implementation and Knowledge Translation, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center, First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, P.R.China
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26
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Dulko D, Kwong M, Palm ME, Trinquart L, Selker HP. From a decentralized clinical trial to a decentralized and clinical-trial-in-a-box platform: Towards patient-centric and equitable trials. J Clin Transl Sci 2023; 7:e236. [PMID: 38028335 PMCID: PMC10663768 DOI: 10.1017/cts.2023.629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background/Objective Despite the intuitive attractiveness of bringing research to participants rather than making them come to central study sites, widespread decentralized enrollment has not been common in clinical trials. Methods The need for clinical research in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, along with innovations in technology, led us to use a decentralized trial approach in our Phase 2 COVID-19 trial. We used real-time acquisition and transmission of health-related data using home-based monitoring devices and mobile applications to assess outcomes. This approach not only avoids spreading COVID-19 but it also can support inclusion of participants in more diverse socioeconomic circumstances and in rural settings. Results Our team developed and deployed a decentralized trial platform to support patient engagement and adverse event reporting. Clinicians, engineers, and informaticians on our research team developed a Clinical-Trial-in-a-Box tool to optimally collect and analyze data from multiple decentralized platforms. Conclusion Applying the decentralized model in Long COVID, using digital health technology and personal devices integrated with our telehealth platform, we share the lessons learned from our work, along with challenges and future possibilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorothy Dulko
- Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Manlik Kwong
- Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marisha E. Palm
- Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ludovic Trinquart
- Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Harry P. Selker
- Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
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27
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Miyata BL, Tafuto B, Jose N. Methods and perceptions of success for patient recruitment in decentralized clinical studies. J Clin Transl Sci 2023; 7:e232. [PMID: 38028356 PMCID: PMC10643920 DOI: 10.1017/cts.2023.643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Patient recruitment, diversity, and retention continue to impede successful and representative clinical studies. This systematic review aims to assess the impact of decentralized methods on recruitment, retention, and diversity in recent clinical studies. A systematic search of literature reporting on recruitment in decentralized clinical studies was performed. Studies were reviewed for those reporting the primary outcome of recruitment in decentralized clinical trials, observational studies, or those covering the topic of clinical trials. Secondary outcomes included retention, participant diversity, and participant satisfaction. This systematic search returned 13 studies highlighting the role of decentralized methods impacting participant recruitment, retention, and diversity in clinical studies. Eleven reported improved recruitment using decentralized methods. Seven of these reported improvements directly compared to traditional methods. Seven studies reported positive retention outcomes, with four directly comparing decentralized methods with traditional methods. Six studies were reported to have trended toward increased diversity in the demographics of the sample population, including race or geographic location. Related reviews have stated a lack of published comparable data to determine if decentralized clinical methods improved recruitment and retention. Results suggest this review addresses such a gap, providing data on how decentralized methods such as virtual visits can positively impact recruitment and retention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian L. Miyata
- New Jersey Alliance for Clinical and Translational Science, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Barbara Tafuto
- New Jersey Alliance for Clinical and Translational Science, Newark, NJ, USA
- Rutgers School of Health Professions, Rutgers The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Nadina Jose
- New Jersey Alliance for Clinical and Translational Science, Newark, NJ, USA
- Rutgers School of Health Professions, Rutgers The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
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28
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Franzoi MA, Gillanders E, Vaz-Luis I. Unlocking digitally enabled research in oncology: the time is now. ESMO Open 2023; 8:101633. [PMID: 37660408 PMCID: PMC10482746 DOI: 10.1016/j.esmoop.2023.101633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- M A Franzoi
- Cancer Survivorship Group, Inserm Unit 981, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif
| | - E Gillanders
- Cancer Survivorship Group, Inserm Unit 981, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif
| | - I Vaz-Luis
- Cancer Survivorship Group, Inserm Unit 981, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif; Department for the Organization of Patient Pathways, DIOPP, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France.
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29
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Singh P, Burden AM, Natanegara F, Beckman RA. Design and Execution of Sustainable Decentralized Clinical Trials. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2023; 114:802-809. [PMID: 37489911 DOI: 10.1002/cpt.3009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
The decentralized clinical trial (DCT) approach is increasingly recognized as a means to accelerate the development of potential therapeutic interventions. DCTs have a crucial advantage over traditional clinical trials: patients are monitored in their environment using technology (e.g., wearables), that capture data as they continue in daily life. This narrative review outlines a gap analysis focused on the frameworks and guidance from expert working groups and regulatory agencies for the design and execution of DCTs. Eight DCT elements guided the analysis and summarized the frameworks and guidance: (1) suitability, (2) protocol, (3) investigational medicinal product (IMP) supply, (4) investigators and health care providers, (5) safety, (6) regulatory and ethics, (7) data and technology, and (8) engagement, communication, and advocacy. Based on the gap analysis, two key takeaways were identified: (1) a need for a comprehensive sustainability assessment of each DCT element; and (2) current frameworks and guidance provide recommendations on social sustainability and some on economic sustainability. DCTs are an essential evolution in healthcare research; however, more guidance related to a comprehensive assessment of designing and executing sustainable DCTs is needed. This is especially the case for environmental sustainability, including, for example, carbon footprint and disposal of IMPs and sensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pritibha Singh
- Novartis Pharma AG, Basel, Switzerland
- Pharmacoepidemiology Group, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andrea M Burden
- Pharmacoepidemiology Group, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Robert A Beckman
- Departments of Oncology and of Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, and Biomathematics, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center and Innovation Center for Biomedical Informatics, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
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30
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Huh KY, Lee H, Lee S, Yu K, Kim KH, Kim H. Exploration of smart adherence-monitoring methods in vitamin D-deficient patients: A pilot feasibility clinical study. Clin Transl Sci 2023; 16:1866-1875. [PMID: 37461832 PMCID: PMC10582656 DOI: 10.1111/cts.13594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Treatment adherence is an underestimated determinant of treatment success. Poor treatment adherence can also affect the efficacy of clinical trials. A combination of multiple adherence-monitoring methods is required to ensure robustness. We investigated whether multiple adherence-monitoring methods, including a novel smartwatch-based monitoring method, would yield reliable and concordant results. In this open, randomized, decentralized clinical trial, vitamin D-deficient individuals were randomized to an App - only group (an electronic medication diary) or an App + Watch group (i.e., App and smartwatch-based monitoring) groups after a week run-in period. The participants received vitamin D supplements (1000 IU) for 12 weeks (two consecutive periods of 6 weeks) with two pill counts (at the sixth week) and biweekly blood samplings for serum 25(OH) vitamin D concentration. Adherence was assessed and compared between the methods. Sixteen participants were enrolled, of which 13 completed the study. Serum 25(OH) vitamin D levels comparably increased in both groups until the first 7 weeks but trended higher in the App + Watch group in the second period. The number of doses recorded by the pill count and App did not differ significantly between the run-in and Period 1 (p = 0.5534) but became significantly discrepant in Period 2 (p = 0.0225). In contrast, the concordance for smartwatch-based monitoring was consistent in either period (p = 0.5898 and p = 0.5839, respectively). We explored multiple adherence-monitoring methods in this pilot feasibility clinical study. Smartwatch-based adherence monitoring may be an objective and sensitive method for measuring treatment adherence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ki Young Huh
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and TherapeuticsSeoul National University College of Medicine and HospitalSeoulKorea
| | | | - SeungHwan Lee
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and TherapeuticsSeoul National University College of Medicine and HospitalSeoulKorea
| | - Kyung‐Sang Yu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and TherapeuticsSeoul National University College of Medicine and HospitalSeoulKorea
| | - Kyung Hwan Kim
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular SurgerySeoul National University College of Medicine and HospitalSeoulKorea
| | - Heejin Kim
- Clinical Trials CenterSeoul National University HospitalSeoulKorea
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Unger JM, Stires H, Levit LA, Stewart M, McKelvey BA, Canin B, Dressler E, Flaherty K, Fredette P, Jones L, McCann P, Miller T, Onitilo AA, Palmieri F, Patel T, Paul R, Smith GL, Bruinooge SS, Garrett-Mayer E, Lei XJ, Alva A, Schenkel C. Sponsor Perspectives on the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Interventional Cancer Clinical Trial Protocols and Data Quality. JCO Oncol Pract 2023; 19:907-916. [PMID: 37643386 PMCID: PMC10615547 DOI: 10.1200/op.23.00185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic created major disruptions in the conduct of cancer clinical trials. In response, regulators and sponsors allowed modifications to traditional trial processes to enable clinical research and care to continue. We systematically evaluated how these mitigation strategies affected data quality and overall trial conduct. METHODS This study used surveys and live interviews. Forty-one major industry and National Cancer Institute Network groups (sponsors) overseeing anticancer treatment trials open in the United States from January 2015 to May 2022 were invited to participate. Descriptive statistics were used for survey data summaries. Key themes from interviews were identified. RESULTS Twenty sponsors (48.8%; 15 industry and five Network groups) completed the survey; 11/20 (55.0%) participated in interviews. Sponsors predominantly (n = 12; 60.0%) reported large (≥11 trials) portfolios of phase II and/or phase III trials. The proportion of sponsors reporting a moderate (9) or substantial (8) increase in protocol deviations in the initial pandemic wave versus the pre-pandemic period was 89.5% (17/19); the proportion reporting a substantial increased dropped from 42.1% (n = 8/19) in the initial wave to 15.8% (n = 3/19) thereafter. The most commonly adopted mitigation strategies were remote distribution of oral anticancer therapies (70.0%), remote adverse event monitoring (65.0%), and remote consenting (65.0%). Most respondents (15/18; 83.3%) reported that the pandemic had minimal (n = 14) or no impact (n = 1) on overall data integrity. CONCLUSION Despite nearly all sponsors observing a temporary increase in protocol deviations, most reported the pandemic had minimal/no impact on overall data integrity. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated an emerging trend toward greater flexibility in trial conduct, with potential benefits of reduced burden on trial participants and sites and improved patient access to research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Laura A. Levit
- American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), Alexandria, VA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Peter Fredette
- EQRx (employed by IQVIA during study design phase), Cambridge, MA
| | - Lee Jones
- Fight Colorectal Cancer, Arlington, VA
| | | | - Therica Miller
- Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | | | | | - Timil Patel
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Silver Spring, MD
| | - Rocio Paul
- National Cancer Institute, Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program, Clinical Trials Monitoring Branch, Bethesda, MD
| | - Gary L. Smith
- National Cancer Institute, Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program, Clinical Trials Monitoring Branch, Bethesda, MD
| | | | | | - Xiudong Jennifer Lei
- University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (employed by ASCO during study design phase), Houston, TX
| | - Ajjai Alva
- University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI
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Sehrawat O, Noseworthy PA, Siontis KC, Haddad TC, Halamka JD, Liu H. Data-Driven and Technology-Enabled Trial Innovations Toward Decentralization of Clinical Trials: Opportunities and Considerations. Mayo Clin Proc 2023; 98:1404-1421. [PMID: 37661149 DOI: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2023.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Traditional trial designs have well-recognized inefficiencies and logistical barriers to participation. Decentralized trials and digital health solutions have been suggested as potential solutions and have certainly risen to the challenge during the pandemic. Clinical trial designs are now increasingly data driven. The use of distributed clinical data networks and digitization has helped to fundamentally upgrade existing research systems. A trial design may vary anywhere from fully decentralized to hybrid to traditional on-site. Various decentralization components are available for stakeholders to increase the reach and pace of their trials, such as electronic informed consent, remote interviews, administration, outcome assessment, monitoring, and laboratory and imaging modalities. Furthermore, digital health technologies can be included to enrich study conduct. However, careful consideration is warranted, including assessing verification and validity through usability studies and having various contingencies in place through dedicated risk assessment. Selecting the right combination depends not just on the ability to handle patient care and the medical know-how but also on the availability of appropriate technologic infrastructure, skills, and human resources. Throughout this process, quality of evidence generation and physician-patient relation must not be undermined. Here we also address some knowledge gaps, cost considerations, and potential impact of decentralization and digitization on inclusivity, recruitment, engagement, and retention. Last, we mention some future directions that may help drive the necessary change in the right direction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ojasav Sehrawat
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
| | | | | | | | - John D Halamka
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
| | - Hongfang Liu
- Department of Artificial Intelligence and Informatics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
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Plombon S, S. Rudin R, Sulca Flores J, Goolkasian G, Sousa J, Rodriguez J, Lipsitz S, Foer D, K. Dalal A. Assessing Equitable Recruitment in a Digital Health Trial for Asthma. Appl Clin Inform 2023; 14:620-631. [PMID: 37164328 PMCID: PMC10412068 DOI: 10.1055/a-2090-5745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to assess a multipronged strategy using primarily digital methods to equitably recruit asthma patients into a clinical trial of a digital health intervention. METHODS We approached eligible patients using at least one of eight recruitment strategies. We recorded approach dates and the strategy that led to completion of a web-based eligibility questionnaire that was reported during the verbal consent phone call. Study team members conducted monthly sessions using a structured guide to identify recruitment barriers and facilitators. The proportion of participants who reported being recruited by a portal or nonportal strategy was measured as our outcomes. We used Fisher's exact test to compare outcomes by equity variable, and multivariable logistic regression to control for each covariate and adjust effect size estimates. Using grounded theory, we coded and extracted themes regarding recruitment barriers and facilitators. RESULTS The majority (84.4%) of patients who met study inclusion criteria were patient portal enrollees. Of 6,366 eligible patients who were approached, 627 completed the eligibility questionnaire and were less frequently Hispanic, less frequently Spanish-speaking, and more frequently patient portal enrollees. Of 445 patients who consented to participate, 241 (54.2%) reported completing the eligibility questionnaire after being contacted by a patient portal message. In adjusted analysis, only race (odds ratio [OR]: 0.46, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.28-0.77, p = 0.003) and college education (OR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.39-0.91, p = 0.016) remained significant. Key recruitment barriers included technology issues (e.g., lack of email access) and facilitators included bilingual study staff, Spanish-language recruitment materials, targeted phone calls, and clinician-initiated "1-click" referrals. CONCLUSION A primarily digital strategy to recruit patients into a digital health trial is unlikely to achieve equitable participation, even in a population overrepresented by patient portal enrollees. Nondigital recruitment methods that address racial and educational disparities and less active portal enrollees are necessary to ensure equity in clinical trial enrollment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Savanna Plombon
- Division of General Internal Medicine Primary Care, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Robert S. Rudin
- Healthcare Division, RAND Corporation, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Jorge Sulca Flores
- Division of General Internal Medicine Primary Care, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Gillian Goolkasian
- Division of General Internal Medicine Primary Care, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Jessica Sousa
- Healthcare Division, RAND Corporation, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Jorge Rodriguez
- Division of General Internal Medicine Primary Care, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Stuart Lipsitz
- Division of General Internal Medicine Primary Care, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Dinah Foer
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Anuj K. Dalal
- Division of General Internal Medicine Primary Care, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
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Hanley DF, Bernard GR, Wilkins CH, Selker HP, Dwyer JP, Dean JM, Benjamin DK, Dunsmore SE, Waddy SP, Wiley KL, Palm ME, Mould WA, Ford DF, Burr JS, Huvane J, Lane K, Poole L, Edwards TL, Kennedy N, Boone LR, Bell J, Serdoz E, Byrne LM, Harris PA. Decentralized clinical trials in the trial innovation network: Value, strategies, and lessons learned. J Clin Transl Sci 2023; 7:e170. [PMID: 37654775 PMCID: PMC10465321 DOI: 10.1017/cts.2023.597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
New technologies and disruptions related to Coronavirus disease-2019 have led to expansion of decentralized approaches to clinical trials. Remote tools and methods hold promise for increasing trial efficiency and reducing burdens and barriers by facilitating participation outside of traditional clinical settings and taking studies directly to participants. The Trial Innovation Network, established in 2016 by the National Center for Advancing Clinical and Translational Science to address critical roadblocks in clinical research and accelerate the translational research process, has consulted on over 400 research study proposals to date. Its recommendations for decentralized approaches have included eConsent, participant-informed study design, remote intervention, study task reminders, social media recruitment, and return of results for participants. Some clinical trial elements have worked well when decentralized, while others, including remote recruitment and patient monitoring, need further refinement and assessment to determine their value. Partially decentralized, or "hybrid" trials, offer a first step to optimizing remote methods. Decentralized processes demonstrate potential to improve urban-rural diversity, but their impact on inclusion of racially and ethnically marginalized populations requires further study. To optimize inclusive participation in decentralized clinical trials, efforts must be made to build trust among marginalized communities, and to ensure access to remote technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel F. Hanley
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Johns Hopkins Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Gordon R. Bernard
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Consuelo H. Wilkins
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Harry P. Selker
- Department of Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
- Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
- Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jamie P. Dwyer
- University of Utah Health, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Utah Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | | | - Daniel Kelly Benjamin
- Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Sarah E. Dunsmore
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Salina P. Waddy
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kenneth L. Wiley
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Marisha E. Palm
- Department of Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
- Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
- Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - W. Andrew Mould
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Johns Hopkins BIOS Clinical Trials Coordinating Center, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Daniel F. Ford
- Johns Hopkins Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jeri S. Burr
- University of Utah Health, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | | | - Karen Lane
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Johns Hopkins Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lori Poole
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Terri L. Edwards
- Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Nan Kennedy
- Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Leslie R. Boone
- Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Jasmine Bell
- Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Emily Serdoz
- Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Loretta M. Byrne
- Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Paul A. Harris
- Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
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Mambetsariev I, Fricke J, Gruber SB, Tan T, Babikian R, Kim P, Vishnubhotla P, Chen J, Kulkarni P, Salgia R. Clinical Network Systems Biology: Traversing the Cancer Multiverse. J Clin Med 2023; 12:4535. [PMID: 37445570 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12134535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent decades, cancer biology and medicine have ushered in a new age of precision medicine through high-throughput approaches that led to the development of novel targeted therapies and immunotherapies for different cancers. The availability of multifaceted high-throughput omics data has revealed that cancer, beyond its genomic heterogeneity, is a complex system of microenvironments, sub-clonal tumor populations, and a variety of other cell types that impinge on the genetic and non-genetic mechanisms underlying the disease. Thus, a systems approach to cancer biology has become instrumental in identifying the key components of tumor initiation, progression, and the eventual emergence of drug resistance. Through the union of clinical medicine and basic sciences, there has been a revolution in the development and approval of cancer therapeutic drug options including tyrosine kinase inhibitors, antibody-drug conjugates, and immunotherapy. This 'Team Medicine' approach within the cancer systems biology framework can be further improved upon through the development of high-throughput clinical trial models that utilize machine learning models, rapid sample processing to grow patient tumor cell cultures, test multiple therapeutic options and assign appropriate therapy to individual patients quickly and efficiently. The integration of systems biology into the clinical network would allow for rapid advances in personalized medicine that are often hindered by a lack of drug development and drug testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isa Mambetsariev
- Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutic Research, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Jeremy Fricke
- Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutic Research, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Stephen B Gruber
- Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutic Research, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Tingting Tan
- Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutic Research, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Razmig Babikian
- Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutic Research, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Pauline Kim
- Department of Pharmacy, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Priya Vishnubhotla
- Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutic Research, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, City of Hope Atlanta, Newnan, GA 30265, USA
| | - Jianjun Chen
- Department of Systems Biology, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Prakash Kulkarni
- Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutic Research, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
- Department of Systems Biology, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Ravi Salgia
- Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutic Research, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
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36
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Pittell H, Calip GS, Pierre A, Ryals CA, Altomare I, Royce TJ, Guadamuz JS. Racial and Ethnic Inequities in US Oncology Clinical Trial Participation From 2017 to 2022. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2322515. [PMID: 37477920 PMCID: PMC10362465 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.22515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance There is increasing recognition from regulatory agencies that racial and ethnic representation in clinical trials is inadequate and linked to health inequities. The extent of racial inequities in clinical trial participation is unclear because prior studies have synthesized enrollment data from published trials, which often do not report participant race and ethnicity. Objective To evaluate racial and ethnic inequities in oncology clinical trial participation in a contemporary cohort of patients with cancer before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study used a nationwide electronic health record-derived deidentified database, which includes data for approximately 280 US cancer clinics (approximately 800 sites of care). The study included Latinx, non-Latinx Black (hereinafter, Black), and non-Latinx White (reference; hereinafter, White) patients aged 18 years or older who had been diagnosed with advanced non-small cell lung cancer, metastatic colorectal cancer, metastatic breast cancer, multiple myeloma, or metastatic pancreatic cancer between January 1, 2017, and June 30, 2022 (follow-up through December 31, 2022). Data analysis was performed between August 1, 2022, and February 7, 2023. Exposures Electronic health record-documented race and ethnicity. Main Outcomes and Measures The main outcome was oncology trial participation (ie, receipt of a clinical study drug). Stratified cause-specific hazard models were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs for likelihood of participation. Participation was assessed overall, by cancer type, and by period of diagnosis (2017-2019 vs 2020-2022). Results Of the 50 411 patients in this study, 28 878 (57.3%) were women and 21 533 (42.7%) were men. Black and Latinx patients were younger than White patients, with a median age of 65 (IQR, 57-72), 64 (IQR, 54-73), and 68 (IQR, 60-76) years, respectively. Oncology trial participation was lower among Black patients (307 of 6912 [4.4%]) and Latinx patients (166 of 3973 [4.2%]) relative to White patients (2858 of 39 526 [7.2%]) over the entire study period. Inequities in participation were observed across the 5 cancer types studied, with notably large inequities observed among Black patients (HR, 0.54 [95% CI, 0.36-0.81]) and Latinx patients (HR, 0.46 [95% CI, 0.27-0.77]) with metastatic pancreatic cancer. Moreover, inequities between Black and White patients in terms of participation widened among those diagnosed in the COVID-19 era (2020-2022: HR, 0.49 [95% CI, 0.40-0.60] vs 1.00 [95% CI, 0.93-1.09]) relative to those diagnosed before the pandemic (2017-2019: HR, 0.61 [95% CI, 0.53-0.70] vs 1 [reference]). Conclusions and Relevance The findings of this cohort study suggest that oncology trial participation was lower among Black and Latinx patients relative to White patients across all 5 cancer types examined. These findings, including potentially widening inequities in the COVID-19 era, support the need for regulatory guidance to improve enrollment of participants from historically excluded racial and ethnic populations in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gregory S. Calip
- Flatiron Health Inc, New York, New York
- Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomic Research, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago
| | - Amy Pierre
- Flatiron Health Inc, New York, New York
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | | | | | - Trevor J. Royce
- Flatiron Health Inc, New York, New York
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Jenny S. Guadamuz
- Flatiron Health Inc, New York, New York
- Program on Medicines and Public Health, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
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Zawada SJ, Ruff KC, Sklar T, Demaerschalk BM. Towards a conceptual framework for addressing state-level barriers to decentralized clinical trials in the U.S. J Clin Transl Sci 2023; 7:e162. [PMID: 37528942 PMCID: PMC10388410 DOI: 10.1017/cts.2023.584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Kevin C. Ruff
- Mayo Clinic Center for Digital Health, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Tara Sklar
- University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Arizona Telemedicine Program, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Bart M. Demaerschalk
- Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
- Mayo Clinic Center for Digital Health, Phoenix, AZ, USA
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38
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Adesoye T, Katz MHG, Offodile AC. Meeting Trial Participants Where They Are: Decentralized Clinical Trials as a Patient-Centered Paradigm for Enhancing Accrual and Diversity in Surgical and Multidisciplinary Trials in Oncology. JCO Oncol Pract 2023; 19:317-321. [PMID: 36821820 DOI: 10.1200/op.22.00702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Taiwo Adesoye
- Department of Breast Surgical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Matthew H G Katz
- Department of Surgical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Anaeze C Offodile
- Institute for Cancer Care Innovation, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
- Baker Institute for Public Policy, Rice University, Houston, TX
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39
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Mittermaier M, Venkatesh KP, Kvedar JC. Digital health technology in clinical trials. NPJ Digit Med 2023; 6:88. [PMID: 37202443 DOI: 10.1038/s41746-023-00841-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Mirja Mittermaier
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Respiratory Medicine and Critical Care, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
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40
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Ravindran R, Szadkowski L, Lovblom LE, Clarke R, Huang QW, Manase D, Parente L, Walmsley S. Decentralized study of COVID Vaccine Antibody Response (STOPCoV): Results of a participant satisfaction survey. PLOS DIGITAL HEALTH 2023; 2:e0000242. [PMID: 37159470 PMCID: PMC10168576 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
The Covid-19 pandemic required many clinical trials to adopt a decentralized framework to continue research activities during lock down restrictions. The STOPCoV study was designed to assess the safety and efficacy of Covid-19 vaccines in those aged 70 and above compared to those aged 30-50 years of age. In this sub-study we aimed to determine participant satisfaction for the decentralized processes, accessing the study website and collecting and submitting study specimens. The satisfaction survey was based on a Likert scale developed by a team of three investigators. Overall, there were 42 questions for respondents to answer. The invitation to participate with a link to the survey was emailed to 1253 active participants near the mid-way point of the main STOPCoV trial (April 2022). The results were collated and answers were compared between the two age cohorts. Overall, 70% (83% older, 54% younger cohort, no difference by sex) responded to the survey. The overall feedback was positive with over 90% of respondents answering that the website was easy to use. Despite the age gap, both the older cohort and younger cohort reported ease of performing study activities through a personal electronic device. Only 30% of the participants had previously participated in a clinical trial, however over 90% agreed that they would be willing to participate in future clinical research. Some difficulties were noted in refreshing the browser whenever updates to the website were made. The feedback attained will be used to improve current processes and procedures of the STOPCoV trial as well as share learning experiences to inform future fully decentralized research studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rizani Ravindran
- University Health Network, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Leah Szadkowski
- Biostatistics Research Unit; University Health Network; University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Leif Erik Lovblom
- Biostatistics Research Unit; University Health Network; University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Rosemarie Clarke
- University Health Network, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Qian Wen Huang
- University Health Network, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Dorin Manase
- DATA Team; University Health Network; University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Laura Parente
- Health care Human Factors; University Health Network; University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sharon Walmsley
- University Health Network, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University Health Network; University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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41
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Broadwin C, Azizi Z, Rodriguez F. Clinical Trial Technologies for Improving Equity and Inclusion in Cardiovascular Clinical Research. Cardiol Ther 2023; 12:215-225. [PMID: 37043079 PMCID: PMC10090744 DOI: 10.1007/s40119-023-00311-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Approximately one-third of clinical trials fail to meet their recruitment goals, which can cause costly delays to sponsors and compromise the scientific integrity and generalizability of a trial. Inadequate recruitment and retention of patient groups who have the disease under investigation may produce insufficient medical knowledge about the therapeutic effects of drugs or products for the population at large. It is essential to address these issues to ensure that certain groups are not unduly subjected to disproportionate risks or denied the benefits of research. This commentary will present opportunities for clinical trialists to use emerging technologies and decentralized approaches to improve clinical trial recruitment, mitigate disparities, and improve individual and population-level outcomes within cardiovascular medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra Broadwin
- Center for Digital Health, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Zahra Azizi
- Center for Digital Health, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Fatima Rodriguez
- Department of Medicine, Center for Academic Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, 453 Quarry Road, Mail Code 5687, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA.
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Wicks P, Wahlstrom-Edwards L, Fillingham S, Downing A, Davies EH. So You Want to Build Your Disease's First Online Patient Registry: An Educational Guide for Patient Organizations Based on US and European Experience. THE PATIENT 2023; 16:183-199. [PMID: 36947286 PMCID: PMC10031688 DOI: 10.1007/s40271-023-00619-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
Patient registries fulfill a number of key roles for clinicians, researchers, non-profit organizations, payers, and policy makers. They can help the field understand the natural history of a condition, determine the effectiveness of interventions, measure safety, and audit the quality of care provided. Successful registries in cystic fibrosis, Duchenne's muscular dystrophy, and other rare diseases have become a model for accelerating progress. However, the complex tasks required to develop a modern registry can seem overwhelming, particularly for those who are not from a technical background. In this Education article, a team of co-authors from across patient advocacy, technology, privacy, and commercial perspectives who have worked on a number of such projects offer a "Registry 101" primer to help get started. We will outline the promise and potential of patient registries with worked case examples, identify some of the key technical considerations you will need to consider, describe the type of data you might want to collect, consider privacy risks to protect your users, sketch out some of the paths towards long-term financial sustainability we have observed, and conclude with plans to mitigate some of the challenges that can occur and signpost interested readers to further resources. While rapid growth in the digital health market has presented numerous opportunities to those at the beginning of their journey, it is important to start with the long-term goals in mind and to benefit from the learnings of those who have walked this path before.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Wicks
- Wicks Digital Health Ltd, Lichfield, UK.
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Chen J, Lu Y, Kummar S. Increasing patient participation in oncology clinical trials. Cancer Med 2023; 12:2219-2226. [PMID: 36043431 PMCID: PMC9939168 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.5150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
AIM Timely recruitment of eligible participants is essential for the success of clinical trials, with insufficient accrual being the leading cause for premature termination of both oncology and non-oncology trials. METHODS In this paper we further elaborate on the challenges for patient participation in oncology trials from physician, patient, healthcare system, and some trial-related perspectives. RESULTS We present strategies such as use of digital healthcare technologies, real-world data and real-world evidence, decentralized clinical trials, pragmatic trial designs, and supportive services to increase patient participation. CONCLUSIONS Multifaceted measures are necessary to increase patient participation, especially for those who are under-represented in cancer trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Chen
- Department of Biometrics, Overland Pharmaceuticals, Dover, Delaware, USA
| | - Ying Lu
- Department of Biomedical Data Science and Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Shivaani Kummar
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
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Wickramasekera N, Strong E, Shackley P, Callaghan T, Lee M, Hind D, Brown S. Patient preferences for pilonidal sinus treatments: a discrete choice experiment survey. Colorectal Dis 2023; 25:984-994. [PMID: 36636796 DOI: 10.1111/codi.16482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A range of treatments are available for pilonidal sinus disease (PSD), each of which has a different risk/benefit profile. The aim of this study was to collect patient views on which interventions they would rather avoid and which outcomes they most value for PSD. METHOD We conducted an online survey using the discrete choice experiment (DCE) method. DCE task involved participants choosing the best treatment option when presented with a set of competing hypothetical treatment profiles. Participants with symptomatic PSD, referred for elective surgery were recruited from 33 NHS trusts between 2020 and 2022. Collected DCE data were analysed using regression analyses. RESULTS One hundred and eleven participants completed the survey. In the overall group, low risk of infection/persistence was the most important characteristic when making a treatment decision (attribute importance score of 70%), followed by treatments with shorter recovery time with an attribute importance score of 30%. The results demonstrated that patients are willing to accept trade-offs between treatment recovery time and risk of infection/persistence. Patients above 30 years old are willing to accept a higher chance of treatment failure in exchange for rapid treatment recovery (risk tolerance between 22.35 - 34.67 percentage points). Conversely, patients in the younger age groups, were risk averse, and were only willing to accept a small risk 1.51-2.15 in exchange for a treatment with faster recovery time. All patient groups appear to the reject the excision and leave open technique due to the need for protracted nursing care. CONCLUSION This study highlights the need for shared decision making when it comes to surgery for PSD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emily Strong
- Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | | | - Tia Callaghan
- Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Matthew Lee
- Department of General Surgery, Northern General Hospital, Herries Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK
- Department of Oncology and Metabolism, The Medical School, University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK
| | - Daniel Hind
- Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Steven Brown
- Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Department of General Surgery, Northern General Hospital, Herries Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK
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Huh KY, Yu KS, Song I. Analysis of the distribution of trial sites in South Korea using social network analysis. Transl Clin Pharmacol 2023; 31:1-12. [PMID: 37034125 PMCID: PMC10079509 DOI: 10.12793/tcp.2023.31.e2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Location of trial sites can be a potential source of study bias. Considering that clinical trials have been mostly conducted in urban areas, the distribution of trial sites need to be evaluated. We analyzed clinical trial approval data using social network analysis to quantitatively assess the site-by-site connections. The approval list of clinical trials from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety database between 2014 and 2021 was analyzed. The number of clinical trials per trial site was counted according to the approval year and study phase and evaluated for distribution using empirical cumulative distribution function plots. Trial sites and conducts of a clinical trial were mapped into nodes and edges in the social network analysis, and basic network parameters were obtained. The clinical trials were concentrated at several trial sites. Forty-nine to 60.6% of phase 1 and up to 30% of the other study phases of clinical trials were at the top 5 trial sites. The annual distribution of the number of clinical trials per site was comparable across the study period. Connections among the trial sites in the metropolitan area were prominent. Graph size and density were higher in phase 3 trials than in the other phases. We demonstrated that the conduct of clinical trials was concentrated in the Seoul Metropolitan Area in both number of trials and connections using social network analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ki Young Huh
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Seoul National University College of Medicine and Hospital, Seoul 03080, Korea
| | - Kyung-Sang Yu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Seoul National University College of Medicine and Hospital, Seoul 03080, Korea
| | - Ildae Song
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Kyungsung University, Busan 48434, Korea
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Thomas C, Mulnick S, Krucien N, Marsh K. How do study design features and participant characteristics influence willingness to participate in clinical trials? Results from a choice experiment. BMC Med Res Methodol 2022; 22:323. [PMID: 36526978 PMCID: PMC9756590 DOI: 10.1186/s12874-022-01803-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Research about the decision to participate in a clinical study has tended to be limited to single indications and has focused on narrow sets of study and participant characteristics. This study applied stated preference methods to understand the clinical trial design attributes that most influence willingness to participate and how this varied with participant characteristics. METHODS Adults residing in the US, China, or Poland with a self-reported diagnosis of cancer, heart disease, migraine, rheumatoid arthritis, or multiple sclerosis completed an online survey. Participants were asked whether they would participate in clinical studies defined by seventeen attributes within five categories (payment/support, administration/procedures, treatment-related, study location/time commitment, and data collection/feedback). Participants saw six different hypothetical clinical study profiles. Depending on their participation decision to an initial clinical study profile, the subsequent five questions had one design attribute (randomly selected per question) consecutively improved or deteriorated to elicit preferences. A logistic regression was used to determine which participant characteristics influenced participation decisions. A latent class logit model was used to identify how the influence of study design features varied between participants and whether groups of participants with similar preferences could be identified. RESULTS The survey was completed by 487 participants (32% China, 35% Poland, 33% US; 8%-19% per indication). Willingness to participate was found to be a function of participant age, certain elements of quality of life, and previous treatment experience, in particular number of lines of treatment received and experience of adverse events. Willingness to participate was influenced by study design features such as payment, study duration, and time commitment - both the overall time and whether the time was at home or away from home, with the latter being particularly relevant to participants experiencing fatigue due to their disease. CONCLUSIONS This study quantifies how study designs influence willingness to participate and how this varies with participant types. These findings suggest that it is how an indication influences quality of life and treatment experience, rather than the indication alone, that impacts participation rates, opening the way for insights that are transferrable across indications, which may be particularly useful when considering rare diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sarah Mulnick
- grid.423257.50000 0004 0510 2209Evidera, Bethesda, MD USA
| | | | - Kevin Marsh
- Evidera, The Ark, 201 Talgarth Road, London, W6 8BJ UK
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47
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Goodson N, Wicks P, Farina C. Commentary: an industry perspective on the importance of incorporating participant voice before, during, and after clinical trials. Trials 2022; 23:966. [DOI: 10.1186/s13063-022-06905-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractIt is increasingly recognized that involving patients and the public in the design of clinical trials can lead to better recruitment, retention, and satisfaction. A recent scoping review determined that between 1985 and 2018, just 23 articles meeting quality criteria obtained feedback from clinical trial participants after a trial had been completed. In a timespan that presumably included thousands of trials across hundreds of indications, the paucity of the literature seems surprising, if not outright disappointing. By contrast, practitioners in the life sciences industry are increasingly incorporating patient research into their trial design process before, during, and after trial completion. Examples of approaches used include recruitment of “look alike” participant samples through online communities, surveys, and the use of smartphone apps to directly record participants’ spoken reactions to trial materials like recruitment materials, site visit schedules, or informed consent materials. However, commercial organizations tend not to publish their findings, leading to a potential two-tier experience for trial participants depending on whether the trial they participate in will be industry-funded or government-funded. This seems problematic on a number of levels. Increasing regulatory, funder, and publisher interest in improving the inclusivity of clinical trial participants may act as a timely lever to spur patient-centered coproduction of trials. Until continuous feedback processes are the mandated, funded, and published norm, participating in a clinical trial will be more arduous than it needs to be.
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Moore J, Goodson N, Wicks P, Reites J. What role can decentralized trial designs play to improve rare disease studies? Orphanet J Rare Dis 2022; 17:240. [PMID: 35725484 PMCID: PMC9207830 DOI: 10.1186/s13023-022-02388-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
People affected by rare diseases want to be involved in research and the search for new treatments. Randomized controlled trials remain the best way of finding new interventions, but many elements of traditional study design are not best suited for rare diseases. Barriers to patients and families include the use of specialist hospital sites for recruitment, requiring frequent site-based study visits for data collection, and a high burden of tests and outcome measures in research. While decentralized clinical trial (DCT) designs have been developed in some rare disease trials, changes necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic present an opportunity for them to become a standard approach. DCT approaches have been shown to be more resilient to changes in enrolment and attrition during COVID-19 than traditional designs and offer benefits in terms of patient burden, convenience, inclusion, and data quality. Digital tools such as wearable devices and electronic clinical outcome assessments may also provide more convenient and environmentally valid measures of how a condition affects the life of an individual in their regular environment (e.g. mobility around the home versus a hospital corridor). Digital solutions have greater ability to support language localization, accessibility, and may lead to increase access to global rare disease trials. In parallel, challenges exist, such as the technical support, the digital divide, ensuring high quality data, and delivering safe trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Moore
- THREAD Research, 155 El Camino Real, Tustin, CA, 92780, USA
| | - N Goodson
- THREAD Research, 155 El Camino Real, Tustin, CA, 92780, USA.
| | - P Wicks
- THREAD Research, 155 El Camino Real, Tustin, CA, 92780, USA.,Wicks Digital Health, Advantage House, Lichfield, WS13 6AQ, Staffordshire, UK
| | - J Reites
- THREAD Research, 155 El Camino Real, Tustin, CA, 92780, USA
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Wasan H, Singh D, Reeta KH, Gupta P, Gupta YK. Drug development process and COVID-19 pandemic: Flourishing era of outsourcing. Indian J Pharmacol 2022; 54:364-372. [PMID: 36537406 PMCID: PMC9846916 DOI: 10.4103/ijp.ijp_318_22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Traditional drug development is a tedious process with involvement of enormous cost and a high attrition rate. Outsourcing drug development services to contract research organizations (CROs) has become an important strategy for cost and risk reduction, capacity building, and data generation. The therapeutic and operational expertise of these CROs has allowed pharmaceutical industry to reduce in-house infrastructure as well as research capacity. Working with specialized CROs has not only increased the rate of success but also the speed of drug discovery process. Small firms with promising molecules but limited resources and large firms interested in diversifying their dimensions are utilizing the services of efficient CROs. Globally, approximately one-third of the drug development processes are now being outsourced and the data generated by the independent third party are well appreciated during regulatory submissions. In this article, we discuss the international and national trends, outsourcing services and models, key considerations while selecting CRO, and benefits and challenges of outsourcing. Further, we discuss how the technical expertise of competent CROs was utilized when traditional ways of conducting clinical trials were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Taken together, the increasing health-care demands, COVID-19 pandemic or any other such upcoming health crisis, and recent advances in advanced technologies (machine learning and artificial intelligence, etc.) are likely to fuel global CRO market in the coming years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himika Wasan
- Department of Pharmacology, AIIMS, New Delhi, India
| | | | - K. H. Reeta
- Department of Pharmacology, AIIMS, New Delhi, India,Address for correspondence: Dr. K.H. Reeta, Department of Pharmacology, AIIMS, New Delhi, India. E-mail:
| | - Pooja Gupta
- Department of Pharmacology, AIIMS, New Delhi, India
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