The impact of individual conversation and information intervention on preoperative anxiety and postoperative pain

ISRCTN ISRCTN53835337
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN53835337
Secondary identifying numbers 39621
Submission date
20/12/2013
Registration date
24/01/2014
Last edited
29/05/2020
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Surgery
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
Hysterectomy is the surgical removal of the uterus and is the most common major gynaecological surgery worldwide. In Denmark about 5,000 hysterectomies are performed annually. There are many reasons for hysterectomy. Regardless of the condition hysterectomy is usually performed due to a benign disorder such as irregular bleeding, benign growths, pain and bulging of the uterus. The surgery is performed to improve women's quality of life and can be performed through the abdominal cavity as a keyhole surgery or through the vagina. Many patients experience anxiety before surgery. This has been shown to be mainly due to their fear of losing fertility, femininity and attractiveness. Thorough information about the process before, during and after hospitalization make the patient more comfortable, which leads to less anxiety. Studies have shown that the level of anxiety before an operation is closely related to the patient's experience of surgical pain i.e. the lower the level of anxiety is before the surgery, the lower the level of surgical pain is after the surgery. This study aims to find the effectiveness of an individual conversation and information on anxiety before surgery and pain afterwards.

Who can participate?
Participant must be age 18 or over, and must have been referred to hysterectomy on a benign indication.

What does the study involve?
Participants will be randomly allocated to the intervention or the control group. The participants in the intervention group will be invited to have an individual conversation before the surgery and will be given information. The conversation and information will be based on a structured form where the current course of hospitalization is reviewed and patient concerns/expectations are discussed. The control group will be offered information as usual. Both groups will complete a diary during hospitalization and answer a questionnaire at 4 weeks.

What are the possible benefits and/or risk of participating?
The possible benefits of participating in this study include a lower level of anxiety and less postoperative pain. For some it may be pleasant to experience a professionally planned conversation. Participation in this study is not believed to have any risks or side effects. Extra time spent at the consultation and completing the diary and questionnaire are considered to be of minor inconvenience.

Where is the study run from?
The study is run from the Research and Gynaecological units at Horsens Regional Hospital, Denmark.

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
The study started in November 2013 and is expected to run until February 2015.

Who is funding the study?
The study is funded by the Horsens Regional Hospital (Denmark) and The Family Hede Nielse Foundation (Denmark).

Who is the main contact?
Mrs Hrønn Thorn
johtho@rm.dk

Contact information

Mrs Hrønn Thorn
Scientific

Kvindeafdelingen
Sundvej 30
Horsens
8700
Denmark

Phone +45 7842 6443
Email johtho@rm.dk

Study information

Study designSingle-center randomized controlled trial
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)Hospital
Study typePrevention
Participant information sheet Not available in web format, please use the contact details below to request a patient infrmation sheet
Scientific titleIndividual conversation and information as anxiety prevention: preoperative anxiety and postoperative pain, among women with abdominal hysterectomy of benign indication
Study objectivesWomen who are about to get their uterus removed by a surgical procedure have more anxiety than other surgical patients and furthermore it is known that there is an association between preoperative anxiety and postoperative pain. Our hypothesis is that predictability through comprehensive information can reduce the preoperative anxiety level and thereby reduce the level of postoperative pain.
Ethics approval(s)The scientific committees of Central Denmark Region, 17/10/2013
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studiedHysterectomy of benign indication
InterventionRandomization will be stratified in blocks of 8 in order to ensure an equal distribution over time. Patients will be randomized to two groups:
1. Intervention: a preoperative individual conversation and information. The conversation and information will be based on a structured form where the current course of hospitalization is reviewed and patient concerns/expectations are discussed.
2. Control: information as usual

All participants will complete a diary during hospitalization and answer a questionnaire at 4 weeks postoperatively.
Intervention typeProcedure/Surgery
Primary outcome measurePain is measured on a Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Measurements will be performed twice: at baseline and at 4 weeks.
Secondary outcome measures1. Anxiety is measured on State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI)
2. Nausea, measured on a VAS

Measurements will be performed twice: at baseline and at 4 weeks. Incidence of nausea and vomiting, diet and fluid intake, activity, postoperative hospital stay.
Overall study start date01/11/2013
Completion date31/01/2015

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Patient
Age groupAdult
Lower age limit18 Years
SexFemale
Target number of participants80
Key inclusion criteria1. Age 18 or over
2. Referred to abdominal hysterectomy
3. Read and understand Danish
4. Informed written consent and authorization given
Key exclusion criteria1. Anxiety and other mental disorders
2. Daily use of anxiolytic
3. Daily use of opioids
4. Allergic to opioids
5. Chronic pain
6. Body Mass Index (BMI) above 35
Date of first enrolment01/11/2013
Date of final enrolment31/01/2015

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • Denmark

Study participating centre

Kvindeafdelingen
Horsens
8700
Denmark

Sponsor information

Horsens Regional Hospital (Denmark)
Government

c/o Lisbeth Uhrenfeldt
The Research Unit
Sundvej 30
Horsens
8700
Denmark

Phone +45 7842 6101
Email johtho@rm.dk
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/021dmtc66

Funders

Funder type

Hospital/treatment centre

The Horsens Regional Hospital (Denmark)

No information available

The Family Hede Nielse Foundation (Denmark)

No information available

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareNo
IPD sharing plan summaryNot provided at time of registration
Publication and dissemination planNot provided at time of registration
IPD sharing plan

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Results article results 27/09/2019 29/05/2020 Yes No

Editorial Notes

29/05/2020: Publication reference added.