SPiRIT. Shoulder pain: randomised trial of injectable treatments

ISRCTN ISRCTN12536844
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN12536844
IRAS number 294982
Secondary identifying numbers CPMS 50349, NIHR201473, IRAS 294982
Submission date
15/09/2021
Registration date
17/09/2021
Last edited
22/07/2024
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Musculoskeletal Diseases
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
Shoulder pain accounts for 1–2% of all adult consultations with a GP in the UK. Despite being a common injury, shoulder pain does not always have a favourable outcome with current treatments.
Currently, the most common treatments are steroid injections combined with physiotherapy or keyhole surgery but there are questions about whether using steroid injections is actually safe in the long term.
This has led to the development of new injectable treatments aimed to help tendons repair themselves. These are termed 'biologic' injections.
The aim of this study is to see if it is feasible to compare one of these biologic-injection treatments against steroid injections.

Who can participate?
All adults, 18 years and older who have symptoms suggestive of subacromial pain syndrome and would normally be offered CorticoSteroid injections treatment for their injury.

What does the study involve?
50 participants will be recruited to the trial. Half will receive CorticoSteroid injection treatment and half will receive a 'biologic' injection. All participants will be asked for a sample of blood. This blood will be spun to create the Autologous Protein Solution for the ‘biologic’ injection treatment. Those participants receiving CorticoSteroid injections will have their blood samples discarded, this is to ensure that participants will not know which injection they have received.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Both treatments are used across the NHS so there is no specific advantage to taking part in the study, however, participation will help us improve treatment for future patients with similar pain.
After receiving either injection, some participants may experience mild to moderate pain local to the injection site. The rare risk of infection following an injection for both treatments is the same.

Where is the study run from?
The University of Oxford is the lead centre for the study, and the day-to-day running of the study is being completed by Oxford Trauma and Emergency Care.

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
August 2021 to June 2023

Who is funding the study?
National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) – Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) (UK).

Who is the main contact?
Kylea Draper, spirit@ndorms.ox.ac.uk
Prof. Steve Gwilym, steve.gwilym@ndorms.ox.ac.uk

Study website

Contact information

Prof Steve Gwilym
Scientific

Oxford Trauma & Emergency Care (OTEC)
Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS)
Kadoorie Centre
Level 3, John Radcliffe Hospital
Oxford
OX3 9DU
United Kingdom

Phone +44 (0)7554669554
Email steve.gwilym@ndorms.ox.ac.uk

Study information

Study designInterventional randomized controlled trial
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)Hospital
Study typeTreatment
Participant information sheet 40424 SPIRIT_PIS_V1.0_30Jul2021.pdf
Scientific titleSPiRIT (Shoulder Pain: Randomised trial of Injectable Treatments) A randomised feasibility study of autologous protein solution (APS) vs corticosteroids for treating subacromial shoulder pain.
Study acronymSPIRIT
Study objectivesThe aim of the SPIRIT is to see if it is feasible to compare a autologous protein solution against corticosteroids for treating subacronmial shoulder pain
Ethics approval(s)Approved 23/09/2021, Cambridge Central REC (City Link Nottingham, Equinox House, Nottingham, NG2 4LA, UK; +44 (0)2071048384; cambridgecentral.rec@hra.nhs.uk), ref: 21/EE/0211
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studiedShoulder pain
InterventionThe informed consent process will commence when the usual-care clinician decides the patient is to be referred for therapeutic injection and meets the eligibility criteria for the SPIRIT trial.
The clinical team will initially approach the patient about the trial. As per normal standard practice, the patient will be contacted to arrange a date, time and location of their treatment appointment. In this phone call the study team will introduce the trial to the potential participant. If the patient indicates interest in participating they will be booked into a specific SPiRIT intervention clinic and will have a participant information sheet (PIS) sent via email At the 'SPIRIT clinic' appointment a trial clinician will have an informed consent discussion with patient and if happy to proceed the patient will provide written electronic consent using a trial tablet or computer. Once completed, an electronic version of the signed consent form will be automatically emailed to the participant.
All Baseline CRFs will then be completed on web-based data collection service.
Once informed consent has been given and Baseline CRFs completed, the participant will be randomised by the local research team using a web-based service. Allocations will be implemented immediately after randomisation, participants will be blinded to the injection that they receive.
To avoid bias in the delivery of the intervention and completion of patient reported outcomes, the patients are to be kept blind about the treatment that is allocated. This blinding will be achieved by collecting the blood sample required for APS (55 ml, approximately the volume of an egg cup) from both groups of patients. In the intervention group, this blood will be used for the preparation of the APS; in the control group, this blood will be sham-prepared as APS, but
discarded. This approach was discussed with the Oxford Trauma PPI group and they collectively agreed that this was an acceptable approach to avoid any placebo-effect. Researchers and clinical team are not blinded to the intervention received.
Participants will then receive a weekly text/email/phone call up to week 8 post-randomisation with a link to a visual analogue scale asking them to indicate their level of pain in the previous 24 hours.
At 3 and 6 months post-randomisation, participants will be contacted via text/email/phone call and invited to complete the VAS, PROMIS, OSS, EQ-5D-5L, WPAI, resource use and complications questionnaires.
If patients do not complete the triggered URL Link they will be contacted by phone by the central trial team within 7 days.

Drugs and dosage:
Intervention: Autologous Protein Solution (APS). Approximately 55ml of blood will be taken from the participant and will be spun on a centrifuge. This will result in approx. 5mls of APS solution which will be injected into the site of the shoulder pain. This treatment will occur once during the trial, immediately post randomisation.
Comparator: Corticosteroids (CSI). Approximately 55ml of blood will be taken from the participant and will be discarded. This is to ensure blinding. The participant will then receive injection containing Depo-medrone (40mg) mixed with 3mls of 0.5% bupivacaine local anaesthetic. This treatment will occur once during the trial, immediately post randomisation.
Intervention typeDrug
Pharmaceutical study type(s)
PhaseNot Applicable
Drug / device / biological / vaccine name(s)Depo-medrone, bupivacaine
Primary outcome measure1. The conversion rate of eligible to randomised participants until the end of the recruitment period measured using screening logs
2. Total number of participants recruited until the end of the recruitment period measured using screening logs
Secondary outcome measures1. Levels of retention at follow-up dates until the end of follow-up period (will be measured using all patient facing case report forms)
2. Data compliance at follow-up until the end of follow-up period (will be measured using all patient facing case report forms)
3. Completion rates of PROMIS upper limb physical function, PROMIS pain interference questionnaire, Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS), EQ-5D-5L score at baseline, 3 months and 6 months post-randomisation (will be measured using the following questionnaires :PROMIS upper limb physical function, PROMIS pain interference questionnaire, Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS), EQ-5D-5L)
4. Completion rates of Pain visual analogue score (VAS) at baseline, weekly up to 8 weeks, 3 and 6 months post-randomisation (will be measured using the following questionnaires. Pain Visual Analogue score (VAS))
5. Completion rates of Patient complications up to 6 months post-randomisation (will be measured using patient complication Case report forms)
6. Completion rates of Work Productivity Impairment Questionnaire (WPAI) at baseline, 3 months and 6 months post-randomisation. (will be measured using the following questionnaires. Work Productivity Impairment Questionnaire (WPAI)
7. Patient and hospital reported resource use including referral rates for shoulder surgery at 6 months post-randomisation (will be measured using patient and hospital resource use case report forms)
Overall study start date01/08/2021
Completion date01/06/2023

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Patient
Age groupAdult
Lower age limit18 Years
SexBoth
Target number of participantsPlanned Sample Size: 50; UK Sample Size: 50
Key inclusion criteria1. Participant is willing and able to give informed consent for participation in the study
2. Male or female, aged 18 years or above
3. Clinician believes the patient may benefit from corticosteroid treatment
Key exclusion criteria1. Participants with a history of significant shoulder trauma (fracture or dislocation in last 5 years)
2. Previous shoulder surgery on the affected shoulder
3. Contraindications to APS therapy or CSI
4. A pre-existing neuro-degenerative and/or vascular condition that affects the function of the shoulder.
5. Received CSI/APS injection in 2 months prior to randomisation
6. The participant is unable to follow trial procedures
7. Patient does not have access to email/ smartphone directly or indirectly
Date of first enrolment12/04/2022
Date of final enrolment12/10/2022

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • England
  • United Kingdom

Study participating centres

Shaftesbury Medical Centre
78 Osmondthorpe Lane
Leeds
LS9 9EF
United Kingdom
Healthshare
Manzil Way
Oxford
OX4 1GE
United Kingdom

Sponsor information

University of Oxford
University/education

Joint Research Office
1st floor, Boundary Brook House
Churchill Drive
Oxford
OX3 7GB
England
United Kingdom

Email ctrg@admin.ox.ac.uk
Website http://www.ox.ac.uk/
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/052gg0110

Funders

Funder type

Government

NIHR Central Commissioning Facility (CCF)

No information available

National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) (UK)
Government organisation / National government
Alternative name(s)
National Institute for Health Research, NIHR Research, NIHRresearch, NIHR - National Institute for Health Research, NIHR (The National Institute for Health and Care Research), NIHR
Location
United Kingdom

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date31/01/2024
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareYes
IPD sharing plan summaryAvailable on request
Publication and dissemination planPlanned publication in a high-impact peer-reviewed journal.
IPD sharing planThe datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. steve.gwilym@ndorms.ox.ac.uk
Any datasets provided will be de-identified, therefore consent will not be required from participants. The PIS has already specified this, so participants are aware of this data sharing possibility. Each request will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the CI.

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Participant information sheet version 1.0 30/07/2021 15/09/2021 No Yes
Protocol file version 1.0 30/07/2021 15/09/2021 No No
HRA research summary 28/06/2023 No No
Protocol article 17/01/2024 18/01/2024 Yes No
Results article 01/07/2024 22/07/2024 Yes No

Additional files

40424 SPIRIT_PIS_V1.0_30Jul2021.pdf
40424 SPIRIT_Protocol_V1.0_30Jul2021.pdf

Editorial Notes

22/07/2024: Publication reference added.
18/01/2024: Publication reference added.
30/01/2023: The overall end date was changed from 31/01/2023 to 01/06/2023.
18/05/2022: The following changes have been made:
1. The recruitment start date has been changed from 01/10/2021 to 12/04/2022.
2. The recruitment end date has been changed from 01/05/2022 to 12/10/2022.
3. The trial acronym has been added.
4. The ethics approval has been added.
5. The trial participating centre “Healthshare” has been added.
15/09/2021: Trial's existence confirmed by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) (UK).