Improving the wellbeing of people living with opioid treated chronic pain
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN49470934 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN49470934 |
| Protocol serial number | CPMS 32567 |
| Sponsor | University of Warwick |
| Funder | National Institute for Health Research |
- Submission date
- 21/11/2016
- Registration date
- 06/02/2017
- Last edited
- 07/12/2023
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Completed
- Condition category
- Signs and Symptoms
Plain English summary of protocol
Background and study aims
Nearly eight million people (15%) in England suffer from moderate to severe long-term (chronic) pain. Chronic pain can severely impact on overall health and functioning, and can greatly reduce quality of life. Treatment with opioids (strong pain relief medication) is often recommended, however the side effects of taking these medications can often outweigh the benefits of long term use. Previous work has found that self-management and cognitive behavioural therapy (a type of talking therapy that changes the way people think and behave) can support pain management. In this study, these techniques have been adapted and developed a self-management course to help people cut down on opioid use. The aim of this study is to test the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of this new self-management program in helping people to reduce their opioid consumption and improve quality of life.
Who can participate?
Adults who are taking opioid medication for long-term pain (not cancer related).
What does the study involve?
Participants are randomly allocated to one of two groups. Those in the first group continue to receive usual care from their GP and are sent a manual containing advice about how to manage long-term pain and information about the side effects of taking opioids to use as a learning tool. They also receive a relaxation CD so that they can practice relaxation techniques. Participants receive the same as those in the first group but are also invited to take part in a short three-day course. During the course, participants take in groups with others who use opioids to manage chronic pain and think about their own lifestyle, experiences and behaviours. The course also involves education about a range of topics, including understanding pain, coping techniques, relaxation techniques, prescribing opioids for chronic pain, short and long term effects of opioids, pain control after opioids and managing reduction of opioids. All participants are asked to complete a weekly diary for the first four months of the study. They then complete follow up questionnaires at four, eight and twelve months about their pain levels, opioid use and activities of daily living (what they can do).
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Participants may benefit from learning to better manage their pain and to reduce their use of opioids. There are no major risks involved with taking part however some participants may experience withdrawal symptoms from lowering their opioid dose.
Where is the study run from?
1. Warwick Hospital (UK)
2. University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire (UK)
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
September 2016 to November 2021
Who is funding the study?
National Institute for Health Research (UK)
Who is the main contact?
I-WOTCH Trial Management Team, IWOTCH@warwick.ac.uk
Contact information
Principal investigator
Warwick Clinical Trials Unit
Warwick Medical School
The University of Warwick
Coventry
CV4 7AL
United Kingdom
 ORCID ID |
0000-0003-1522-8078 |
|---|---|
| Phone | +44 2476 151665 |
| IWOTCH@warwick.ac.uk |
Study information
| Primary study design | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Study design | Randomized; Both; Design type: Treatment, Education or Self-Management, Psychological & Behavioural, Complex Intervention, Qualitative |
| Secondary study design | Randomised controlled trial |
| Study type | Participant information sheet |
| Scientific title | Improving the Wellbeing of people with Opioid Treated Chronic pain: I-WOTCH |
| Study acronym | I-WOTCH |
| Study objectives | The aim of this study is to test the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of a multicomponent self-management intervention targeting withdrawal of strong opioids on activities of daily living for people living with chronic non-malignant pain. |
| Ethics approval(s) | Yorkshire and The Humber – South Yorkshire Research Ethics Committee, 13/09/2016, ref: 16/YH/0325 |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Specialty: Primary Care, Primary sub-specialty: Musculoskeletal disorders; UKCRC code/ Disease: Other/ General symptoms and signs |
| Intervention | Participants are randomised to one of two groups. Self-learning manual group: Participants will be sent a manual with advice about chronic pain management and the potential implications and adverse effects of using opioids. It is a learning tool. These participants will also receive a relaxation CD and instructions on how to use it. Participants will be asked to practice and use the relaxation techniques in their own time. Participants will continue to receive their usual GP care whilst taking part in the I-WOTCH study. Support programme group: Participants will be invited to a short course in addition to the above. The course is led by two facilitators and runs over 3 days. During the course participants will be encouraged to talk in a group with others who use opioids to manage chronic pain and think about their own lifestyle, experiences and behaviours. There will be an average of 12 people in a group. The course will include sessions about understanding pain, coping techniques, relaxation techniques, prescribing opioids for chronic pain, short and long term effects of opioids, pain control after opioids, managing reduction of opioids and more. Participants will attend the first and second group days and then meet on a separate day with the I-WOTCH nurse for a one to one consultation. At this consultation the nurse and participant will create an opioid tapering plan. The third group day will follow the consultation. These activities happen over approximately 4 weeks. From weeks 5-10 the participant has two telephone consultations with the nurse and then a further face to face consultation with the nurse to see how they are getting on with their tapering plan. All participants will be asked to complete a weekly diary up until 4 months from their randomisation into the study. At 4, 8 and 12 months all participants will be asked to complete a follow up questionnaire. |
| Intervention type | Other |
| Primary outcome measure(s) |
Activities of daily living are measured using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Pain Interference Short Form (8A)(PROMIS-PI-SF-8A) at baseline, 4, 8 and 12 months. |
| Key secondary outcome measure(s) |
1. Self-reported data on opioid use will be collected using a postal questionnaire at baseline, 4, 8 and 12 months |
| Completion date | 11/11/2021 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Patient |
|---|---|
| Age group | Adult |
| Lower age limit | 18 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Target sample size at registration | 468 |
| Total final enrolment | 608 |
| Key inclusion criteria | 1. Provision of written informed consent 2. Aged 18 years old or above 3. Using opioids for chronic non-malignant pain 4. Report using strong opioids for at least three months and on most days in the preceding month 5. Fluent in written and spoken English 6. Willingness for General Practitioner to be informed of participation |
| Key exclusion criteria | 1. Regular use of injected opioid drugs 2. Report chronic headache as the dominant painful disorder 3. Serious mental health problems that preclude participation in a group intervention 4. Using opioids for malignant pain 5. Unable to attend group sessions 6. Previous entry or randomisation in the present trial. 7. Participation in a clinical trial of an investigational medicinal product in the last 90 days. |
| Date of first enrolment | 01/03/2017 |
| Date of final enrolment | 31/01/2019 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- United Kingdom
- England
Study participating centres
Lakin Road
Warwick
CV34 5BW
United Kingdom
Clifford Bridge Road
Coventry
CV2 2DX
United Kingdom
Results and Publications
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | Yes |
|---|---|
| IPD sharing plan summary | Available on request |
| IPD sharing plan | The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are/will be available upon request from IWOTCH@warwick.ac.uk or WCTUDataaccess@Warwick.ac.uk Previous IPD sharing statement: The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are/will be available upon request from IWOTCH@warwick.ac.uk |
Study outputs
| Output type | Details | Date created | Date added | Peer reviewed? | Patient-facing? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results article | 23/05/2023 | 06/06/2023 | Yes | No | |
| Protocol article | protocol | 08/08/2019 | 03/09/2020 | Yes | No |
| Protocol article | process evaluation protocol | 10/10/2019 | 22/10/2020 | Yes | No |
| Protocol article | health economics analysis protocol | 01/11/2020 | 27/11/2020 | Yes | No |
| HRA research summary | 28/06/2023 | No | No | ||
| Other publications | intervention development and testing | 16/03/2022 | 18/03/2022 | Yes | No |
| Other publications | Process evaluation | 06/12/2023 | 07/12/2023 | Yes | No |
| Participant information sheet | Participant information sheet | 11/11/2025 | 11/11/2025 | No | Yes |
| Study website | Study website | 11/11/2025 | 11/11/2025 | No | Yes |
Editorial Notes
07/12/2023: Publication reference added.
06/06/2023: Publication reference and total final enrolment added.
23/05/2023: The following updates have been made to the study record and the plain English summary updated accordingly:
1. The study contact has been updated.
2. The overall study end date has been changed from 18/12/2020 to 11/11/2021.
3. The publication and dissemination plan has been updated.
4. The individual participant data (IPD) sharing statement has been changed.
5. The intention to publish date has been changed from 30/06/2021 to 01/06/2023.
18/03/2022: Publication reference added.
27/11/2020: The following changes have been made:
1. The recruitment end date has been changed from 31/05/2018 to 31/01/2019.
2. The overall trial end date has been changed from 31/08/2020 to 18/12/2020.
3. The intention to publish date has been changed from 31/12/2020 to 30/06/2021.
4. The trial website has been added.
5. The contact name has been changed in the plain English summary.
6. Publication reference added.
7. The public contact has been changed.
22/10/2020: Publication reference added.
03/09/2020: Publication reference added.
06/08/2020: The intention to publish date has been changed from 30/09/2019 to 31/12/2020.
20/07/2020: The overall trial end date has been changed from 30/09/2019 to 31/08/2020 and the plain English summary has been updated accordingly.
