Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Aging People Living With HIV in Chronic Pain

Chronic Pain Clinical Trial

Official title:

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to Address the Psychosocial Co-Morbidities of Chronic Pain in Aging People Living With HIV

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT03699020
• Other study ID #: 180837
• Secondary ID: 1R03AG060183-01
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: January 7, 2019
• Est. completion date: June 30, 2022

Study information

• Verified date: October 2023
• Source: University of California, San Diego
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Chronic pain impacts a large proportion of aging people living with HIV (aPLWH) and involves factors directly related to HIV (neurotoxicity) and psychosocial co-morbidities common in aPLWH (i.e. social isolation and loneliness). The investigators hypothesize that novel interventions that acknowledge these psychosocial co-morbidities may improve the efficacy of chronic pain management and minimize the use of potentially dangerous medications. This grant proposes to adapt and pilot a pain psychotherapy approach using group acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in aPLWH with chronic pain.

Description:

Chronic pain affects a very high proportion of aging people living with HIV (aPLWH) and is thought to be related to both direct toxicity of HIV and antiretroviral therapy (ART) and by psychosocial factors that negatively affect pain (i.e. loneliness, HIV stigma). PLWH are also at increased risk for prescription opiate misuse. However as PLWH age, non-opiate medications used for pain can contribute to other negative outcomes such as falls, altered mental status and gastrointestinal bleeding. Thus there is a critical need for the development of novel interventions in the management of chronic pain in aPLWH that consider the psychological co-morbidities of aging with HIV and that can minimize the need for prescription medications. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) has previously been evaluated in older persons with chronic pain and has demonstrated higher levels of satisfaction and efficacy when compared to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). ACT has never been evaluated in aPLWH for chronic pain, but has theoretical advantages over CBT for this population. Specifically several negatively modifying factors of CBT efficacy such as cognitive deficits are common in aPLWH.

The overarching objective of this study is to determine the acceptability and feasibility of an ACT intervention for the management of chronic pain adapted to aPLWH. To accomplish this objective the investigators will 1) train lay personnel to perform ACT to determine feasibility of this approach for future implementation, 2) conduct uncontrolled group ACT in aPLWH to generate participant feedback and questionnaire data to inform ACT adaption with the assistance of a steering commitee, and 3) conduct a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluating the acceptability of adapted ACT compared to pain education. At completion of this grant the investigators expect to have successfully trained lay personnel to perform group ACT, adapted ACT from quantitative and qualitative data collected from an uncontrolled study of group ACT, and determined whether ACT is acceptable and feasible as an intervention in aPLWH. These expected outcomes may benefit other aging populations with chronic pain that are enriched for psychosocial co-morbidities such as persons who inject drugs, the socioeconomically disadvantaged, and racial or gender minorities. This proposal is aligned with the Office of AIDS Research High Priorities to better understand "HIV-associated comorbidities" which includes pain and to "Reduce Health Disparities in treatment outcomes of those living with HIV/AIDS" and with the National Pain Strategy to "expand investment ... in the development of safe and effective pain treatments."

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 13
• Est. completion date: June 30, 2022
• Est. primary completion date: June 30, 2022
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 50 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• HIV seropositive

• Diagnosis of chronic non cancer pain

• English speaking

• Deemed appropriate for study by primary care provider

• Consents to participation

Exclusion Criteria:

• Cancer associated pain

• Unwillingness to participate in audio recorded sessions

• Enrollment in hospice

• Moderate to severe neurocognitive deficits (MOCA < 16)

• Currently undergoing other psychotherapy for chronic pain

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Chronic Pain
• HIV/AIDS

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Empirically based behavioral intervention that encourages acceptance of circumstances with commitment and behavioral change strategies to improve psychological flexibility.

Other:
• Chronic Pain Education
Education materials about living with chronic pain developed by Weill Cornell Universitys Translational Research Institute for Pain in Later Life

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	AntiViral Research Center	San Diego	California

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of California, San Diego	National Institute on Aging (NIA)

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

References & Publications (26)

Alonso-Fernandez M, Lopez-Lopez A, Losada A, Gonzalez JL, Wetherell JL. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Selective Optimization with Compensation for Institutionalized Older People with Chronic Pain. Pain Med. 2016 Feb;17(2):264-77. doi: 10.1111/pme.12885. — View Citation

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Hofmann SG, Asmundson GJG. Acceptance and mindfulness-based therapy: new wave or old hat? Clin Psychol Rev. 2008 Jan;28(1):1-16. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2007.09.003. Epub 2007 Sep 18. — View Citation

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Lampe A, Doering S, Rumpold G, Solder E, Krismer M, Kantner-Rumplmair W, Schubert C, Sollner W. Chronic pain syndromes and their relation to childhood abuse and stressful life events. J Psychosom Res. 2003 Apr;54(4):361-7. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3999(02)00399-9. — View Citation

McCracken LM, Morley S. The psychological flexibility model: a basis for integration and progress in psychological approaches to chronic pain management. J Pain. 2014 Mar;15(3):221-34. doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2013.10.014. — View Citation

McCracken LM, Vowles KE. Acceptance and commitment therapy and mindfulness for chronic pain: model, process, and progress. Am Psychol. 2014 Feb-Mar;69(2):178-87. doi: 10.1037/a0035623. — View Citation

McGrath PJ, Walco GA, Turk DC, Dworkin RH, Brown MT, Davidson K, Eccleston C, Finley GA, Goldschneider K, Haverkos L, Hertz SH, Ljungman G, Palermo T, Rappaport BA, Rhodes T, Schechter N, Scott J, Sethna N, Svensson OK, Stinson J, von Baeyer CL, Walker L, Weisman S, White RE, Zajicek A, Zeltzer L; PedIMMPACT. Core outcome domains and measures for pediatric acute and chronic/recurrent pain clinical trials: PedIMMPACT recommendations. J Pain. 2008 Sep;9(9):771-83. doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2008.04.007. Epub 2008 Jun 17. — View Citation

Merlin JS, Cen L, Praestgaard A, Turner M, Obando A, Alpert C, Woolston S, Casarett D, Kostman J, Gross R, Frank I. Pain and physical and psychological symptoms in ambulatory HIV patients in the current treatment era. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2012 Mar;43(3):638-45. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2011.04.019. Epub 2011 Nov 23. — View Citation

Merlin JS, Westfall AO, Raper JL, Zinski A, Norton WE, Willig JH, Gross R, Ritchie CS, Saag MS, Mugavero MJ. Pain, mood, and substance abuse in HIV: implications for clinic visit utilization, antiretroviral therapy adherence, and virologic failure. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2012 Oct 1;61(2):164-70. doi: 10.1097/QAI.0b013e3182662215. Erratum In: J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2013 May 1;63(1):e38-9. — View Citation

Merlin JS, Zinski A, Norton WE, Ritchie CS, Saag MS, Mugavero MJ, Treisman G, Hooten WM. A conceptual framework for understanding chronic pain in patients with HIV. Pain Pract. 2014 Mar;14(3):207-16. doi: 10.1111/papr.12052. Epub 2013 Apr 1. — View Citation

Moitra E, Herbert JD, Forman EM. Acceptance-based behavior therapy to promote HIV medication adherence. AIDS Care. 2011 Dec;23(12):1660-7. doi: 10.1080/09540121.2011.579945. Epub 2011 Jul 7. — View Citation

Moore RC, Moore DJ, Thompson WK, Vahia IV, Grant I, Jeste DV. A case-controlled study of successful aging in older HIV-infected adults. J Clin Psychiatry. 2013 May;74(5):e417-23. doi: 10.4088/JCP.12m08100. — View Citation

Petkus AJ, M A, Wetherell JL. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with Older Adults: Rationale and Considerations. Cogn Behav Pract. 2013 Feb;20(1):47-56. doi: 10.1016/j.cbpra.2011.07.004. — View Citation

Prevedini AB, Presti G, Rabitti E, Miselli G, Moderato P. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT): the foundation of the therapeutic model and an overview of its contribution to the treatment of patients with chronic physical diseases. G Ital Med Lav Ergon. 2011 Jan-Mar;33(1 Suppl A):A53-63. — View Citation

Shippy RA, Karpiak SE. The aging HIV/AIDS population: fragile social networks. Aging Ment Health. 2005 May;9(3):246-54. doi: 10.1080/13607860412331336850. — View Citation

Silverberg MJ, Gore ME, French AL, Gandhi M, Glesby MJ, Kovacs A, Wilson TE, Young MA, Gange SJ. Prevalence of clinical symptoms associated with highly active antiretroviral therapy in the Women's Interagency HIV Study. Clin Infect Dis. 2004 Sep 1;39(5):717-24. doi: 10.1086/423181. Epub 2004 Aug 16. — View Citation

Sotsky SM, Glass DR, Shea MT, Pilkonis PA, Collins JF, Elkin I, Watkins JT, Imber SD, Leber WR, Moyer J, et al. Patient predictors of response to psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy: findings in the NIMH Treatment of Depression Collaborative Research Program. Am J Psychiatry. 1991 Aug;148(8):997-1008. doi: 10.1176/ajp.148.8.997. — View Citation

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Wetherell JL, Petkus AJ, Alonso-Fernandez M, Bower ES, Steiner AR, Afari N. Age moderates response to acceptance and commitment therapy vs. cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic pain. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2016 Mar;31(3):302-8. doi: 10.1002/gps.4330. Epub 2015 Jul 28. — View Citation

* Note: There are 26 references in all — Click here to view all references

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Change in Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire (CPAQ) Week 0 to Week 6	Change in Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire or CPAQ from study entry to end of intervention. This scale measures acceptance of chronic pain and measures two factors: activity engagement (pursuit of life activities regardless of pain) and pain willingness (recognition that avoidance and control are often unworkable methods of adapting to chronic pain). A total of 20 items represents these two factors and the items are rated on a 7-point scale from 0 (never true) to 6 (always true). Scoring the CPAQ requires adding the summed items for activity engagement and pain willingness for a total score. Thus the range of scores is from 0 (no acceptance) to 120 (full acceptance). Change in scale will be represented by the difference in CPAQ total score from baseline to week 6.	6 weeks
Secondary	Change in Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire Week 0 to Week 3	Change in Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire or CPAQ from study entry to end of intervention. This scale measures acceptance of chronic pain and measures two factors: activity engagement (pursuit of life activities regardless of pain) and pain willingness (recognition that avoidance and control are often unworkable methods of adapting to chronic pain). A total of 20 items represents these two factors and the items are rated on a 7-point scale from 0 (never true) to 6 (always true). Scoring the CPAQ requires adding the summed items for activity engagement and pain willingness for a total score. Thus the range of scores is from 0 (no acceptance) to 120 (full acceptance). Change in scale will be represented by the difference in CPAQ total score from baseline to week 3.	3 weeks
Secondary	Brief Pain Inventory Interference Subscale	Change in the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) Interference subscale from week 0 to 6. The BPI allows persons to rate the severity of their pain (pain severity subscale) and the degree to which their pain interferes with feeling and function (interference subscale). The severity scale assess pain at its "worst, least, average and now". These 4 items are ranked from 0 (no pain) to 10 (pain as bad as you can imagine). Most commonly single items of "worst" and "average" are used to represent severity. A composite of the four items (mean severity score) is often also presented. Pain interference has 7 items "general activity, mood, walking ability, normal work, relations with other people, sleep, and enjoyment of life" and is scored from 0 (does not interfere) to 10 (completely interferes). Pain interference subscale is scored as the mean of the seven interference items. Change in BPI interference subscale will be represented by the difference in mean interference from baseline to week 6.	6 weeks
Secondary	Change in Pain Education Score	Difference from Week 0 to 6 in proportion of pain knowledge questions answered correctly.	Week 0 to Week 6