RecruitingNAINTERVENTIONAL

Interoceptive Intervention for Pulmonary Hypertension

This study is exploring a new approach called 'interoceptive intervention' for people living with pulmonary hypertension (PH). PH is a rare lung condition that can cause tiredness, breathlessness, and significantly affect emotional well-being, for which there aren't many dedicated emotional support programs. Interoception is about how well you sense what's happening inside your body, and research suggests improving this skill might boost overall well-being. The main goal is to create an online group program based on interoception for PH patients and see if it's practical and acceptable to use. We'll also get an early look at how well it works. Thirty-two patients from the Scottish Pulmonary Vascular Unit will take part, some joining the eight-session online group and others acting as a comparison group. We'll measure how they feel about their interoception, anxiety, depression, and quality of life.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Phase

Sponsor

Golden Jubilee National Hospital

Enrolment target

Start

17 Jun 2024

Estimated completion

18 Oct 2025

Interoception Pulmonary Hypertension

What is this study about?

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a serious but uncommon condition that affects the lungs and heart. It often leaves people feeling very tired and short of breath. Beyond the physical symptoms, living with PH can really impact a person's emotions and overall sense of well-being. Currently, there aren't many specific treatments aimed at helping with the emotional challenges of PH.

This study is looking into a new idea called 'interoception.' This is basically your body's ability to sense its internal messages – things like your heart beating or your breathing. Early research suggests that if you can get better at understanding these internal signals, it might help you feel better generally. Our project aims to develop a new online group programme based on this idea, specifically for people with PH, to see if it can help improve their emotional well-being.

We want to find out if this new online group program is practical to deliver and if people with PH find it helpful and acceptable. We'll also gather some early information on whether it actually makes a difference to feelings of anxiety, depression, and overall quality of life. The hope is that this research will pave the way for bigger studies and eventually lead to new ways to support the emotional health of people living with pulmonary hypertension.

Key takeaways

This study explores a new online approach for emotional well-being in pulmonary hypertension (PH).
It focuses on 'interoception,' improving your body awareness.
The goal is to see if this program is practical and helpful for PH patients.
Participation involves online group sessions (if in the intervention group) and completing questionnaires.
This research aims to find better ways to support PH patients emotionally in the future.

Who may be eligible?

To be considered for this study, you need to be a patient currently receiving care at the Scottish Pulmonary Vascular Unit (SPVU) located at the Golden Jubilee University National Hospital. You must have a diagnosis of any type of pulmonary hypertension and be 18 years old or older. It's also important that you can speak and understand English well.

You should also be able to commit to the entire research period, which is expected to last about three months from when you first join until the end of the treatment sessions. During this time, you shouldn't be experiencing thoughts of self-harm or suicide. Also, you cannot be struggling with alcohol or drug misuse at the time of the study.

Finally, to take part, you shouldn't be involved in any other psychological therapies or counselling when the study is happening. This helps us understand the effects of our intervention clearly.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you a patient at the Scottish Pulmonary Vascular Unit (SPVU)?
Have you been diagnosed with any type of pulmonary hypertension?
Are you 18 years old or older?
Can you speak and understand English fluently?
Are you able to commit to about three months for the research?
Are you currently not receiving any other psychological therapies or counselling?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you decide to take part in this study, you will first be randomly assigned to one of two groups: either the intervention group or the control group. The intervention group will participate in an eight-session online group program. These sessions will focus on interoception, helping you to better understand your body’s signals.

Throughout the study, regardless of which group you are in, you will be asked to complete several questionnaires. These will ask about your interoception skills, how you're feeling emotionally (like anxiety and depression), and your overall health-related quality of life. If you're in the intervention group, you'll also complete a questionnaire about how you found the program and whether it was helpful and easy to use. The total duration of your involvement, from your initial recruitment to the end of any treatment, is expected to be about three months.

Potential risks and benefits

Taking part in this study may offer several potential benefits. For those in the intervention group, you might find new ways to understand your body and improve your emotional well-being, potentially reducing feelings of anxiety and depression. For all participants, contributing to this research helps us learn more about supporting people with pulmonary hypertension. We hope the findings will lead to better care in the future. As with any study, there's always a chance you might not experience a direct benefit, or that discussing your condition could bring up difficult emotions temporarily. However, we've designed the study carefully, and you have the right to withdraw at any time without giving a reason, which will not affect your medical care.

Locations (1)

Some site locations are approximate. We're improving this — please verify with the trial team before travelling.

Golden Jubilee National Hospital
Verified postcode
Glasgow, United Kingdom· Recruiting

Common questions

What is pulmonary hypertension?

It's a serious lung condition where blood pressure in the arteries leading to your lungs is too high, making your heart work harder. It often causes tiredness and breathlessness.

What is 'interoception'?

Interoception is your ability to sense and understand what's happening inside your body, like feeling your heart beat or hunger signals.

Will I have to travel for this study?

No, the intervention part of the study will be an online group program, so you won't need to travel to a specific location for the sessions.

What does a 'control group' mean?

If you're in the control group, you won't receive the new online program during the study period. This helps us compare how people in the program feel versus those who aren't in it.

How long will I be involved in the study?

Your involvement is expected to last about three months from when you join to the end of any treatment or follow-up questionnaires.

How to find out more

Derick Moore

2021489m@student.gla.ac.uk +44 07805511803 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.