Clinical trial NCT04458376: Internet-based Self-help Program for Vestibular Rehabilitation in Chronic Dizziness
Official title: Internet-based Self-help Program for Vestibular Rehabilitation in Chronic Dizziness; a Pilot Study
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Vertigo
Keywords: Rehabilitation
Telerehabilitation
Internet
Norway
Lead sponsor: Helse Møre og Romsdal HF
Sponsor class: OTHER_GOV
First posted: 2020-07-07
Enrollment: 9
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 70
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: NA
Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP
Intervention model description: Consecutively recruited at Department of Neurology at Molde County hospital, outpatient clinic.
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: Chronic dizziness,or persistent positional perceptual dizziness (PPPS) is a common condition that results in impaired quality of life and work ability of those affected. Vestibular Rehabilitation (VR) is an evidence-based and recommended treatment for chronic dizziness. The treatment involves training in specific exercises that challenge the balance system and eventually improve dizziness. The main challenge with this treatment is that it is usually best provided with individual follow-up of therapists trained in the method. Limited resources and the lack of dissemination of this knowledge mean that only a minority of patients receive adequate treatment. An internet-based self-help program in vestibular rehabilitation has been developed in Norwegian with demonstration and instructions of exercises. The program has six lessons, together lasting for six weeks. Patients are given the opportunity to exercise at home, without the use of treatment resources and without spending time traveling to the treatment site. Patients will have access through their general practitioner or health institution at no extra cost. If it turns out that the program works according to the intention, the investigators will be able to offer VR to a large number of PPPS patients who previously would not receive treatment for their condition.

The aim of the pilot study is to find out if the internet program for PPPS works as intended and evaluate incoming data and make changes to the program. In addition, the investigators will gain experience in using the program before designing a randomized clinical trial (RCT). The aim of such an RCT would be to compare this internet based treatment to traditional treatment.


Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Satisfy diagnostic criteria for persistent positional perceptual dizziness (PPPS) or satisfy criteria with a duration of \<3 months
* Vertigo symptom scale (VSS-SF) \>12

Exclusion Criteria:

* Cognitive dysfunction that is so pronounced that it will make participation difficult
* Unable to read, understand Norwegian
* Severe medical or psychiatric illness (including substance abuse) that reduces the patient's ability to follow the VR program

Primary outcomes:
measure: user experience ease of use
timeFrame: 3 months
measure: Symptom change
timeFrame: 3 months
measure: Symptom change
timeFrame: 3 months
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Molde
country: Norway
facility: Molde sykehus
Study officials:
affiliation: Møre og Romsdal Hospital Trust
name: Torstein Hole, md phd
role: STUDY_DIRECTOR
References: