Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38570805›Full record

ArticleTrials2024

Efficacy of supervised immersive virtual reality-based training for the treatment of chronic fatigue in post-COVID syndrome: study protocol for a double-blind randomized controlled trial (IFATICO Trial).

Jonas Tesarz, Hannah Lange, Marietta Kirchner, Axel Görlach, Wolfgang Eich, Hans-Christoph Friederich

Open access · goldAbstract readClinical Trial Protocol
In one paragraph

Article in Trials, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
0.8field-weighted citation impact, top 30% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed, 2 citations in OpenAlex.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Jonas TesarzDepartment of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany, Germany. jonas.tesarz@med.uni-heidelberg.de.
Hannah LangeDepartment of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany, Germany.
Marietta KirchnerInstitute of Medical Biometry, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Axel GörlachDepartment of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany, Germany.
Wolfgang EichDepartment of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany, Germany.
Hans-Christoph FriederichDepartment of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany, Germany.
Heidelberg University · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe treatment of persistent fatigue after COVID-19 infection is complex. On the one hand, it involves maintaining a sufficient level of physical and mental activity to counteract possible degenerative processes of the body and nervous system. On the other hand, physical and mental activities can also lead to worsening of symptoms. Therefore, the challenge in treating Post-COVID fatigue is to stimulate the body and central nervous system in a way that stimulates growth and improvement, but does not overtax individual physical and mental limits. Special training programs try to take these characteristics into account, but often reach their limits. A promising approach is offered by new fitness technologies based on immersive virtual realities that stimulate both body and brain while minimizing physical and psychological stress. The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy of supervised immersive Virtual Reality (VR)-based activity training compared to conventional activity training for patients with Post-COVID-associated fatigue.

methodsIn a single centre, individually randomised, prospective, double-blind two-arm exploratory superiority trial with parallel group design, N = 100 patients with persistent fatigue after COVID-19 infection will be recruited. The intervention includes a supervised immersive neuromuscular training (12 sessions of 30 min over 6 weeks) based on a novel VR-exercise device. We will systematically compare the effects of this intervention on Post-COVID-associated fatigue with a supervised conventional activation program of comparable scope without an immersive environment. The primary outcome is the difference between groups in absolute change in the mean fatigue symptom severity measured on the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) from baseline to posttreatment assessment. Posttreatment assessment in both groups will be conducted by blinded outcome assessors. At three and six months afterwards, patients are sent self-report questionnaires for follow up. The main analysis will be based on the intention-to-treat principle. DISCUSSION: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first exploratory study on a supervised immersive neuromuscular training for the treatment of persistent fatigue after COVID-19 infection.

trial registrationGerman register for clinical studies (ID: DRKS00032059) Prospectively registered on June 16th 2023. URL of trial registration.

Indexed as

COVID-19Fatigue Syndrome, ChronicVirtual RealityBrainEquivalence Trials as TopicHumansProspective StudiesRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicTreatment OutcomeChronic fatigueExerciseImmersivePost-COVIDVirtual Reality

Identifiers

PMID38570805
PMCPMC10993519
OpenAlexW4393870225

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.