PainHELP-VetsNCT00230932
Help Veterans Experience Less Pain Study (HELP-Vets)
An observational study of Pain and Heart Failure, Congestive, run by US Department of Veterans Affairs at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
Our purpose is to evaluate the reliability and validity of the '5th vital sign' in everyday practice settings and to compare the relationship of pain to other symptoms and pain treatment in patients with cancer, CHF, and patients with complex general medical illness and poor self-reported health. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Pain, Heart Failure, Congestive, Signs and Symptoms
- How many people
- 654 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- Oct 2005to Sep 2008
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: 654 veterans, 50% with fair to poor, and 50% with good to excellent self-reported health
Who may be able to join
- Patients seeking care in VA outpatient primary care, oncology, cardiology, or community based outpatient clinics, for advanced cancer, congestive heart failure, and advanced, complex general medical illness stratified by self-reported health.
- Patients will be screened for fair or poor general medical health status, health conditions (cancer, CHF), cognition and ability to complete a researcher-assistant guided survey (e.g., hearing intact).
- All nursing staff and pain treatment staff (resident and staff physician, PA, NP) in general medicine, oncology, and cardiology care at selected study sites and related community-based clinics will be asked to participate.
Who cannot join
- Patients who are hearing and/or cognitively impaired.
- Patients who do not speak English.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, West Los Angeles, CA
West Los Angeles, California, 90073
About this study
Official title: Validation of Pain as a Vital Sign Among Veterans With Advanced Illness
Our purpose is to evaluate the reliability and validity of the '5th vital sign' in everyday practice settings and to compare the relationship of pain to other symptoms and pain treatment in patients with cancer, CHF, and patients with complex general medical illness and poor self-reported health.
Read the detailed description
Background/Rationale: The Veterans Administration (VA) faces a substantial challenge in trying to improve symptomatic care. An important priority is how to ensure pain relief. Studies show that pain is a major symptom for patients with advanced chronic illness in general. Drawing upon different clinical paradigms for the evaluation and treatment of pain, this study focuses on improving measurement and interpretation of routine pain screening in ambulatory VA patients as an important step to improving end-of-life care. Objective(s): In a variety of outpatient settings (hospital-based, large outpatient multi-specialty, and community-based) at the VA Greater Los Angeles (GLA) and Long Beach (LB) Healthcare Systems, we conducted surveys to capture patient, nurse, and clinician perspectives to evaluate the reliability and validity of pain as a 5th vital sign. We assessed skills that may be associated with pain measurement practices of nursing staff. Clinician knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding the need to alleviate pain detected on routine screening were evaluated. Methods: Screen, enroll, and survey 650 cognitively intact patients with advanced CHF, cancer, and advanced general medical illness stratified by self-reported health status immediately after they are seen in outpatient clinics (general medicine, oncology, and cardiology clinics). Patients were approached and surveyed immediately after the outpatient visit on validated pain instruments, measures of depression, other symptoms, quality of life, attitudinal barriers to treatment of pain, the pain rating process, and unmet needs and satisfaction with treatment of pain, depression, and other symptoms. All nursing staff working as pain raters in the general medicine, oncology, and cardiology clinics were surveyed to assess relevant skills that may be associated with pain measurement practices. All clinicians (physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants) working as treatment providers in these clinics were surveyed after patient visits to assess knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of clinicians with regard to the need to alleviate pain detected on routine screening. Results: We found that in approximately 50% of cases, clinic staff taking vital signs used informal (e.g., 'How do you feel?') rather than forma (e.g., 0-10 NRS) methods to assess pain, and that practice was associated with underestimation of patient-reported pain to research staff in about 30% of cases. Factors associated with underestimation of patient reported pain to nurses compared with research raters included more years of staff work experience, patient anxiety or PTSD disorders, and lower self-reported health. Overestimation was associated with adherence to the formal NRS and negatively associated with a better environment for pain rating. About 40% of patients had emotional distress which was higher among patients in moderate to severe pain (62%). Only prior diagnosis and sleep interference due to pain were associated with provider detection of distress. Status: Enrollment is closed; IRB approved at VA GLA and LB Healthcare Systems.
- Conditions
- Pain, Heart Failure, Congestive, Signs and Symptoms
- Keywords
- Veterans, Pain, Palliative Care, Cardiology, Reproducibility of Results, Health Personnel, Heart Failure, Congestive
- Medical subject headings
- Pain, Heart Failure, Signs and Symptoms
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Group 1 | outpatients selected from random visits in primary care, oncology, and cardiology clinics |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
patient reported pain to nurses (NRS) compared to research raters (NRS, BPI)
Measured: cross sectional, visit based
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted3 Oct 2005 (estimated)
- Study startOct 2005
- Primary completionJun 2007
- Study completionSep 2008
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (19)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for PainStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Enrolment
- 654 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- US Department of Veterans Affairs
- Sponsor type
- US federal agency
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Karl A. Lorenz, MD MSHS, Principal investigator, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, West Los Angeles, CA
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT00230932
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- IIR 03-150
- Acronym
- HELP-Vets
- Status last verified
- Nov 2008
- First submitted
- 29 Sep 2005
- Last updated
- 7 Apr 2015
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
Publications
Lorenz KA, Shugarman LR, Lynn J. Health care policy issues in end-of-life care. J Palliat Med. 2006 Jun;9(3):731-48. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2006.9.731. No abstract available.
PubMed 16752979Walling AM, Asch SM, Lorenz KA, Roth CP, Barry T, Kahn KL, Wenger NS. The quality of care provided to hospitalized patients at the end of life. Arch Intern Med. 2010 Jun 28;170(12):1057-63. doi: 10.1001/archinternmed.2010.175.
PubMed 20585072Shugarman LR, Asch SM, Meredith LS, Sherbourne CD, Hagenmeier E, Wen L, Cohen A, Rubenstein LV, Goebel J, Lanto A, Lorenz KA. Factors associated with clinician intention to address diverse aspects of pain in seriously ill outpatients. Pain Med. 2010 Sep;11(9):1365-72. doi: 10.1111/j.1526-4637.2010.00931.x. Epub 2010 Aug 30.
PubMed 20807347Goebel JR, Sherbourne CD, Asch SM, Meredith L, Cohen AB, Hagenmaier E, Lanto AB, Simon B, Rubenstein LV, Shugarman LR, Lorenz KA. Addressing patients' concerns about pain management and addiction risks. Pain Manag Nurs. 2010 Jun;11(2):92-8. doi: 10.1016/j.pmn.2009.03.009. Epub 2009 Sep 12.
PubMed 20510839Shugarman LR, Goebel JR, Lanto A, Asch SM, Sherbourne CD, Lee ML, Rubenstein LV, Wen L, Meredith L, Lorenz KA. Nursing staff, patient, and environmental factors associated with accurate pain assessment. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2010 Nov;40(5):723-33. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2010.02.024. Epub 2010 Aug 8.
PubMed 20692807Stone SC, Mohanty SA, Gruzden C, Lorenz KA, Asch SM. Emergency department research in palliative care: challenges in recruitment. J Palliat Med. 2009 Oct;12(10):867-8. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2009.0139. No abstract available.
PubMed 19807230Grudzen CR, Koenig WJ, Hoffman JR, Boscardin WJ, Lorenz KA, Asch SM. Potential impact of a verbal prehospital DNR policy. Prehosp Emerg Care. 2009 Apr-Jun;13(2):169-72. doi: 10.1080/10903120802471923.
PubMed 19291552Seow H, Snyder CF, Mularski RA, Shugarman LR, Kutner JS, Lorenz KA, Wu AW, Dy SM. A framework for assessing quality indicators for cancer care at the end of life. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2009 Dec;38(6):903-12. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2009.04.024.
PubMed 19775860Grudzen CR, Timmermans S, Koenig WJ, Torres JM, Hoffman JR, Lorenz KA, Asch SM. Paramedic and emergency medical technicians views on opportunities and challenges when forgoing and halting resuscitation in the field. Acad Emerg Med. 2009 Jun;16(6):532-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1553-2712.2009.00427.x. Epub 2009 May 11.
PubMed 19438412Goebel JR, Doering LV, Shugarman LR, Asch SM, Sherbourne CD, Lanto AB, Evangelista LS, Nyamathi AM, Maliski SL, Lorenz KA. Heart failure: the hidden problem of pain. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2009 Nov;38(5):698-707. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2009.04.022. Epub 2009 Sep 3.
PubMed 19733032Zubkoff L, Lorenz KA, Lanto AB, Sherbourne CD, Goebel JR, Glassman PA, Shugarman LR, Meredith LS, Asch SM. Does screening for pain correspond to high quality care for veterans? J Gen Intern Med. 2010 Sep;25(9):900-5. doi: 10.1007/s11606-010-1301-5. Epub 2010 Mar 14.
PubMed 20229139Lorenz KA, Krebs EE, Bentley TG, Sherbourne CD, Goebel JR, Zubkoff L, Lanto AB, Asch SM. Exploring alternative approaches to routine outpatient pain screening. Pain Med. 2009 Oct;10(7):1291-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1526-4637.2009.00709.x.
PubMed 19818039Sherbourne CD, Asch SM, Shugarman LR, Goebel JR, Lanto AB, Rubenstein LV, Wen L, Zubkoff L, Lorenz KA. Early identification of co-occurring pain, depression and anxiety. J Gen Intern Med. 2009 May;24(5):620-5. doi: 10.1007/s11606-009-0956-2. Epub 2009 Mar 24.
PubMed 19308333Goebel JR, Doering LV, Evangelista LS, Nyamathi AM, Maliski SL, Asch SM, Sherbourne CD, Shugarman LR, Lanto AB, Cohen A, Lorenz KA. A comparative study of pain in heart failure and non-heart failure veterans. J Card Fail. 2009 Feb;15(1):24-30. doi: 10.1016/j.cardfail.2008.09.002. Epub 2008 Nov 13.
PubMed 19181290Cadogan MP, Edelen MO, Lorenz KA, Jones M, Yosef J, Hascall T, Simon B, Harker JO, Ferrell B, Saliba D. The relationship of reported pain severity to perceived effect on function of nursing home residents. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2008 Sep;63(9):969-73. doi: 10.1093/gerona/63.9.969.
PubMed 18840802
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 7 Apr 2015. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Validation of Pain as a Vital Sign Among Veterans With Advanced Illness
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT00230932
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- HELP-Vets / IIR 03-150
- Conditions
- Pain, Heart Failure, Congestive, Signs and Symptoms
- Keywords
- Veterans, Pain, Palliative Care, Cardiology, Reproducibility of Results, Health Personnel, Heart Failure, Congestive
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 654 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- US Department of Veterans AffairsUS federal agency
- Study start
- Oct 2005
- Primary completion
- Jun 2007 (actual)
- Study completion
- Sep 2008 (actual)
- First posted
- 3 Oct 2005 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Our purpose is to evaluate the reliability and validity of the '5th vital sign' in everyday practice settings and to compare the relationship of pain to other symptoms and pain treatment in patients with cancer, CHF, and patients with complex general medical illness and poor self-reported health.
Detailed description
Background/Rationale: The Veterans Administration (VA) faces a substantial challenge in trying to improve symptomatic care. An important priority is how to ensure pain relief. Studies show that pain is a major symptom for patients with advanced chronic illness in general. Drawing upon different clinical paradigms for the evaluation and treatment of pain, this study focuses on improving measurement and interpretation of routine pain screening in ambulatory VA patients as an important step to improving end-of-life care. Objective(s): In a variety of outpatient settings (hospital-based, large outpatient multi-specialty, and community-based) at the VA Greater Los Angeles (GLA) and Long Beach (LB) Healthcare Systems, we conducted surveys to capture patient, nurse, and clinician perspectives to evaluate the reliability and validity of pain as a 5th vital sign. We assessed skills that may be associated with pain measurement practices of nursing staff. Clinician knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding the need to alleviate pain detected on routine screening were evaluated. Methods: Screen, enroll, and survey 650 cognitively intact patients with advanced CHF, cancer, and advanced general medical illness stratified by self-reported health status immediately after they are seen in outpatient clinics (general medicine, oncology, and cardiology clinics). Patients were approached and surveyed immediately after the outpatient visit on validated pain instruments, measures of depression, other symptoms, quality of life, attitudinal barriers to treatment of pain, the pain rating process, and unmet needs and satisfaction with treatment of pain, depression, and other symptoms. All nursing staff working as pain raters in the general medicine, oncology, and cardiology clinics were surveyed to assess relevant skills that may be associated with pain measurement practices. All clinicians (physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants) working as treatment providers in these clinics were surveyed after patient visits to assess knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of clinicians with regard to the need to alleviate pain detected on routine screening. Results: We found that in approximately 50% of cases, clinic staff taking vital signs used informal (e.g., 'How do you feel?') rather than forma (e.g., 0-10 NRS) methods to assess pain, and that practice was associated with underestimation of patient-reported pain to research staff in about 30% of cases. Factors associated with underestimation of patient reported pain to nurses compared with research raters included more years of staff work experience, patient anxiety or PTSD disorders, and lower self-reported health. Overestimation was associated with adherence to the formal NRS and negatively associated with a better environment for pain rating. About 40% of patients had emotional distress which was higher among patients in moderate to severe pain (62%). Only prior diagnosis and sleep interference due to pain were associated with provider detection of distress. Status: Enrollment is closed; IRB approved at VA GLA and LB Healthcare Systems.
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Group 1 | – | –outpatients selected from random visits in primary care, oncology, and cardiology clinics |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- 654 veterans, 50% with fair to poor, and 50% with good to excellent self-reported health
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Patients seeking care in VA outpatient primary care, oncology, cardiology, or community based outpatient clinics, for advanced cancer, congestive heart failure, and advanced, complex general medical illness stratified by self-reported health.
- Patients will be screened for fair or poor general medical health status, health conditions (cancer, CHF), cognition and ability to complete a researcher-assistant guided survey (e.g., hearing intact).
- All nursing staff and pain treatment staff (resident and staff physician, PA, NP) in general medicine, oncology, and cardiology care at selected study sites and related community-based clinics will be asked to participate.
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Patients who are hearing and/or cognitively impaired.
- Patients who do not speak English.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
patient reported pain to nurses (NRS) compared to research raters (NRS, BPI)
Time frame: cross sectional, visit based
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 7 Apr 2015.
- Results publication: PubMed 16752979Lorenz KA, Shugarman LR, Lynn J. Health care policy issues in end-of-life care. J Palliat Med. 2006 Jun;9(3):731-48. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2006.9.731. No abstract available.
- Results publication: PubMed 20585072Walling AM, Asch SM, Lorenz KA, Roth CP, Barry T, Kahn KL, Wenger NS. The quality of care provided to hospitalized patients at the end of life. Arch Intern Med. 2010 Jun 28;170(12):1057-63. doi: 10.1001/archinternmed.2010.175.
- Results publication: PubMed 20807347Shugarman LR, Asch SM, Meredith LS, Sherbourne CD, Hagenmeier E, Wen L, Cohen A, Rubenstein LV, Goebel J, Lanto A, Lorenz KA. Factors associated with clinician intention to address diverse aspects of pain in seriously ill outpatients. Pain Med. 2010 Sep;11(9):1365-72. doi: 10.1111/j.1526-4637.2010.00931.x. Epub 2010 Aug 30.
- Results publication: PubMed 20510839Goebel JR, Sherbourne CD, Asch SM, Meredith L, Cohen AB, Hagenmaier E, Lanto AB, Simon B, Rubenstein LV, Shugarman LR, Lorenz KA. Addressing patients' concerns about pain management and addiction risks. Pain Manag Nurs. 2010 Jun;11(2):92-8. doi: 10.1016/j.pmn.2009.03.009. Epub 2009 Sep 12.
- Results publication: PubMed 20692807Shugarman LR, Goebel JR, Lanto A, Asch SM, Sherbourne CD, Lee ML, Rubenstein LV, Wen L, Meredith L, Lorenz KA. Nursing staff, patient, and environmental factors associated with accurate pain assessment. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2010 Nov;40(5):723-33. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2010.02.024. Epub 2010 Aug 8.
- Results publication: PubMed 19807230Stone SC, Mohanty SA, Gruzden C, Lorenz KA, Asch SM. Emergency department research in palliative care: challenges in recruitment. J Palliat Med. 2009 Oct;12(10):867-8. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2009.0139. No abstract available.
- Results publication: PubMed 19291552Grudzen CR, Koenig WJ, Hoffman JR, Boscardin WJ, Lorenz KA, Asch SM. Potential impact of a verbal prehospital DNR policy. Prehosp Emerg Care. 2009 Apr-Jun;13(2):169-72. doi: 10.1080/10903120802471923.
- Results publication: PubMed 19775860Seow H, Snyder CF, Mularski RA, Shugarman LR, Kutner JS, Lorenz KA, Wu AW, Dy SM. A framework for assessing quality indicators for cancer care at the end of life. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2009 Dec;38(6):903-12. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2009.04.024.
- Results publication: PubMed 19438412Grudzen CR, Timmermans S, Koenig WJ, Torres JM, Hoffman JR, Lorenz KA, Asch SM. Paramedic and emergency medical technicians views on opportunities and challenges when forgoing and halting resuscitation in the field. Acad Emerg Med. 2009 Jun;16(6):532-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1553-2712.2009.00427.x. Epub 2009 May 11.
- Results publication: PubMed 19733032Goebel JR, Doering LV, Shugarman LR, Asch SM, Sherbourne CD, Lanto AB, Evangelista LS, Nyamathi AM, Maliski SL, Lorenz KA. Heart failure: the hidden problem of pain. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2009 Nov;38(5):698-707. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2009.04.022. Epub 2009 Sep 3.
- Results publication: PubMed 20229139Zubkoff L, Lorenz KA, Lanto AB, Sherbourne CD, Goebel JR, Glassman PA, Shugarman LR, Meredith LS, Asch SM. Does screening for pain correspond to high quality care for veterans? J Gen Intern Med. 2010 Sep;25(9):900-5. doi: 10.1007/s11606-010-1301-5. Epub 2010 Mar 14.
- Results publication: PubMed 19818039Lorenz KA, Krebs EE, Bentley TG, Sherbourne CD, Goebel JR, Zubkoff L, Lanto AB, Asch SM. Exploring alternative approaches to routine outpatient pain screening. Pain Med. 2009 Oct;10(7):1291-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1526-4637.2009.00709.x.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Karl A. Lorenz, MD MSHS principal investigator
VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, West Los Angeles, CA
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Pain and Heart Failure, Congestive, run by US Department of Veterans Affairs at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 7 Apr 2015. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
patient reported pain to nurses (NRS) compared to research raters (NRS, BPI) (time frame: cross sectional, visit based). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT00230932, which also lists 19 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 7 Apr 2015.