Cognitive ImpairmentPEPINONCT04941222
Cost-utility Analysis of the Use of the Paro Robotic Seal by Elderly Patients With Moderate or Severe Cognitive Disorders in Institutions: a Randomised Study.
A study testing With robotic seal "PARO" in people with Cognitive Impairment, run by Centre Hospitalier Departemental Vendee at 1 site in France.
Trial summary
Many residents from establishments for dependent elderly people (EHPAD) have memory disorders with behavioural problems such as agitation, aggression and anxiety, which make it difficult to assist them on a daily basis. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 70 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Cognitive Impairment
- What is being tested?
- With robotic seal "PARO"
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 33 participants
- Where
- 1 siteFrance
- Study dates
- 29 Jul 2021to 5 Apr 2023
- Phase
- Interventional
- 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 70 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Patients over 70 years of age
- With moderate or severe neurocognitive disorders of any etiology (Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) less than or equal to 20, or not feasible)
- Resident in EHPAD (establishment for dependent elderly people) or USLD (long-term care unit ) in permanent accommodation for more than 1 month at inclusion
Who cannot join
- Patient with presumed life expectancy of less than 3 months
- Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) not feasible for any reason other than cognitive impairment (e.g. stroke aphasia), without dementia
- Known carrier of multi-drug resistant bacteria
- Carrier of Pace-maker (precautionary advice from manufacturer)
- Refusal to participate to the study (trusted person, guardian or curator or patient depending on the patient's mental state)
- Patient under court protection
- Prior inclusion in an interventional study that may alter the interpretation of the results of the analysis
- Patient not affiliated to a social security system or beneficiary of such a system
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Many residents from establishments for dependent elderly people (EHPAD) have memory disorders with behavioural problems such as agitation, aggression and anxiety, which make it difficult to assist them on a daily basis.
Studies have proven the beneficial effect of the therapeutic seal robot PARO® in behavioural disorders. The present project aims to complement these data with a medico-economic study. At present, the only study of this type has been carried out in Australia, and is not transposable to France.
- Conditions
- Cognitive Impairment
- Being tested
- With robotic seal "PARO"
- Keywords
- PARO, non-pharmacological intervention, economic evaluation, Cognitive Impairment
- Medical subject headings
- Cognitive Dysfunction
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
With robotic seal "PARO"Other
The PARO robot will be made available to the patient by the caregiver in charge of the patient for 5mn before a toilet and during the duration of the care (about 10mn), at the frequency of twice a week for 16 weeks
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| With robotic seal "PARO" | Experimental | The robot will be made available to the patient by the caregiver in charge of the patient for 5 minutes before a toilet and for the duration of the treatment (about 10 minutes), twice a week for 16 weeks. Receives: Other: With robotic seal "PARO" |
| Without robotic seal "PARO" | No intervention | The care of the patient during the toilet will be carried out according to the modalities currently in use in the facility. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Incremental cost-utility ratio
Incremental cost-utility ratio (cost/QALY) from a societal perspective and a time horizon of 16 weeks of the use of the PARO robot
Measured: 16 weeks after implementation of toilets with/without PARO
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted28 Jun 2021
- Study start29 Jul 2021
- Primary completion5 Apr 2023
- Study completion5 Apr 2023
Why it stopped: Difficulties of recruitment
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Cognitive ImpairmentStudies 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
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 33 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Centre Hospitalier Departemental Vendee
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- stéphanie CHENEAU, Principal investigator, CHD Vendée
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04941222
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- CHD187-19
- Acronym
- PEPINO
- Status last verified
- Sep 2025
- First submitted
- 18 Jun 2021
- Last updated
- 23 Sep 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 23 Sep 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Cost-utility Analysis of the Use of the Paro Robotic Seal by Elderly Patients With Moderate or Severe Cognitive Disorders in Institutions: a Randomised Study.
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04941222
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- PEPINO / CHD187-19
- Conditions
- Cognitive Impairment
- Keywords
- PARO, non-pharmacological intervention, economic evaluation, Cognitive Impairment
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- TerminatedReason stopped: Difficulties of recruitment
- Enrolment
- 33 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Centre Hospitalier Departemental VendeeUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 29 Jul 2021 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 5 Apr 2023 (actual)
- Study completion
- 5 Apr 2023 (actual)
- First posted
- 28 Jun 2021 (actual)
- 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.
Many residents from establishments for dependent elderly people (EHPAD) have memory disorders with behavioural problems such as agitation, aggression and anxiety, which make it difficult to assist them on a daily basis.
Studies have proven the beneficial effect of the therapeutic seal robot PARO® in behavioural disorders. The present project aims to complement these data with a medico-economic study. At present, the only study of this type has been carried out in Australia, and is not transposable to France.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| With robotic seal "PARO" | Experimental | Other: With robotic seal "PARO"The robot will be made available to the patient by the caregiver in charge of the patient for 5 minutes before a toilet and for the duration of the treatment (about 10 minutes), twice a week for 16 weeks. |
| Without robotic seal "PARO" | No intervention | –The care of the patient during the toilet will be carried out according to the modalities currently in use in the facility. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 70 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Patients over 70 years of age
- With moderate or severe neurocognitive disorders of any etiology (Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) less than or equal to 20, or not feasible)
- Resident in EHPAD (establishment for dependent elderly people) or USLD (long-term care unit ) in permanent accommodation for more than 1 month at inclusion
Key exclusion criteria (8 listed)
- Patient with presumed life expectancy of less than 3 months
- Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) not feasible for any reason other than cognitive impairment (e.g. stroke aphasia), without dementia
- Known carrier of multi-drug resistant bacteria
- Carrier of Pace-maker (precautionary advice from manufacturer)
- Refusal to participate to the study (trusted person, guardian or curator or patient depending on the patient's mental state)
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| With robotic seal "PARO"The PARO robot will be made available to the patient by the caregiver in charge of the patient for 5mn before a toilet and during the duration of the care (about 10mn), at the frequency of twice a week for 16 weeks | Other | With robotic seal "PARO" |
Primary outcome
Incremental cost-utility ratio
Time frame: 16 weeks after implementation of toilets with/without PARO
Incremental cost-utility ratio (cost/QALY) from a societal perspective and a time horizon of 16 weeks of the use of the PARO robot
Results and safety
The study was stopped early (reason given: Difficulties of recruitment). Results are not available in the source record.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 23 Sep 2025.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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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.
stéphanie CHENEAU principal investigator
CHD Vendée
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing With robotic seal "PARO" in people with Cognitive Impairment, run by Centre Hospitalier Departemental Vendee at 1 site in France.
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 8 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: stopped early, as of the sponsor's last update on 23 Sep 2025. 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 France. 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 was stopped early (reason given: Difficulties of recruitment). Results are not available in the source record.
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?
Incremental cost-utility ratio (time frame: 16 weeks after implementation of toilets with/without PARO). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 23 Sep 2025; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 8 Nov 2026.