Chronic Pain
Conditions
Keywords
chronic pain, telomere, telomerase, life style
Brief summary
The current project will use the Complete Health Improvement Program (CHIP) as an intervention for patients with chronic pain. CHIP is a nationally recognized program that encourages a diet of whole plant-based foods, moderate exercise, stress reduction, and social support. Patients with chronic pain who enroll in CHIP classes will be monitored and compared to patients with chronic pain who are not enrolled in CHIP classes. It is hypothesized that patients who complete CHIP will have increased telomerase activity and longer relative telomere length at follow-up when compared to those who do not enroll in the program. Chromosomes consist of DNA that contains the genetic makeup of an individual; and telomeres are the caps on these chromosomes that protect them from damage. Telomere shortening occurs normally with aging and once they are too short to replicate cellular death occurs. Telomerase is a ribonucleic protein that counterbalances this shortening by extending the ends of chromosomes. Research has shown that patients with chronic pain may have shorter telomeres relative to others of the same age. This study will investigate this association further.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALThe Complete Health Improvement Program
The Complete Health Improvement Program is a nationally recognized program that encourages a diet of whole plant based foods, moderate exercise, stress reduction, and social support.
Sponsors
Ohio University
Study design
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
40 Years to 70 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* 40-70 years old * Physician confirmed chronic pain diagnosis for at least 6 months
Exclusion criteria
* Pregnancy * Physical or mental condition that limits ability to provide consent or answer questionnaires
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Telomerase activity changes as a result of lifestyle change | Change from baseline telomerase at 3 months | Assessed via peripheral blood mononuclear cells |
| Subjective pain ratings as a function of positive lifestyle modifications | Change from baseline subjective pain at 3 months | Assessed via the Brief Pain Inventory - Short Form. Measures pain intensity from 0 to 10, 10 being pain as bad as you can imagine. Also measures the extent to which pain interferes with daily functioning (0 - 10 possible, with 10 indicating completely interferes). |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Fasting glucose changes as a result of lifestyle change | Change from baseline fasting glucose at 3 months | Assessed via whole blood samples |
| Fasting glucose changes as a result of lifestyle change at 1-year follow-up | Change from 3 month follow-up data of fasting glucose at 1-year | Assessed via whole blood samples |
| Fasting lipid profile (i.e., HDL, LDL, triglycerides) modification as a result of lifestyle change | change from baseline fasting lipids at 3 months | Assessed via whole blood |
| Fasting lipid profile (i.e., HDL, LDL, triglycerides) modification as a result of lifestyle change at 1-year follow-up | Change from 3 month follow-up data of fasting lipids at 1-year | Assessed via whole blood |
| C-reactive protein changes as a result of lifestyle change | change from baseline C-reactive protein at 3 months | Assessed via plasma |
| C-reactive protein changes as a result of lifestyle change at 1-year follow-up | Change from 3 month follow-up data of C-reactive protein at 1-year | Assessed via plasma |
| Overall well-being changes as a result of lifestyle change | change from baseline overall well-being at 3 months | The RAND-36 item short form survey. High score indicates more favorable health state. Minimum score 0 Maximum score 100. |
| Overall well-being changes as a result of lifestyle change at 1-year follow-up | Change from 3 month follow-up data of overall well-being at 1-year | The RAND-36 item short form survey. High score indicates more favorable health state. Minimum score 0 Maximum score 100. |
| Perceived Stress changes as a result of lifestyle change | change from baseline perceived stress at 3 months | The 14-item Perceived Stress Scale. Minimum score 0 Maximum score 40. Higher scores indicate greater perceived stress. |
| Relative telomere length changes as a result of lifestyle change | Change from baseline telomere length at 3 months | Assessed via whole blood samples |
| Depressive symptom changes as a result of lifestyle change | change from baseline depressed mood at 3 months | Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Higher score indicates greater depressed mood. Minimum score 0 Maximum score 60. |
| Depressive symptom changes as a result of lifestyle change at 1-year follow-up | Change from 3 month follow-up data of depressed mood at 1-year | Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Higher score indicates greater depressed mood. Minimum score 0 Maximum score 60. |
| Perceived social support modification as a result of lifestyle change | change from baseline perceived social support at 3 months | Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Higher score indicates greater perceived social support. Minimum score 1 Maximum score 7. |
| Perceived social support modification as a result of lifestyle change at 1-year follow-up | Change from 3 month follow-up data of perceived social support at 1-year | Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Higher score indicates greater perceived social support. Minimum score 1 Maximum score 7. |
| Health-Promoting behavior change as a result of lifestyle modification | change from baseline health promoting behavior at 3 months | Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II questionnaire. Higher score indicate greater health promotion. Minimum score 1 Maximum score 4. |
| Health-Promoting behavior change as a result of lifestyle modification at 1-year follow-up | Change from 3 month follow-up data of health promoting behavior at 1-year | Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II questionnaire. Higher score indicate greater health promotion. Minimum score 1 Maximum score 4. |
| Telomerase activity changes as a result of lifestyle change at 1-year follow-up | Change from 3 month follow-up data of telomerase activity at 1-year | Assessed via peripheral blood mononuclear cells |
| Subjective pain ratings as a function of positive lifestyle modifications at 1-year follow-up | Change from 3 month follow-up data of subjective pain at 1-year | Assessed via the Brief Pain Inventory - Short Form. Measures pain intensity from 0 to 10, 10 being pain as bad as you can imagine. Also measures the extent to which pain interferes with daily functioning (0 - 10 possible, with 10 indicating completely interferes). |
| Perceived Stress changes as a result of lifestyle change at 1-year follow-up | Change from 3 month follow-up data of perceived stress at 1-year | The 14-item Perceived Stress Scale. Minimum score 0 Maximum score 40. Higher scores indicate greater perceived stress. |
| Relative telomere length changes as a result of lifestyle change at 1-year follow-up | Change from 3 month follow-up data of telomere length at 1-year | Assessed via whole blood samples |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed