Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive
Conditions
Brief summary
The study's primary aim is to assess whether there is a clinically significant reduction in breathlessness in symptomatic individuals with chronic obstructive respiratory disease (IwCOPD) following engagement with Technology-Assisted Respiratory Adherence prototype 3. The study's secondary aim is to assess whether there is an associated maintenance or increase in activities of daily living to support a positive benefit of Technology-Assisted Respiratory Adherence prototype 3 on breathlessness and whether there is an improvement in the physical activity experience of the patient.
Interventions
DEVICETARA v3.1, only non-pharmacological self-management support
Technology-Assisted Respiratory Adherence (TARA) is a digital behaviour change intervention (DBCI) intended to support patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in managing their condition by adopting and sustaining clinically recommended (evidence-based) self-management behaviours. TARA was used independently at home by patients via an internet-enabled device and was a fully online digital system that offered guidance on the self-management of COPD, targeting non-pharmacological self-management support (self-monitoring, pursed lip breathing, pacing and energy conservation, and adherence to prescribed rescue medication in TARA version 3.1 (v3.1). The study comprised a screening (pre-TARA) period (which included a 2-week run-in period), a 12-week intervention period (TARA study period), and a follow-up period (post-TARA).
DEVICETARA v3.2, both non-pharmacological and pharmacological self-management support
Technology-Assisted Respiratory Adherence (TARA) is a digital behaviour change intervention (DBCI) intended to support patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in managing their condition by adopting and sustaining clinically recommended (evidence-based) self-management behaviours. TARA was used independently at home by patients via an internet-enabled device and was a fully online digital system that offered guidance on the self-management of COPD, targeting non-pharmacological self-management support (self-monitoring, pursed lip breathing, pacing and energy conservation, and adherence to prescribed rescue medication in TARA version 3.1 (v3.1). The study comprised a screening (pre-TARA) period (which included a 2-week run-in period), a 12-week intervention period (TARA study period), and a follow-up period (post-TARA).
Sponsors
Boehringer Ingelheim
Study design
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
40 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Individuals with COPD (IwCOPD) * Male or females * Age ≥ 40 years * Current or ex-smokers * Modified Medical Research Council Dyspnoea Scale (mMRC) score ≥ 2 (i.e. evidence of activity-related breathlessness) * Patients must have a prescription for either Spiriva Respimat or Stiolto Respimat as per one of the below scenarios: 1. Participants must have a new prescription for either Spiriva Respimat or Stiolto Respimat (this could include a patient who has never received a maintenance bronchodilator for treatment before, or a patient who was previously on an alternative maintenance bronchodilator who is being switched to Spiriva Respimat or Stiolto Respimat to help with their COPD management). 2. Participants currently on Spiriva Respimat or Stiolto Respimat who could benefit from engagement with Technology-Assisted Respiratory Adherence prototype version 3 (after discussion with their physician). * Participants must be on a short-acting bronchodilator (rescue medication) * Participants must be willing to use the study specific activity tracker (Reemo device) and be willing to complete all data collection requirements (within Technology-Assisted Respiratory Adherence prototype version 3) plus on-line questionnaires plus possible phone interview) * Fluency in written English * Access to a Smartphone with updated browsers installed (or willing to download up-to-date version for the study), and daily home access to internet * Need to have personal e-mail account that is used daily
Exclusion criteria
* Patients with asthma * Patients with confirmed, suspected or recovered SARS-CoV-2 infection or if the patient had household or other contact with an individual with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. * Patient with a worsening COPD episode requiring medical intervention within 4 weeks of enrolment * Patients who have completed a pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) or self-management program in the 3 months prior to enrolment or patients who are currently in a PR program * Patients prescribed inhaled COPD medications other than Spiriva Respimat plus albuterol or Stiolto Respimat plus albuterol * Patients with any contraindications for participating in the study (after discussion with their physician). * Currently enrolled in another investigational device or drug trial, or less than 30 days since ending another investigational device or drug trial(s), or receiving other investigational treatment(s) * Women who are pregnant, nursing, or who plan to become pregnant while in the study * Any self-reported medical or neuro-cognitive condition that would limit the ability of the participant to consent
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change From Baseline in the Chronic Respiratory - Self Administered Individualized (CRQ-SAI) Dyspnea Domain Score at 12 Weeks | Baseline (week 0) and Week 12. | The CRQ-SAI questionnaire first asks participants to mark important, frequent activities that made them feel out of breath during the last 2 weeks; they can select these activities from a list, and they can also add additional activities to the list. Participants are then asked to select the most important activities from the list, up to a maximum of 5 activities. Next, for each of these activities, which correspond to questions 1-5, the participants will mark their level of shortness of breath; there are 7 possible answers, ranging from 1 (being the worst: extremely short of breath') to 7 (being the best: not at all short of breath). For each participant, the CRQ-SAI dyspnea domain score was calculated as the mean of numerical answers to the questions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, excluding those questions not answered. Change was calculated as \[score at 12 weeks\] - \[score at baseline\]. |
| Number of Subjects With Increase From Baseline in the CRQ-SAI Dyspnea Domain Score at 12 Weeks of at Least 0.5 | Baseline (week 0) and Week 12. | Number of subjects with increase from baseline in the CRQ-SAI dyspnea domain score at 12 weeks of at least 0.5, the minimal clinically important difference (MCID). The CRQ-SAI questionnaire first asks participants to mark important, frequent activities that made them feel out of breath during the last 2 weeks. Participants are then asked to select the most important activities from the list, up to a maximum of 5 activities. Next, for each of these activities, which correspond to questions 1-5, the participants will mark their level of shortness of breath; there are 7 possible answers, ranging from 1 (being the worst: extremely short of breath') to 7 (being the best: not at all short of breath). For each participant, the CRQ-SAI dyspnea domain score was calculated as the mean of numerical answers to the questions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, excluding those questions not answered. Change was calculated as \[score at 12 weeks\] - \[score at baseline\]. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change From Baseline in Average Number of Steps Measured by the Activity Tracker at Week 12 | Baseline (week 0) and Week 12. | Daily activity levels were measured using an activity tracker (Reemo) over 2-week periods. The average steps/day were counted over a period of up to 14 days at baseline and at Week 12. A valid day was defined as a day where the activity tracker records at least 8 active hours during waking hours (7 am to 10 pm local time for the participant). To calculate the average number of steps/day at baseline (also for Week 12), the data from the prior 14 days were examined. At least 4 valid days out of the 14 days were needed for analysis, but they did not have to be consecutive days. If there were fewer than 4 valid days, the average number of steps/day was not calculated. The average steps/day was calculated as the average over the valid days. Change was calculated as baseline value - week 12 score value. |
| Change From Baseline in Average Cadence (Steps/Min) Measured by the Activity Tracker at Week 12 | Baseline (week 0) and Week 12. | Daily activity levels were measured using an activity tracker (Reemo) over 2-week periods. Cadence (steps/min) was calculated as number of steps walked per day divided by the walk time per day (in minutes), then averaged over valid days to produce the average cadence. A valid day was defined as a day where the activity tracker records at least 8 active hours during waking hours (7 am to 10 pm local time for the participant). To calculate the average cadence (steps/min) at baseline (also for Week 12), the data from the prior 14 days were examined. At least 4 valid days out of the 14 days were needed for analysis, but they did not have to be consecutive days. If there were fewer than 4 valid days, the average cadence (steps/min) was not calculated. The average cadence (steps/min) was calculated as the average over the valid days. Change was calculated as baseline value - week 12 score value. |
| Change From Baseline in the Difficulty Domain of the Clinical Visits PROactive Physical Activity in COPD Instrument (C-PPAC) at Week 12 | Baseline (week 0) and Week 12. | C-PPAC (with focus on the difficulty domain score). The C-PPAC questionnaire has 12 questions about activities done in the last 7 days, and also records two scores (weekly steps and vector magnitude units) from an activity monitor. Three scores are generated from the C-PPAC (difficulty with physical activity, amount of physical activity and total physical activity). Only the difficulty domain score of the C-PPAC will be analyzed in this study. For each participant, the raw score for the C-PPAC difficulty domain is calculated as the sum of the numerical answers to the 10 questions 3-12. Each numerical answer ranges from 0 (most difficult) to 4 (no difficulty). The range of the raw score is 0-40 (with 0 being the most difficult and 40 being no difficulty). This raw score is then scaled to a 0-100 Rasch scaled score (with 0 being the most difficult and 100 being no difficulty). Change was calculated as baseline value - week 12 score value. |
Countries
United States
Participant flow
Recruitment details
This study followed a within-subject pre-post study design and was conducted as a hybrid (clinic visit/remote) study of a software as medical device (SaMD) in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (IwCOPD), in a real-world setting.
Pre-assignment details
All subjects were screened for eligibility prior to participation in the trial. Subjects attended a specialist site which ensured that they (the subjects) strictly met all inclusion and none of the exclusion criteria. Subjects were not to be allocated if any of the entry criteria were violated.
Participants by arm
| Arm | Count |
|---|---|
| Cohort 1: TARA v3.1, Only Non-pharmacological Self-management Support Technology-Assisted Respiratory Adherence (TARA) is a digital behaviour change intervention (DBCI) intended to support patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in managing their condition by adopting and sustaining clinically recommended (evidence-based) self-management behaviours. TARA was used independently at home by patients via an internet-enabled device and was a fully online digital system that offered guidance on the self-management of COPD, targeting non-pharmacological self-management support (self-monitoring, pursed lip breathing, pacing and energy conservation, and adherence to prescribed rescue medication) in TARA version 3.1 (v3.1). The study comprised a screening (pre-TARA) period (which included a 2-week run-in period), a 12-week intervention period (TARA study period), and a follow-up period (post-TARA). | 4 |
| Cohort 2: TARA v3.2, Both Non-pharmacological and Pharmacological Self-management Support Technology-Assisted Respiratory Adherence (TARA) is a digital behaviour change intervention (DBCI) intended to support patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in managing their condition by adopting and sustaining clinically recommended (evidence-based) self-management behaviours. TARA is used independently at home by patients via an internet-enabled device and is a fully online digital system that offers guidance on the self-management of COPD, targeting non-pharmacological self-management support (self-monitoring, pursed lip breathing, pacing and energy conservation, and adherence to prescribed rescue medication in TARA version 3.1 (v3.1). Additionally, in TARA v3.2, pharmacological self-management support module (including modules on inhaler techniques and correct use of inhalers, plus a module to close track inhaler use and symptoms over a 7-day period \[medication adherence\]) was included. The study comprised a screening (pre-TARA) period (which included a 2-week run-in period), a 12-week intervention period (TARA study period), and a follow-up period (post-TARA). | 1 |
| Total | 5 |
Withdrawals & dropouts
| Period | Reason | FG000 | FG001 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Study | Did not interact with TARA | 1 | 0 |
Baseline characteristics
| Characteristic | Cohort 1: TARA v3.1, Only Non-pharmacological Self-management Support | Total | Cohort 2: TARA v3.2, Both Non-pharmacological and Pharmacological Self-management Support |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, Continuous | 71.5 years | 71 years | NA years |
| Ethnicity (NIH/OMB) Hispanic or Latino | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants |
| Ethnicity (NIH/OMB) Not Hispanic or Latino | 4 Participants | 5 Participants | 1 Participants |
| Ethnicity (NIH/OMB) Unknown or Not Reported | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants |
| Race (NIH/OMB) American Indian or Alaska Native | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants |
| Race (NIH/OMB) Asian | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants |
| Race (NIH/OMB) Black or African American | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants |
| Race (NIH/OMB) More than one race | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants |
| Race (NIH/OMB) Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants |
| Race (NIH/OMB) Unknown or Not Reported | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants |
| Race (NIH/OMB) White | 4 Participants | 5 Participants | 1 Participants |
| Sex: Female, Male Female | 2 Participants | 3 Participants | 1 Participants |
| Sex: Female, Male Male | 2 Participants | 2 Participants | 0 Participants |
| The Chronic Respiratory - Self Administered Individualized (CRQ-SAI) dyspnea domain score | 2.40 Score on a scale | 3.00 Score on a scale | 4.80 Score on a scale |
Adverse events
| Event type | EG000 affected / at risk | EG001 affected / at risk |
|---|---|---|
| deaths Total, all-cause mortality | 0 / 4 | 0 / 1 |
| other Total, other adverse events | 0 / 4 | 0 / 1 |
| serious Total, serious adverse events | 0 / 4 | 0 / 1 |
Outcome results
Primary
Change From Baseline in the Chronic Respiratory - Self Administered Individualized (CRQ-SAI) Dyspnea Domain Score at 12 Weeks
The CRQ-SAI questionnaire first asks participants to mark important, frequent activities that made them feel out of breath during the last 2 weeks; they can select these activities from a list, and they can also add additional activities to the list. Participants are then asked to select the most important activities from the list, up to a maximum of 5 activities. Next, for each of these activities, which correspond to questions 1-5, the participants will mark their level of shortness of breath; there are 7 possible answers, ranging from 1 (being the worst: extremely short of breath') to 7 (being the best: not at all short of breath). For each participant, the CRQ-SAI dyspnea domain score was calculated as the mean of numerical answers to the questions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, excluding those questions not answered. Change was calculated as \[score at 12 weeks\] - \[score at baseline\].
Time frame: Baseline (week 0) and Week 12.
Population: Entered set (ES): This subject set includes all enrolled subjects with informed consent who completed the baseline Survey. Only subjects with post-baseline data are reported.
| Arm | Measure | Value (MEDIAN) |
|---|---|---|
| Cohort 1: TARA v3.1, Only Non-pharmacological Self-management Support | Change From Baseline in the Chronic Respiratory - Self Administered Individualized (CRQ-SAI) Dyspnea Domain Score at 12 Weeks | 2.00 Score on a scale |
| Cohort 2: TARA v3.2, Both Non-pharmacological and Pharmacological Self-management Support | Change From Baseline in the Chronic Respiratory - Self Administered Individualized (CRQ-SAI) Dyspnea Domain Score at 12 Weeks | -0.20 Score on a scale |
Primary
Number of Subjects With Increase From Baseline in the CRQ-SAI Dyspnea Domain Score at 12 Weeks of at Least 0.5
Number of subjects with increase from baseline in the CRQ-SAI dyspnea domain score at 12 weeks of at least 0.5, the minimal clinically important difference (MCID). The CRQ-SAI questionnaire first asks participants to mark important, frequent activities that made them feel out of breath during the last 2 weeks. Participants are then asked to select the most important activities from the list, up to a maximum of 5 activities. Next, for each of these activities, which correspond to questions 1-5, the participants will mark their level of shortness of breath; there are 7 possible answers, ranging from 1 (being the worst: extremely short of breath') to 7 (being the best: not at all short of breath). For each participant, the CRQ-SAI dyspnea domain score was calculated as the mean of numerical answers to the questions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, excluding those questions not answered. Change was calculated as \[score at 12 weeks\] - \[score at baseline\].
Time frame: Baseline (week 0) and Week 12.
Population: Entered set (ES): This subject set includes all enrolled subjects with informed consent who completed the baseline Survey. Only subjects with post-baseline data are reported.
| Arm | Measure | Value (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS) |
|---|---|---|
| Cohort 1: TARA v3.1, Only Non-pharmacological Self-management Support | Number of Subjects With Increase From Baseline in the CRQ-SAI Dyspnea Domain Score at 12 Weeks of at Least 0.5 | 3 Participants |
| Cohort 2: TARA v3.2, Both Non-pharmacological and Pharmacological Self-management Support | Number of Subjects With Increase From Baseline in the CRQ-SAI Dyspnea Domain Score at 12 Weeks of at Least 0.5 | 0 Participants |
Secondary
Change From Baseline in Average Cadence (Steps/Min) Measured by the Activity Tracker at Week 12
Daily activity levels were measured using an activity tracker (Reemo) over 2-week periods. Cadence (steps/min) was calculated as number of steps walked per day divided by the walk time per day (in minutes), then averaged over valid days to produce the average cadence. A valid day was defined as a day where the activity tracker records at least 8 active hours during waking hours (7 am to 10 pm local time for the participant). To calculate the average cadence (steps/min) at baseline (also for Week 12), the data from the prior 14 days were examined. At least 4 valid days out of the 14 days were needed for analysis, but they did not have to be consecutive days. If there were fewer than 4 valid days, the average cadence (steps/min) was not calculated. The average cadence (steps/min) was calculated as the average over the valid days. Change was calculated as baseline value - week 12 score value.
Time frame: Baseline (week 0) and Week 12.
Population: Entered set (ES): This subject set includes all enrolled subjects with informed consent who completed the baseline Survey. Only subjects with post-baseline data are reported.
| Arm | Measure | Value (MEDIAN) |
|---|---|---|
| Cohort 1: TARA v3.1, Only Non-pharmacological Self-management Support | Change From Baseline in Average Cadence (Steps/Min) Measured by the Activity Tracker at Week 12 | 0.00 Steps per minute |
| Cohort 2: TARA v3.2, Both Non-pharmacological and Pharmacological Self-management Support | Change From Baseline in Average Cadence (Steps/Min) Measured by the Activity Tracker at Week 12 | 0.67 Steps per minute |
Secondary
Change From Baseline in Average Number of Steps Measured by the Activity Tracker at Week 12
Daily activity levels were measured using an activity tracker (Reemo) over 2-week periods. The average steps/day were counted over a period of up to 14 days at baseline and at Week 12. A valid day was defined as a day where the activity tracker records at least 8 active hours during waking hours (7 am to 10 pm local time for the participant). To calculate the average number of steps/day at baseline (also for Week 12), the data from the prior 14 days were examined. At least 4 valid days out of the 14 days were needed for analysis, but they did not have to be consecutive days. If there were fewer than 4 valid days, the average number of steps/day was not calculated. The average steps/day was calculated as the average over the valid days. Change was calculated as baseline value - week 12 score value.
Time frame: Baseline (week 0) and Week 12.
Population: Entered set (ES): This subject set includes all enrolled subjects with informed consent who completed the baseline Survey. Only subjects with post-baseline data are reported.
| Arm | Measure | Value (MEDIAN) |
|---|---|---|
| Cohort 1: TARA v3.1, Only Non-pharmacological Self-management Support | Change From Baseline in Average Number of Steps Measured by the Activity Tracker at Week 12 | -41.4 steps per day |
| Cohort 2: TARA v3.2, Both Non-pharmacological and Pharmacological Self-management Support | Change From Baseline in Average Number of Steps Measured by the Activity Tracker at Week 12 | 259.5 steps per day |
Secondary
Change From Baseline in the Difficulty Domain of the Clinical Visits PROactive Physical Activity in COPD Instrument (C-PPAC) at Week 12
C-PPAC (with focus on the difficulty domain score). The C-PPAC questionnaire has 12 questions about activities done in the last 7 days, and also records two scores (weekly steps and vector magnitude units) from an activity monitor. Three scores are generated from the C-PPAC (difficulty with physical activity, amount of physical activity and total physical activity). Only the difficulty domain score of the C-PPAC will be analyzed in this study. For each participant, the raw score for the C-PPAC difficulty domain is calculated as the sum of the numerical answers to the 10 questions 3-12. Each numerical answer ranges from 0 (most difficult) to 4 (no difficulty). The range of the raw score is 0-40 (with 0 being the most difficult and 40 being no difficulty). This raw score is then scaled to a 0-100 Rasch scaled score (with 0 being the most difficult and 100 being no difficulty). Change was calculated as baseline value - week 12 score value.
Time frame: Baseline (week 0) and Week 12.
Population: Entered set (ES): This subject set includes all enrolled subjects with informed consent who completed the baseline Survey. Only subjects with post-baseline data are reported.
| Arm | Measure | Value (MEDIAN) |
|---|---|---|
| Cohort 1: TARA v3.1, Only Non-pharmacological Self-management Support | Change From Baseline in the Difficulty Domain of the Clinical Visits PROactive Physical Activity in COPD Instrument (C-PPAC) at Week 12 | 14 Score on a scale |
| Cohort 2: TARA v3.2, Both Non-pharmacological and Pharmacological Self-management Support | Change From Baseline in the Difficulty Domain of the Clinical Visits PROactive Physical Activity in COPD Instrument (C-PPAC) at Week 12 | 0 Score on a scale |