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A Study to Evaluate the Safety and Tolerability of Virtual Reality to Treat Gastroparesis

"A Pilot Study to Assess the Safety, Tolerability and Efficacy of Virtual Reality for the Treatment of Gastroparesis"

Status
Suspended
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT05079568
Enrollment
30
Registered
2021-10-15
Start date
2021-10-01
Completion date
2026-12-01
Last updated
2026-03-06

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Gastroparesis

Brief summary

The purpose of this study is to determine if virtual reality therapy is safe and tolerable in treating gastroparesis.

Detailed description

After informed consent patients will be randomized to a 4 week treatment program comparing active VR treatment to sham VR treatment. Symptoms will be measured at baseline and at 2 and 4 weeks using validated questionnaires. A short questionnaire will be answered daily to evaluate changes in nausea.

Interventions

DEVICEOculus Go VR headset

Virtual reality programs consisting of interactive games, meditation and deep breathing exercises, and passive virtual reality experiences designed to facilitate relaxation.

DEVICESham Oculus Go VR headset

Virtual reality program with two-dimensional nature video

Sponsors

Mayo Clinic
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Masking description

double blind, randomized.

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 75 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Adult patients, men and women ages 18-75. * Documented gastroparesis (idiopathic or diabetic). * Patients who have had an upper endoscopy within the past 3 years not showing evidence of an organic disorder that could cause symptoms and a 4-hour scintigraphic gastric emptying scan showing evidence of delayed gastric emptying. * Patients will be identified as direct referrals to the general GI clinic or the motility clinic, and will undergo screening history and physical examination by the PI or co-investigator.

Exclusion criteria

* Patients whose symptoms are thought to represent an organic disorder (e.g., peptic ulcer disease, hepatitis, pancreatitis, inflammatory bowel disease, a known malignancy, radiation-induced injury, an active infection, vasculitis, celiac disease). * If the patients have known uncontrolled diabetes (HgbA1c \> 11), GERD, esophagitis, eosinophilic esophagitis, H. pylori, cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, celiac artery compression syndrome, or SMA syndrome. * Patients with prior surgery to the esophagus, stomach or duodenum. * Patients taking opioids will also be excluded. * Alcohol and tobacco use will be assessed, as will the presence of psychiatric conditions, such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorders, and eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia. However, no patient will be excluded based on reported substance use or presence of a psychiatric comorbidity, unless their psychological status represents potential harm to themselves, others, or represents an impediment to treatment. * Any patient identified as having a significant problem with alcohol or anxiety or depression will be referred back to their primary care provider for further evaluation and treatment. * Patients with motion sickness, vertigo, or a seizure disorder will be excluded to prevent the theoretical risk of inducing or exacerbating symptoms related to the aforementioned conditions with VR.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Patient-reported adverse events4 weeksNumber of patient-reported adverse events assessed using standardized daily patient-reported adverse event questionnaires

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Changes in global gastroparesis symptom scoresBaseline, 4 weeksMeasured by the self-reported GCSI (Gastroparesis Cardinal Symptom Index-daily diary); consisting of questions about severity of symptoms experienced during the past 24 hours on a scale of none, mild, moderate, severe, and very severe.
Changes in gastrointestinal disorder symptomsBaseline, 4 weeksMeasured using the Patient Assessment of Gastrointestinal Disorders-Symptom Severity Index (PAGI-SYM) questionnaire; consisting of questions about severity of symptoms related to gastrointestinal problem during the past 2 weeks on a scale of 0=note to 5=very severe.
Changes in individual scores for nauseaBaseline, 4 weeksMeasured using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) where subject place a X on a scale to show how much nausea they had today; scale is 0%=no nausea, 100%=worse nausea ever.
Changes in abdominal painBaseline, 4 weeksMeasured using a Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NRS) where subject place a X on a scale to show how much abdominal pain they had today; scale is 0% no abdominal pain, 100% worse abdominal pain ever.
Changes in bloatingBaseline, 4 weeksMeasured using the validated Mayo Bloating Questionnaire to assess subject symptoms of gastroparesis
Change in work productivityBaseline, 4 weeksMeasured using the validated WPAI (work productivity activity index) to assess subject ability to work and perform regular activities
Change in Quality of lifeBaseline, 4 weeksMeasured using the self-reported Short-Form 12 questionnaire; health survey to assess subject views about their health

Countries

United States

Contacts

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORBrian Lacy, MD

Mayo Clinic

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Mar 7, 2026