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Family-based Telemedicine vs. Inpatient Anorexia Nervosa Treatment (FIAT)

Family-based Telemedicine vs. Inpatient Anorexia Nervosa Treatment (FIAT)

Status
Recruiting
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06759402
Acronym
FIAT
Enrollment
200
Registered
2025-01-06
Start date
2025-01-31
Completion date
2027-12-31
Last updated
2025-02-13

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

Conditions

Anorexia in Adolescence, Anorexia Nervosa

Keywords

Psychotherapy, Family Based Treatment, RCT, Inpatient Treatment

Brief summary

The FIAT study is funded by the Innovationsfonds of the German Ministry of Health via the DLR Project Management Agency. The study will be conducted in up to 21 hospitals across Germany and in collaboration with 10 German public health insurance companies. The primary aim of this study is to compare Family-Based Treatment delivered via telehealth (FBT) with inpatient multimodal therapy (IMT) with respect to treatment outcomes and health economic data. The results of the study will serve as a basis for the decision on the inclusion of FBT in the German S3 guidelines and the future reimbursement of FBT by public health insurances in Germany.

Interventions

FBT is an intensive, manualized therapy in which the parents of those affected are closely involved in a resource-oriented manner by FBT-certified therapists. FBT takes place in 3 phases: in phase 1, the parents take responsibility for their child's weight gain. Phase 2 involves the gradual transfer of responsibility for eating back to the patient. Phase 3 focuses on individual issues of the children and adolescents, e.g. catching up on important developmental steps missed due to the illness.

BEHAVIORALInpatient multimodal therapy

comprehensive, patient-oriented and multidisciplinary approach to address eating disorders following the S3 joint German treatment guidelines in specialized hospitals. Includes individual psychotherapy, family sessions, body-oriented therapy, nutritional counseling, group therapy sessions, relaxation techniques, mindfulness practices, and skills training. Targeted weight gain per week is at least 500g.

Sponsors

Bielefeld University
CollaboratorOTHER
Techniker Krankenkasse
CollaboratorOTHER
BARMER
CollaboratorOTHER
AOK Niedersachsen
CollaboratorUNKNOWN
Mobil Krankenkasse
CollaboratorUNKNOWN
Meine Krankenkasse
CollaboratorUNKNOWN
Medicalnetworks CJ GmbH & Co.KG
CollaboratorUNKNOWN
AOK Baden-Württemberg
CollaboratorINDUSTRY
DAK Gesundheit
CollaboratorOTHER
BIG-direkt
CollaboratorUNKNOWN
mhplus
CollaboratorUNKNOWN
Bahn-BKK
CollaboratorUNKNOWN
OFFIS - Institut für Informatik
CollaboratorUNKNOWN
Prof. Daniel Le Grange, UCSF
CollaboratorUNKNOWN
Charite University, Berlin, Germany
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Intervention model description

multicentred, longitudinal, randomized controlled non-inferiority trial

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
8 Years to 17 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* restrictive and bulimic subtypes of anorexia nervosa (ICD-10: F50.00; F50.01) * inpatient treatment indication according to S3 guideline * weight \< 3. BMI-percentile or * weight \<10. percentile and psychiatric comorbidity/rapid weight loss/lack of weight gain during outpatient treatment over last three month * planned inpatient treatment * insured with one of the participating health insurance companies * stable internet connection

Exclusion criteria

* weight \<67%mBMI * acute self harm or danger to others * acute psychosis or suicidal tendencies * current substance abuse * child abuse or domestic violence in the family * insured with other health insurance company * judicial placement order for inpatient treatment * known, currently existing child protection problems or proceedings by the family court

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change in %mBMI12 monthsThe %mBMI is calcualted based on bodyweight and height, measured by the study team. Change is the difference between the baseline and 12 month %mBMI.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Compulsive exerciseAt the beginning of the study, at the end of treatment (FBT Arm-average: 10 Months; IMT Arm-average: 4 Months; both up to 12 months), 6 months after baseline and 12 months after baseline.Measured by the compulsive exercise test (CET). Items are rated on a 6-point Likert type scale from 0 (never true) to 5 (always true), with higher scores correspond with stronger symptoms.
DepressionAt the beginning of the study, at the end of treatment (FBT Arm-average: 10 Months; IMT Arm-average: 4 Months; both up to 12 months), 6 months after baseline and 12 months after baseline.Measured by the Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS). Scores are presented between 0 (never) to 3 (always). The total score is converted into a T-score. Higher T-scores indicate higher presence of symptoms.
Occurrence of adverse eventsAt the beginning of the study, at the end of treatment (FBT Arm-average: 10 Months; IMT Arm-average: 4 Months; both up to 12 months), 6 months after baseline and 12 months after baseline.Measured by the modified over aggression scale (MOAS) in addition with a set serious adverse events list. Higher scores on the MOAS indicate more severe cases of aggressive behaviors.
Menstrual statusAt the beginning of the study, at the end of treatment (FBT Arm-average: 10 Months; IMT Arm-average: 4 Months; both up to 12 months), 6 months after baseline and 12 months after baseline.Measured by structural interview.
MedicationAt the beginning of the study, at the end of treatment (FBT Arm-average: 10 Months; IMT Arm-average: 4 Months; both up to 12 months), 6 months after baseline and 12 months after baseline.Measured by structural interview.
Motivation for changeAt the beginning of the study, at the end of treatment (FBT Arm-average: 10 Months; IMT Arm-average: 4 Months; both up to 12 months), 6 months after baseline and 12 months after baseline.Measured by the anorexia nervosa stages of change questionnaire (ANSOCQ). Each item can scored between 1 and 5. Higher scores indicate higher levels of motivation.
Insight into illnessAt the beginning of the study, at the end of treatment (FBT Arm-average: 10 Months; IMT Arm-average: 4 Months; both up to 12 months), 6 months after baseline and 12 months after baseline.One item On a scale of 1 to 10, how severe would you rate yourself as suffering from anorexia? where a higher score indicates more insight into the illness.
Change in eating disorder quality of lifeAt the beginning of the study, at the end of treatment (FBT Arm-average: 10 Months; IMT Arm-average: 4 Months; both up to 12 months), 6 months after baseline and 12 months after baseline.Measured by the eating disorder quality of life (EDQOL). Each item can be scored on a 6-point scale ranging from 0 (never) to 5 (always). Higher scores indicate lower quality of life.
Specific psychopathology for anorexia nervosaAt the beginning of the study, at the end of treatment (FBT Arm-average: 10 Months; IMT Arm-average: 4 Months; both up to 12 months), 6 months after baseline and 12 months after baseline.Measured by the eating disorder examination-questionnaire (EDE-Q). The scores of the EDE-Q are presented on a scale between 0 and 6, where higher scores mean higher presence of symptoms.
Emotional and financial burden on the legal guardiansAt the beginning of the study, at the end of treatment (FBT Arm-average: 10 Months; IMT Arm-average: 4 Months; both up to 12 months), 6 months after baseline and 12 months after baseline.Measured by the caregiver strain questionnaire (CGSQ-SF11). Items are scored on a 5-point Likert scale (0= not at all, 4= very much). Higher scores indicate greater strain.
Financial burden on the legal guardians6 months after baseline and 12 months after baseline.Measured by a structured questionnaire about financial strain during treatment. The first question (Has your child's treatment put a financial strain on you?) is scored on a 4-point Likert scale (1= not at all; 4= extremely). A higher score indicates greater financial strain. The second question (Have you had any loss of earnings due to your child's illness?) is binary scored (yes/no) and follows up the yes condition with the question how many days were you not able to work?.
Utilization and costs of healthcare services6 months after baseline and 12 months after baseline.Measured by the Client Service Receipt Inventory (CSRI). Assessing the use of various services in the respective units (e.g., days or hours).
Satisfaction with treatment for patientsAt the end of treatment (FBT Arm-average: 10 Months; IMT Arm-average: 4 Months; both up to 12 months)Measured by an adapted version of the treatment satisfaction questionnaire by Lindstedt et al. (2020). The following topics are assessed and scored: 1. Helpfulness of therapy-elements. Higher scores indicate less helpfulness 2. Patient-therapist-interaction. Higher scores indicate less positive experiences of interaction. 3. Treatment goals importance. Higher scores indicate less importance of proposed treatment goals. 4. Achievement of treatment goals. Higher scores indicate less achievement of proposed treatment goals. 5. Change in symptoms (before treatment vs. after treatment). Higher scores indicate more positive change in symptoms.
Satisfaction with treatment for parents (Likert scale items)At the end of treatment (FBT Arm-average: 10 Months; IMT Arm-average: 4 Months; both up to 12 months)Measured by an adapted version of the treatment satisfactory questionnaire by Krautter & Lock (2004). The questions assess the subjective effectiveness of the treatment and treatment satisfaction. Items are scored on all topics on a 5-point Likert scale (0= very ineffective; 4= very effective). Higher scores indicate higher effectiveness. Additionally, the following questions are scored on a 5-point Likert scale (0= not at all; 4= yes, totally) : 1. Do you agree that the team that treated your child is competent? 2. Would you recommend this treatment?
Satisfaction with treatment for parents (Free-text items)At the end of treatment (FBT Arm-average: 10 Months; IMT Arm-average: 4 Months; both up to 12 months)Measured by an adapted version of the treatment satisfactory questionnaire by Krautter & Lock (2004). The questions assess the subjective effectiveness of the treatment and treatment satisfaction. Two open questions (What did you find helpful in this treatment?; What did you not find helpful in this treatment?) can be answered via free-text.
SuicidalityAt the beginning of the study, at the end of treatment (FBT Arm-average: 10 Months; IMT Arm-average: 4 Months; both up to 12 months), 6 months after baseline and 12 months after baseline.Measured by asking first whether any suicidal thoughts or behaviors were present in the past 28 days (yes/no). The yes condition is followed up by several questions assessing the presence (yes/no) of: * passive suicidal thoughts. * active suicidal thoughts. * active suicidal thoughts with plan. * active suicidal thoughts with plan and preparation. * active suicidal thoughts with plan and intention to act upon it. * suicidal behaviors, stopped by oneself. * suicidal behaviors, stopped by others. * suicidal behaviors, carried out, light physical damage. * suicidal behaviors, carried out, medium physical damage. * suicidal behaviors, carried out, severe physical damage. * suicidal behaviors, carried out, death. Both children and parents are asked. The children answer for their own thoughts/behaviors, the parents for their child's thoughts/behaviors.
Change in quality of life6 months after baseline and 12 months after baseline.Measured by the EQ-5D-Y-5L. Items are scored on 5 levels (no problems to extreme problems) except one, which is scored on a vertical visual analogue scale (endpoints are the best health you can imagine and the worst health you can imagine). Higher scores indicate more problems.

Countries

Germany

Contacts

Primary ContactVerena K. Haas, Dr. oec. troph.
verena.haas@charite.de+4930 450 566 399
Backup ContactPiet E. Adler, M.Sc.
piet.adler@charite.de+4930 450 566 597

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026