Somatic Symptom Disorder

Researchers are investigating how the medicine Filgotinib works to relieve pain in patients with moderate to severe active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study focuses on understanding two main factors influencing pain relief: brain pathways linked to central nervous system sensitization seen in fibromyalgia, and the inflammation surrounding joints and related immune signals. The study aims to clarify why Filgotinib may provide faster pain relief compared to other treatments by examining these mechanisms. Participants prescribed Filgotinib will be observed using advanced 7 Tesla MRI brain imaging to measure changes in brain connectivity and glutamate levels associated with pain processing. The study will assess Filgotinib's impact on both central nervous system pain pathways and peripheral inflammation over periods of up to 12 weeks. This observational test-retest design does not involve altering prescribed treatments but focuses on detailed imaging and biological assessments. During the study, participants will undergo brain MRIs and evaluations of joint inflammation through ultrasound and blood tests measuring cytokines and chemokines. They will also complete questionnaires on pain, fatigue, anxiety, sleep, and cognitive function. Researchers will monitor changes in these measures at intervals up to 12 weeks to understand how Filgotinib affects pain and related symptoms. Total participation time aligns with the 12-week observation period.

Trigger finger is a common pathology in the hand. Patients suffer from pain and depending on which tasks, patients have difficulty to perform them. Its treatment in initial and less serious phases includes conservative measures, but failure of these may require releasing the trigger finger with surgery. The surgical technique performed for trigger finger is the opening of the A1 pulley, the skin incisions used for this surgery are various (transverse, longitudinal, oblique). Trigger finger surgery presents good results in terms of resolution, but complications may also occur. The reason for this study is to assess whether there are functional differences using the Dash scale when we perform a transverse or longitudinal incision in trigger finger surgery.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth, and rates in the US are rising despite prevention efforts. Researchers are evaluating a digital platform called Vira to improve how care is delivered to adolescents at high risk for suicide. This platform aims to use smartphone data and secure communication tools to better understand and manage risk factors like psychological distress, anhedonia, behavioral withdrawal, and sleep problems in young people receiving intensive outpatient treatment. The study compares two groups of adolescent patients aged 13 to 18 years old who are in an intensive outpatient Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) program. One group uses the Vira platform, which collects data passively from smartphone sensors about activity, sleep, mobility, and mood-related language. Vira also prompts daily check-ins and supports practitioners with reminders to encourage behavior changes. The other group receives the usual treatment with the addition of a passive monitoring app called EARS. Participants will use their assigned app during their intensive outpatient treatment. Researchers will assess outcomes using tools like the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale and Scale for Suicidal Ideation over six months. Other measures include anxiety, risky behaviors, sleep quality, mood, and pleasure scales at three and six months. The study monitors clinical outcomes to determine if the digital platform enhances care for youth at risk of suicide.

Researchers are evaluating a cancer survivorship care intervention designed to help Chinese patients who have recently finished curative cancer treatment. This study uses a sequential multiple assessment randomized controlled trial (SMART) to assess how the intervention affects physical symptom distress, weight management, self-confidence in managing cancer, and overall health-related quality of life. The trial compares different approaches to survivorship care to find better ways to support patients after treatment. Participants are divided into groups receiving different types of support. One group attends a 120-minute survivorship clinic with a team including a nurse, dietitian, exercise physiologist, and psychologist, where they get personalized advice on symptom management, diet, exercise, and psychosocial issues. Another group receives skill-based pamphlets covering symptom management and lifestyle recommendations. Some participants who continue to struggle with symptoms or weight after initial care may receive a more personalized, step-up intervention focused on coaching to improve symptom relief and weight control. During the study, participants will be assessed at baseline and again at 4 and 12 months. Researchers will measure symptom distress, weight control, self-efficacy, fear of cancer recurrence, illness perception, and health-related quality of life. Participants will be monitored to see how their symptoms and quality of life change over time, helping to understand which care approaches work best. The total study period extends to the end of 2026, including follow-up assessments to track long-term effects.

Researchers are evaluating the use of an accelerated, intermittent theta burst stimulation (a-iTBS-rTMS) protocol targeting the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for people with Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures (PNES) or Seizure-Type Functional Neurologic Disorder (FND-seiz). This early-phase study aims to assess the feasibility, tolerability, and preliminary effects of this brain-network based treatment, which may help address the challenges and poor outcomes seen with current treatments. The study is open-label and focuses on improving seizure frequency and quality of life measures in this population. Participants will receive 6 to 10 sessions of theta burst TMS per day, each session consisting of 600 pulses, over 3 to 5 days, targeting a total of 30 sessions (18,000 pulses). Treatment is delivered using a MagVenture MagPro TMS System aimed at a specific brain region called Beam F3 to align with previous research and clinical practice. The sessions are spaced with 15-minute intervals, and the study includes a safety protocol developed with experts to monitor risks, including seizure induction. During the study, participants will be assessed through self-report measures before treatment and again four weeks after completing sessions. Researchers will track seizure frequency, stigma, quality of life, depression, PTSD, somatic symptoms, psychosocial functioning, and overall improvement. Safety is monitored daily during treatment and at follow-up. The total participation duration covers screening, treatment days, and a 4-week follow-up to evaluate the intervention's effects and tolerability.

This research aims to adapt a fatigue management program called the FACETS program, which combines cognitive-behavioral therapy and energy conservation techniques, specifically for adult patients living with sickle cell disease. The study focuses on evaluating the feasibility of this adapted program, named Drépa-FACETS, for managing fatigue symptoms in this population. Participants will take part in the Drépa-FACETS program designed for sickle cell disease. The program includes sessions and home exercises tailored to help manage fatigue. The study will monitor participants from enrollment through the end of the protocol visits over a 10-week period. During the study, participants will complete assessments and questionnaires to measure fatigue and their ability to follow the program. The research team will evaluate how well the program works for adults with sickle cell disease by tracking adherence and outcomes related to fatigue management over the course of the study.

Researchers are evaluating a mobile app called Blueprint that provides adaptive coping skills training to help survivors of serious cardiorespiratory conditions who have experienced psychological distress such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD. These conditions often occur after critical care in intensive care units for illnesses like ARDS, congestive heart failure, COVID pneumonia, and sepsis. The study aims to compare Blueprint's effects with an education program using mobile app platforms, focusing especially on racially and ethnically minoritized populations that are underrepresented in past research. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: one receiving the Blueprint mobile app intervention that delivers 4 weeks of coping skills training with weekly safety monitoring surveys, and the other receiving a mobile app-based education program providing condition-specific informational videos also over 4 weeks. Both groups receive complementary printed or PDF workbooks. The interventions are fully automated and self-guided, designed to adapt to symptom changes and are available in English and Spanish. During the 6-month follow-up period, participants will complete assessments including the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome inventory, quality of life measures, and stress surveys at baseline, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after starting the intervention. Safety is monitored through weekly surveys within the app. The study involves 400 adults who received ICU or stepdown care for serious cardiorespiratory illnesses and have elevated psychological distress after hospital discharge. The trial will provide insights into which app better improves mental health symptoms and quality of life.

This observational study evaluates the accuracy of the Okaya AI platform in detecting fatigue and depression among cardiology patients. It compares the platform's assessments to standard screening tools like the PHQ-9 and Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS). The study aims to address underdiagnosis of these symptoms by using advanced technology to analyze facial and vocal biomarkers during conversations. Participants will complete a single baseline check-in using the Okaya platform, which collects facial expressions, eye contact, speech pitch, volume, and patterns. These features are processed by computer vision and natural language processing to create an AI-based score that reflects fatigue and depression levels. Participants also complete the PHQ-9 and FAS questionnaires for comparison. No treatments or interventions are provided. During the study visit, participants undergo the Okaya assessment and complete the PHQ-9 and FAS questionnaires. Researchers will measure how well the AI-based score correlates with the traditional assessments and evaluate the usability and patient satisfaction with the platform. The study involves a one-time visit and concludes with analysis of baseline data. The total duration of participation is limited to this single assessment.

Researchers are investigating how emotional awareness, attachment style, and the ability to think abstractly and symbolize (IQ) may influence the development of somatic symptoms in children and adolescents. These symptoms, such as pain, weakness, and chronic fatigue, often lead patients to seek medical advice but may lack an identifiable organic cause. The study also aims to better understand psychological and family factors tied to chronic somatic symptoms and to measure health costs incurred during the diagnostic process before a formal diagnosis is made. The study involves pediatric patients aged 11 to 17 years who have somatic symptom disorders, along with their caregivers. Participants complete psychological assessments during their first consultation, including questionnaires evaluating emotional awareness, attachment style, and cognitive abilities. Parents also provide information through questionnaires about demographic, medical, psychological, and lifestyle factors. A control group of similar age and language proficiency without somatic symptoms is also included. Participants fill out various questionnaires during their enrollment visit to assess emotional, behavioral, and psychological factors, as well as pain perception and coping strategies. These assessments help researchers measure the primary outcomes related to emotional awareness, attachment, and IQ, along with several secondary outcomes such as stress, behavioral issues, and parental reflective functioning. The study helps identify markers for early diagnosis and guides more comprehensive care for affected youths.

Researchers are studying autonomic dysfunction in patients with functional dysphonia (FD), a voice disorder without clear organic cause, to better understand its underlying psychophysiology and improve therapy options. The study includes both a case-control comparison with vocally healthy individuals matched by age and gender, and a randomized controlled trial to evaluate a novel autonomic nervous system (ANS) regulation therapy alongside conventional voice therapy (CVT). The goal is to assess the frequency of symptoms related to autonomic dysfunction and compare treatment effects on voice and autonomic function. The trial involves three treatment groups for patients with FD: ANS regulation therapy using heart rate variability biofeedback, conventional voice therapy (CVT), and a combination of both therapies. Each participant practices daily for 20 minutes over one month, including one weekly clinic session supervised by a therapist and home sessions tracked by specialized apps and heart rate monitors. The ANS therapy focuses on personalized slow-paced breathing exercises, while the CVT includes voice education, hygiene, posture, breathing, and vocal exercises. Participants will be assessed before treatment, immediately after one month of therapy, and at three months follow-up. Evaluations include physiological measures like heart rate variability, respiration rate, skin conductance, and psychological questionnaires related to stress and anxiety. Voice assessments include the Dysphonia Severity Index, acoustic voice quality, and patient-reported voice outcomes. The study aims to monitor changes in autonomic and voice function over time to inform future treatment approaches for FD.