Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) to Treat Chronic Pruritus
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Chronic Pruritus. Basic parameters: 18 years — 75 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Switzerland
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Official title
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) to Treat Chronic Pruritus in a Multidisciplinary Tertiary Care Setting- a Feasibility Study
Overview
Pruritus is a common symptom of numerous dermatological and non-dermatological conditions. Current treatments for chronic pruritus (CP) are often not fully effective and may have burdensome side effects. Recently, the trauma exposure technique Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) that is recommended as first line treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder has been reported to be also effective in the treatment of CP in anecdotal clinical case observations. However, to the best of the investigator's knowledge, the efficacy of EMDR in CP has not yet been systematically explored. This study aims at addressing this unmet need in a prospective pilot study comparing EMDR versus treatment as usual (TAU).
Interventions
- Behavioral Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
EMDR is a psychotherapeutic approach originally designed for individuals suffering from trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It facilitates the processing of memories through a structured eight-phase treatment, involving the patient's focused attention on traumatic images, thoughts, and sensations while simultaneously engaging in bilateral stimulation, typically through guided eye movements. This process aims to reduce the emotional distress associated with aversive memories, promot
Primary outcome measures
- Adherence (%) [Time frame: up to 8 month]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Provided written informed consent
- Age 18 to 75 years
- Skindex-29 (questionnaire) symptoms subscale ≥42
- Confirmed diagnosis CP
- Itch intensity of min. ≥ 4 on the 0-10 numerical rating scale within the last 7 days
- Stable course of treatment in the two weeks prior to the study
Exclusion criteria
- Inability to follow the procedures of the study, e.g. due to language problems, severe psychiatric disorders such as delusional disorder, suicidality or dementia.
- Patients on phototherapy
- Acute attacks of an autoimmune disease such as Crohn's disease
- Serious cardiac disease
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Allocation
- Non-randomized
- Model
- Parallel assignment
- Masking
- Open label
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
Study locations
Switzerland · 1 center
- University Hospital Basel — Basel
Identifiers
NCT: NCT06771375 · 2024-02597, th24schaefert