Suspended

An Electronic Pillbox for People With HIV

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What is being tested

MedSignals™

Device
Who is being recruted

HIV Infections

Over 18 Years
+10 Eligibility Criteria

See all eligibility criteria

How is the trial designed

Treatment Study

Phase 1
Interventional
Study Start: October 2003

See protocol details

Summary

Principal SponsorNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Last updated: September 26, 2008
Sourced from a government-validated database.Claim as a partner
Study start date: October 1, 2003Actual date on which the first participant was enrolled.

Anti-HIV drug regimens can be very complicated. This study will evaluate a new electronic pillbox designed to help people take their anti-HIV drugs correctly. Recent advances in antiretroviral therapy have allowed for almost complete inhibition of viral replication in HIV-infected individuals. Unfortunately, the ability of the virus to rapidly mutate and become resistant to treatments necessitates the administration of multiple medications, in complex dosing schedules, to maintain viral suppression. Although adherence to these complicated treatment regimens is paramount, even the most vigilant persons often have difficulty maintaining these protocols for extended periods of time. MedSignals™ is an electronic device that was designed to improve medication compliance among HIV patients. It allows convenient storage and transport of antiretroviral medications and functions as an aid to compliance by incorporating reminding alarms at dosing times and usage reporting functions. The system alarms at pill times, records pill-taking, communicates usage data to servers, and displays progress charts on personalized web pages. Four separately-controlled compartments are easily set for number of dosings per day and number of pills at each dosing. Thereafter, all alarms are relative to last lid openings, assuring intake is optimally spaced. Additional menu options can be set to advise when lids are opened, such as "take with food." Lid openings are time-stamped in memory. The cradle is permanently plugged into telephone and electrical lines for uploading of data and recharging, but the pillbox is portable and pocket-sized. Every day, sensors detect a phone line and upload usage data to servers, allowing authorized caregivers or the patient to observe compliance records. This trial will evaluate MedSignals' usability and functionality in increasing medication compliance in people infected with HIV. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three study groups; each group will contain 25 participants. One group will use MedSignals with all of its features, one group will use MedSignals with only alarm features, and the final group will not use any device. Participants will have 4 study visits over 9 weeks and one follow-up telephone call after 6 months. Assessments will include demographic and usability questionnaires.

Official TitleA Novel Technology to Improve HIV Medication Compliance 
Principal SponsorNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Last updated: September 26, 2008
Sourced from a government-validated database.Claim as a partner

Protocol

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.
Design Details
75 patients to be enrolledTotal number of participants that the clinical trial aims to recruit.
Treatment Study
These studies test new ways to treat a disease, condition, or health issue. The goal is to see if a new drug, therapy, or approach works better or has fewer side effects than existing options.

How participants are assigned to different groups/arms
In this clinical study, participants are placed into groups randomly, like flipping a coin. This ensures that the study is fair and unbiased, making the results more reliable. By assigning participants by chance, researchers can better compare treatments without external influences.

Other Ways to Assign Participants
Non-randomized allocation: Participants are assigned based on specific factors, such as their medical condition or a doctor's decision.
None (Single-arm trial): If the study has only one group, all participants receive the same treatment, and no allocation is needed.

How treatments are given to participants
Participants are divided into different groups, each receiving a specific treatment at the same time. This helps researchers compare how well different treatments work against each other.

Other Ways to Assign Treatments
Single-group assignment: Everyone gets the same treatment.
Cross-over assignment: Participants switch between treatments during the study.
Factorial assignment: Participants receive different combinations of treatments.
Sequential assignment: Participants receive treatments one after another in a specific order, possibly based on individual responses.
Other assignment: Treatment assignment does not follow a standard or predefined design.

How the effectiveness of the treatment is controlled
In a non placebo-controlled study, no participants receive an inert substance (placebo) to compare outcomes. Instead, all participants receive either the experimental treatment or an alternative treatment (often the Standard of Care). This method allows researchers to compare the effects of the experimental treatment with those of a different active intervention, rather than a placebo.

Other Options
Placebo-Controlled: A placebo is used to compare the effects of the experimental treatment with those of an inert substance, isolating the true treatment effect.

How the interventions assigned to participants is kept confidential
Participants do not know which treatment they are receiving, but researchers do. This helps prevent bias from participants' expectations while still allowing researchers to monitor the study closely.

Other Ways to Mask Information
Open-label: Everyone knows which treatment is being given.
Double-blind: Neither participants nor researchers know which treatment is given.
Triple-blind: Participants, researchers, and outcome assessors do not know which treatment is given.
Quadruple-blind: Participants, researchers, outcome assessors, and care providers all do not know which treatment is given.

Eligibility

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria: person's general health condition or prior treatments.
Conditions
Criteria
Any sexBiological sex of participants that are eligible to enroll.
Over 18 YearsRange of ages for which participants are eligible to join.
Healthy volunteers not allowedIf individuals who are healthy and do not have the condition being studied can participate.
Conditions
Pathology
HIV Infections
Criteria
7 inclusion criteria required to participate
HIV-infected for at least six months prior to study entry
Currently taking at least one and not more than four antiretroviral medications (not including medications for prophylaxis or unrelated disorders)
Understand the benefits of antiviral medications in reducing viral load, boosting immune response, and preventing opportunistic infections
Desire to take all antiretroviral medication as scheduled

Show More Criteria

3 exclusion criteria prevent from participating
Require assistance dispensing or taking medications
Require full or part time assistance with the activities of daily living
Does not intend to take all anti-HIV medication over the course of the study

Study Plan

Find out more about all the medication administered in this study, their detailed description and what they involve.
Treatment Groups
Study Objectives
3 intervention groups 

are designated in this study

This study does not include a placebo group 

Treatment Groups
Group I
Experimental
Participants will use MedSignals with all of its features
Group II
Experimental
Participants will use MedSignals with only alarm features
Group III
No Intervention
Participants will not use any device
Study Objectives
Primary Objectives

Study Centers

These are the hospitals, clinics, or research facilities where the trial is being conducted. You can find the location closest to you and its status.
This study has 1 location
Suspended
LIFETECHniques, Inc.Santa Barbara, United StatesSee the location
SuspendedOne Study Center