Virtual Reality As Adjunct Therapy for Vaso-Occlusive Pain

Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age8-21
SponsorLouisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans

About this trial

The goal of this randomized control clinical trial is to learn if virtual reality can be used to treat sickle cell pain in children. The main questions it aims to answer are:

Does virtual reality reduce pain severity during a child's hospital stay for a vaso-occlusive pain crisis?

Does virtual reality decrease the daily use of opiates?

Researchers will compare standard therapy to the use of standard therapy plus a daily virtual reality experience to see if virtual reality works to treat sickle cell pain.

All patients will:

\- Be asked to fill out a pain assessment survey three times daily for up to 3 days

If randomized to intervention arm, patients will:

* Participate in an immersive virtual reality experience once daily for up to 3 days * Fill out a survey twice daily to monitor for side effects from virtual reality experience * Fill out a satisfaction survey once during the study period

Eligibility criteria

Qualifiers

Patient ≥ 8 up to 21 years of age

Presenting to CHNOLA ER or outside facility with chief complaint of vaso-occlusive pain crisis, requiring inpatient admission for further pain management

No known cognitive or neurological deficits

Parental/guardian permission (informed consent) and if appropriate, child assent.

Disqualifiers

Patients aged 7-years-old and younger.

Patents upon admission found to have sequela of their sickle cell disease that would require medical therapy greater than the standard of care for a vaso-occlusive pain event. This includes acute chest syndrome, splenic sequestration, post-operative pain, and/or cerebrovascular accident

Patients who are developmentally or cognitively incapable of using VR equipment and answering questions appropriately

Failure to obtain or refusal to provide parental/guardian permission (informed consent) and if appropriate child assent

Trial design

Treatments tested in this trial

  • KindVR Aqua Program

Treatment groups

36 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groups