The Efficacy of WeChat-based Multidisciplinary Full-course Nutritional Management Program

Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College

Status: Completed

Conditions: Ovarian Cancer

Treatments: Behavioral: Nutrition intervention model based on WeChat applets

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06379191

ZS-3411

Details and patient eligibility

About

As the most malignant type of cancer in the female reproductive system, ovarian cancer (OC) has become the second leading cause of death among Chinese women. Chemotherapy is the main treatment for OC patients, and its numerous adverse effects can easily lead to malnutrition. It is difficult to centrally manage OC patients in the intervals between chemotherapy. The utility of WeChat, an effective and more cost-efficient mobile tool, in chronic disease management has been highlighted.

Full description

Ovarian cancer (OC) is the most malignant type of tumor in the female reproductive system with poor prognosis. According to the latest statistics, there are 196,000 estimated OC cases, 45,000 estimated new cases, and 29,000 estimated OC deaths in China, making this disease become the second leading cause of death among Chinese women.

Approximately 90% of patients with OC receive chemotherapy. The carboplatin-paclitaxel combination as a first-line chemotherapy regimen for OC has shown considerable efficacy over the past 30 years. Unfortunately, one of the major adverse effects of chemotherapy is malnutrition. Malnutrition is defined as a nutritional condition in which deficiencies of energy, protein and other nutrients have measurable adverse effects on tissue/body form, function and clinical outcomes. The most common adverse effects of chemotherapy, including anorexia, altered taste and smell, food aversions, nausea and vomiting, mucositis, xerostomia, constipation, diarrhea and early satiety, negatively affect nutritional status. Malnutrition has been shown to be one of the leading causes of death in OC patients. It not only severely diminishes the efficacy of treatment, but leads to increased complications, decreased quality of life, prolonged hospitalization, increased healthcare costs, and shorter survival time. However, existing nutritional interventions lack personalized guidance for patients' nutritional status and symptoms during chemotherapy. In addition, it is difficult to centrally manage patients who are homebound between chemotherapy. Therefore, the construction of personalized nutritional management programs and the development of innovative telemedicine interventions for OC patients undergoing chemotherapy has become an urgent issue.

WeChat, a very popular social application in China, has more than 1 billion monthly active users. It is easy to operate and offers multiple functions such as text and voice messaging, free voice and video calls, group chats, subscription to public accounts and applets, etc. WeChat has been demonstrated to be an effective and more cost-efficient technological tool for chronic disease management. Currently, the application of WeChat in cancer patients mainly focuses on discharge follow-up, symptom management, cancer prevention, and intervention of psychological problems. The effect of WeChat application in nutritional management of cancer patients has not been explored. Therefore, the aim of this study was to implement a continuous follow-up strategy and health monitoring based on a WeChat platform for OC patients undergoing chemotherapy during the chemotherapy interval to ensure that each phase of chemotherapy is delivered on schedule and to improve the survival rate of cancer patients.

Enrollment: 78 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

≥18 years

Pathologically confirmed ovarian cancer

Paclitaxel combined with carboplatin as a chemotherapy regimen

Normal cognitive ability and proficiency in the use of WeChat

Exclusion criteria

Malignant tumor of another system

Serious illness or failure of vital organs such as the heart, lungs, liver and kidneys

Receiving enteral or parenteral nutritional support

Trial design

Primary purpose: Health Services Research

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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78 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

usual care group

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

Upon admission, patients were provided with admission counselling, explained the complications associated with chemotherapy, and given a chemotherapy care booklet and a leaflet on diet and nutrition. Before discharge, the patients were given the nutritional guidebook again. Responsible nurses made one telephone follow-up visit between chemotherapy sessions.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Nutrition intervention model based on WeChat applets

Intervention group

Experimental group

Description:

Patients were instructed to search for the "Good Nutrition" applet on WeChat and added it to their "My Applets" for easy access. The patient was informed of the users' nameand password. The patient was introduced to the main functional sections of the applet and the content settings of each section to become familiar with the applet. Patients were invited to join our nutrition management group chat. At the same time, patients were allowed to choose to have a private chat with a member of the nutrition management team via WeChat at any time.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Nutrition intervention model based on WeChat applets