Treatment of Panic Disorder Via Internet With a Wireless Temperature Biofeedback Ring

Chimei Medical Center

Status: Terminated

Conditions: Panic Disorder

Treatments: Behavioral: biofeedback (finger temperature biofeedback); Behavioral: relaxation

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT00825136

IRB 09707-001

Details and patient eligibility

About

Internet plays a more and more important role in many applications of healthcare. Many researches on the integrations of internet and mental health care have been proposed in recent years. This project aims at the development of an online treatment system which combines the biofeedback therapy and the web technologies to treat the patients suffering from panic disorder with partial response to medications. This project also evaluates the efficacy of a new- designed wireless temperature biofeedback ring.

Full description

The participants should be chronic panic patients. They login an web-based server and practice muscle relaxation on-line every day. There will be two two parallel groups: one group practicing muscle relaxation only and the other practicing muscle relaxation with finger surface temperature monitor through a wireless biofeedback ring.

Enrollment: 10 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 60 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. The participant must fulfill DSM-IV criteria for panic disorder.
2. The participant must be between 18 and 60 years of age.
3. The participant must have panic disorder as the primary problem.
4. If the participant is taking prescribed drugs for panic disorder, a) the dosage have to be constant for 2 months before starting treatment, and b) the participant have to agree to keep the dosage constant for 1 month after starting treatment.
5. If the participant was already in therapy, the contact must have lasted at least 6 months and not be based on cognitive behavior therapy.
6. All participants have access to a computer with an Internet connection.

Exclusion criteria

1. The participant suffers from any other psychiatric disorder in immediate need of treatment.
2. The participant fulfills DSM-IV criteria for major depression.
3. The participant has epilepsy, kidney problems, strokes, organic brain syndrome, emphysema, heart disorders, or chronic hypertension. 4. The participant has alcoholism.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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10 participants in 2 patient groups

relaxation

Active Comparator group

Description:

The patients of this arm practice on-line muscle relaxation for 8 weeks.

Treatment:

Behavioral: relaxation

relaxation & biofeedback

Experimental group

Description:

The patients of this arm practice on-line muscle relaxation plus finger temperature biofeedback for 8 weeks.

Treatment:

Behavioral: relaxation

Behavioral: biofeedback (finger temperature biofeedback)