Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT03621761

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Modafinil, or Both for Multiple Sclerosis Fatigue

This clinical trial will compare the effectiveness of 3 treatments for fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis: 1) a commonly used behavioral treatment strategy (telephone-based cognitive behavioral therapy), 2) a commonly used medication (modafinil), and 3) a combination of both therapies. Each participant will receive one of these 3 treatments for a total of 12 weeks. Hypotheses are that, at 12 weeks, treatment with combination therapy will overall lead to greater reductions in fatigue impact, fatigue severity, and fatigability compared to monotherapy, and that comorbid depression, sleep disturbances, and baseline disability level will be important effect modifiers that influence treatment effect and adherence.

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Multiple Sclerosis Autoimmune Diseases Autoimmune Diseases of the Nervous System Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases, CNS Demyelinating Diseases Fatigue Immune System Diseases Nervous System Diseases Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 4

Primary location

The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States

Loading trial locations.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Patients with clinically definite Multiple Sclerosis (MS, all MS subtypes);
  • Age 18 years or older;
  • Presence of chronic, problematic fatigue that, in the opinion of the patient, has interfered with their daily activities for ≥ 3 months;
  • Average Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) score greater or equal to 4 at screening.

Exclusion criteria

  • Current shift work sleep disorder, or narcolepsy diagnosed with polysomnography and multiple sleep latency test
  • History of MS relapse within the last 30 days prior to screening (participants will be considered eligible after the 30-day window);
  • Current stimulant or wake-promoting agent use (such as amantadine, modafinil, methylphenidate, or amphetamine) within 30 days of screening;
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding;
  • Reliance on hormonal contraception AND concomitant unwillingness to use alternative non-hormonal means of birth control (spermicide or condoms) during the course of the study;
  • Current suicidal ideation (SI) with intent or plan;
  • Known hypersensitivity to modafinil or armodafinil or its inactive ingredients;
  • History of the following cardiovascular conditions: recent myocardial infarction (last 6 months prior to screening), unstable angina, left ventricular hypertrophy, mitral valve prolapse, NYHA class III or IV congestive heart failure;
  • History of prescription or illicit stimulant abuse (such as cocaine, amphetamine, methamphetamine);
  • Any other medical, neurological, or psychiatric condition that, in the opinion of the investigators, could affect participant safety or eligibility.

Treatment and study plan

Telephone-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Behavioral

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a behavioral-based treatment that promotes effective self-management skills, including adaptive thought processes and behaviors (i.e. "coping skills"). CBT also commonly teaches goal-setting and behavioral activation strategies for engaging in physical, social, and other valued activities in the context of fatigue.

Modafinil

Drug

Modafinil is a safe, well-tolerated and effective wake-promoting agent (oral medication) that is FDA-approved for the treatment of fatigue related to sleep disorders. Modafinil is also one of the most commonly used medications for multiple sclerosis related fatigue in clinical practice, with doses ranging from 50 - 400 mg per day, in divided doses (once to twice daily).

Other names: Provigil

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) Score

    Time frame: Baseline-12 weeks

    The Modified Fatigue Impact Scale is a 21-item self-report survey. Each item is rated 0-4, Total scores range from 0-84. . Higher scores indicate a greater impact of fatigue on a person's activities. The primary outcome measure will be the mean within-subject difference between baseline and 12-week Modified Fatigue Impact Scale values (delta-MFIS), compared between the 3 treatment groups.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in Fatigue Intensity as Assessed by Self-reported Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) Score.

    Time frame: Baseline-12 weeks

    Fatigue intensity was assessed using a wearable monitor, the PRO-Diary (CamNtech) - a wrist-worn accelerometer-based activity monitor which also contains a self-report user interface. Using a 0-10 numerical rating scale, participants entered fatigue intensity ratings into the user-interface on the PRO-Diary 4 times each day, for 7 days, at baseline (pre-intervention) and at 12 weeks post-intervention. All scores over the 7 days were averaged to produce an aggregate fatigue intensity score. Higher scores indicate greater fatigue intensity. Change in fatigue intensity between baseline and 12 weeks was compared between the 3 treatment groups.

  2. Change in Fatigue Interference as Assessed by Self-reported Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) Score

    Time frame: Baseline-12 weeks

    Fatigue interference will be assessed using a wearable monitor, the PRO-Diary (CamNtech) - a wrist-worn accelerometer-based activity monitor which also contains a self-report user interface. Using a 0-10 numerical rating scale, participants entered fatigue interference ratings into the user-interface on the PRO-Diary 4 times each day, for 7 days, at baseline (pre-intervention) and at 12 weeks post-intervention. All scores over the 7 days were averaged to produce an aggregate fatigue impact score. Higher scores indicate greater fatigue impact. Change in fatigue interference between baseline and 12 weeks will be compared between the 3 treatment groups.

  3. Change in Fatigability as Assessed by the Self-reported Fatigue Intensity Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) Score and Physical Activity Level

    Time frame: Baseline-12 weeks

    Fatigability will be assessed using a wearable monitor, the PRO-Diary (CamNtech) - a wrist-worn accelerometer-based activity monitor which also contains a self-report user interface. The fatigability score will be calculated as the ratio of the self-reported fatigue intensity rating (using a 0-10 numerical rating score) divided by the participant's concurrent physical activity level (measured as the average number of activity counts per minute via actigraphy). All fatigability scores will be averaged over the 7 days to create an aggregate fatigability score. Higher scores indicate greater fatigability. Change in fatigability between baseline and 12 weeks will be compared between the 3 treatment groups.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Michigan

Other

Collaborators

  • National Multiple Sclerosis Society
  • Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
  • University of Washington

Registry information

Official study title

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Telephone-delivered Cognitive Behavioral-therapy, Modafinil, and Combination Therapy of Both Interventions for Fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis

Acronym: COMBO-MS

Important dates

Study start
2018
Primary completion
2021
Study completion
2021
First posted
Aug 8, 2018
Registry last updated
Dec 27, 2022

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.