Clinical Trial

Single Arm, Monocentric, Pilot Feasibility Study on an Interactive Virtual Reality Program in 20 Complex In-clinic Palliative Care Patients

Study acronym: ZENCTUARY_VR+
Not Yet Recruiting
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Summary
Palliative care patients frequently face a "symptom cluster" of pain (up to 96%), fatigue (up to 90%), and anxiety (up to 79%), which severely degrades their quality of life in their final months.The study is built on the concept of passive exposure therapy (VREP), which engages multiple senses to distract the brain from pain signals. By creating an "immersive distraction" or a "flow state," VR can activate the brain's reward networks and reduce activity in areas associated with pain perception. Unlike most existing VR research in palliative care which uses "passive" VR (like watching a 360-degree video), this study uses interactive VR. Patients can perform simple actions-like grabbing or dropping virtual objects-within a calming natural environment, which may better support their sense of autonomy and dignity. Because this is a pilot study, the "Go/No-Go" decision for future larger trials depends on a strict composite of three factors: * Adherence: The patient must complete at least 11 out of 14 planned daily sessions. * Duration: Each session must average at least 7.5 minutes of usable VR exposure. * Tolerance: The patient must experience no device-related serious adverse events and maintain a high average tolerance score (VRISE score ≥ 25).
Trial Details
NCT Number NCT07545928
Lead Sponsor University Hospital, Strasbourg, France
Collaborators: Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design
Conditions Palliative Care, Refractory Pain, Anxiety, Depression Disorders, Fatigue, Mental, Psychological Distress
Enrollment 20 participants
Start Date 2026-09-01
Primary Completion 2027-03-01 (estimated)
Study Completion 2027-03-01 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov 2026-04-22