Not yet recruitingNAINTERVENTIONAL

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

This study is looking at a new type of virtual reality (VR) program called ZenctuaryVR+ for people in palliative care. Many patients in palliative care experience difficult symptoms like pain, tiredness, and anxiety, which can make their quality of life much worse. The VR program is designed to distract the brain from these symptoms by creating an immersive experience where patients can interact with a calming virtual world. Unlike other VR studies that just involve watching videos, this program allows patients to do simple actions like picking up virtual objects. The main goal is to see if this interactive VR can effectively reduce pain and distress, making a positive difference in their daily lives. It's a small, initial study to decide if a larger trial should go ahead.

At a glance

Status

Not yet recruiting

Phase

Sponsor

University Hospital, Strasbourg, France

Enrolment target

Start

01 Sep 2026

Estimated completion

01 Mar 2027

Palliative Care Refractory Pain Anxiety Depression Disorders Fatigue, Mental Psychological Distress

What is this study about?

This research is looking into a new way to help people who are receiving palliative care. Palliative care is given to people with serious illnesses, often to help them feel more comfortable and improve their quality of life, especially in their final months. Many people in this situation often experience a challenging combination of symptoms, such as severe pain, extreme tiredness, anxiety, and depression. These symptoms can be very distressing and make life much harder.

The study is testing a special interactive virtual reality (VR) program called ZenctuaryVR+. The idea behind it is that by deeply engaging your mind and senses in a virtual world, your brain gets distracted from pain signals. Imagine being so absorbed in a game or a beautiful scene that your mind has less room to focus on discomfort. This kind of "immersive distraction" can help activate parts of your brain that make you feel good and reduce activity in areas linked to pain.

What makes ZenctuaryVR+ different from other VR programs used in palliative care is that it's interactive. Most VR programs in this area let you just watch a 360-degree video. But with ZenctuaryVR+, you can actually do simple things in the virtual world, like grabbing or dropping virtual objects in a peaceful natural setting. The researchers hope that being able to interact with the virtual environment will give patients a better sense of control and dignity, potentially leading to even better relief from their difficult symptoms. This is a small, initial study to see if the VR program works well enough to be tested in a much larger group of people later on.

Key takeaways

This study explores interactive VR for palliative care symptoms.
It aims to distract the brain from pain, anxiety, and distress.
Patients can interact with objects in a calming virtual world.
It's a small, initial study to see if a larger trial is worthwhile.
Participation involves daily VR sessions for about two weeks.

Who may be eligible?

To be considered for this study, you need to be an adult patient (aged 18 or older) who is currently receiving care at the USP - HUS hospital. You should also be expected to live for at least another month, based on your medical information.

It's important that you can understand what the study involves and any potential risks, and that you're able to complete questionnaires in French. Your thinking and memory skills will be checked to make sure you can fully take part, and you shouldn't have any serious psychiatric conditions or uncontrolled epilepsy. Also, your vision and hearing need to be good enough to comfortably use the virtual reality equipment.

You wouldn't be able to join the study if you have certain psychiatric illnesses, uncontrolled epilepsy, or severe vision or hearing problems that would stop you from using VR. Also, if you are under court protection, you wouldn't be able to participate.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you 18 years old or older and a patient at USP - HUS hospital?
Do you have an estimated life expectancy of at least one month?
Do you feel you understand study information and can complete forms in French?
Do you not have uncontrolled epilepsy or severe vision/hearing problems that prevent VR use?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you join the study, you would use the ZenctuaryVR+ virtual reality program. It is planned for you to have 14 daily sessions. For each session, you would aim to use the VR for at least 7.5 minutes. During this time, you would be able to interact with objects in a calming virtual environment. The study staff would guide you through how to use the equipment. Before starting, you would have a familiarisation session to get used to the VR. You would also complete questionnaires, in French, to assess your symptoms and experiences. There are no specific medications involved in the study itself, as it focuses on the VR program. The total duration for your active involvement in the study would be approximately 14 days, with follow-up based on your usual palliative care schedule.

Potential risks and benefits

Taking part in this study may offer potential benefits, such as a reduction in pain, anxiety, and other distressing symptoms through the immersive virtual reality experience. The interactive nature of the VR might also help you feel more in control. As with any new treatment, there could be some risks, such as feeling disoriented or experiencing discomfort from wearing the VR device, though these are usually mild and temporary. The study will carefully monitor for any unexpected or serious side effects. You have the right to withdraw from the study at any time, for any reason, without it affecting your usual medical care.

Locations (1)

Hôpitaux Universitaires de Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg
Verified postcode
Strasbourg, France

Common questions

What is ZenctuaryVR+?

It's an interactive virtual reality program designed to distract the brain from symptoms like pain and anxiety by immersing you in a calming virtual world.

How is this different from other VR?

Unlike simply watching 360-degree videos, ZenctuaryVR+ allows you to actively interact with the virtual environment, like grabbing virtual objects.

What symptoms is it trying to help?

It's aimed at helping with common symptoms in palliative care such as pain, tiredness, anxiety, depression, and general distress.

How often would I use the VR?

The plan is to use the VR program daily, with each session lasting at least 7.5 minutes, over a total of 14 days.

Is this a guaranteed treatment?

No, this is a pilot study to see if the program is safe and effective enough to be tested in larger studies. It's not a guaranteed treatment.

How to find out more

Laurent CALVEL, PU-PH

laurent.calvel@chru-strasbourg.fr +33(0)6.28.07.12.74 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.