Newly funded I-WOTCH Study on opioid withdrawal for chronic pain

Strong opioids are increasingly being prescribed for chronic non-malignant pain including expensive transdermal preparations. However there is limited data supporting the effectiveness of long term use, with adverse effects often outweighing the benefits of long term opioid treatment for pain. The National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) has funded a new multi-centre randomised controlled trial: I-WOTCH (Improving the Wellbeing of people with Opioid Treated CHronic pain).

The study will test the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of a multi-component self-management intervention targeting withdrawal of strong opioids in comparison to best usual care (the control intervention) for people living with chronic non-malignant pain. The intervention will include a group educational programme based on cognitive behavioural principles plus 1-1 support with a trained I-WOTCH nurse.

We will be recruiting eligible participants from primary care by initially searching and screening of GP lists from those GP practices that are recruited to the study. Eligible patients who provide consent will be randomised and then followed up at base line, 4, 8 and 12 months. Our primary outcome measure is activities of daily living and main secondary outcome measure is opioid use. Other secondary outcomes include pain, sleep, quality of life and resource use. 

We will also be recruiting nurses, and training them to deliver the I-WOTCH intervention with lay facilitators.

The study will commence September 1^st 2016.

If your GP practice is interested in the study or you would like further information please contact: Dr Harbinder Sandhu, Associate Professor, Warwick Clinical Trials Unit, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick Email: harbinder.k.sandhu@warwick.ac.uk phone: 02476 574939

Funding Acknowledgement: This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research HTA (project number 14/224/04)