Feasibility of a psychological intervention for rDKA

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    A pilot study to assess the feasibility of an attachment focused psychological intervention for patients with recurrent diabetic ketoacidosis (rDKA)

  • IRAS ID

    193405

  • Contact name

    CJ Garrett

  • Contact email

    christopher.garrett@kcl.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    King's College London

  • ISRCTN Number

    ISRCTN33956728

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    1 years, 3 months, 20 days

  • Research summary

    For a small, but high risk sub-population of type 1 diabetes patients, diabetes self-management is extremely difficult and characterised by recurrent admissions with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), which is an acute, potentially life-threatening presentation with hyperglycaemia and ketosis. Most of these admissions are related to patients omitting their insulin either as primary or secondary factor. This study aims to assess the feasibility of using mentalization based therapy (an attachment focused psychological treatment) for patients with recurrent diabetic ketoacidosis (rDKA) due to insulin omission. Eight patients will be given 40 sessions of individual once weekly therapy.\nFeasibilty will be assessed in 2 parts. Part A) will assess whether a randomised controlled trial would get sufficient referrals from units in a 10 mile catchment area. Using contacts with diabetes departments in London we will ask for their participation in counting the numbers of potential subjects and ask them to fill a questionnaire about participation on willingness to refer patients to a psychological intervention to reduce insulin omission and rDKA admissions. Part B) will assess the feasibility of the psychological intervention through questionnaires for potential subjects, effect size of intervention, attendance rate and a recorded semi-structured interview before and after therapy.

  • REC name

    West Midlands - South Birmingham Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    16/WM/0288

  • Date of REC Opinion

    28 Jun 2016

  • REC opinion

    Favourable Opinion