Overview
The goal of this feasibility study is to determine the feasibility of a patient self-management app (MinUrinsyregikt) for patients with gout. The primary objectives of the study are:
- To determine the feasibility of a patient self-management app for patients with gout receiving GP follow-up.
- To determine the feasibility of conducting a future randomised controlled trial to test the effectiveness of the app for patients with gout in primary care.
Participants will be asked to test the self-management app for 3 months. Data will be collected from the participants and their GPs.
Description
The study is a single-group, decentralized feasibility study over 3 months with pre- and post-intervention measurements and data collections through the app. Patients and GPs will be recruited from primary care throughout Norway. 20-50 adults with a gout diagnosis, serum urate level \>360 μmol/L, and an indication for urate lowering therapy will be included in the study.
The patients will receive self-management support from the 'MinUrinsyregikt'-app in addition to usual follow-up from their GP. The study coordinator will provide instructions on how to download and use the app. The patients will register the following information in the app: whether they have tophi, type of urate lowering medication and dose, medical adherence, flares, and the serum urate level from the monthly blood test. The app will provide information about the date for the next blood test, reminders for blood tests and medication, and advice to contact their GP if the urate level is too high. The GPs will be responsible for the medical follow-up of the patients and will not have access to information from the app.
Data will be collected from participants through digital questionnaires at baseline. After 3 months participants and GPs will be asked to answer a digital questionnaire and be invited to participate in semi-structured interviews about their experiences with app-supported follow-up for gout.
Eligibility
Patients are eligible to be included in the study only if all the following criteria apply:
- Adults ≥18 years of age at screening
- Patients with a clinical diagnosis of gout
- Serum urate level \>360 µmol/L at inclusion
- Indication for urate lowering therapy assessed by medical doctor
- Having a smartphone/tablet
Patients are excluded from the study if any of the following criteria apply:
- Pregnant or breastfeeding
- Contraindication for urate lowering therapy
- Does not understand Norwegian language
- Major co-morbidities (e.g., malignancies, severe chronic kidney disease, severe mental disorders)
