RelieVRx maintained clinically meaningful effects six months after treatment for reducing pain intensity and pain-related interference with activity, stress and sleep
LOS ANGELES, July 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AppliedVR, an immersive therapeutics pioneer advancing a novel approach to medicine, today announced the results from a follow-up study that analyzed the durable effects of its flagship product, RelieVRx, which was recently granted marketing authorization by the FDA for chronic low back pain (CLBP).
The research was published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR) and reported the six-month follow-up results from a previous randomized controlled trial (RCT) of RelieVRx (formerly named EaseVRx). Researchers sought to evaluate the lasting effects of the RelieVRx eight-week, self-administered behavioral skills-based VR program versus sham VR in 188 adults with CLBP.
The AppliedVR study, which included surveys of RCT participants, found that RelieVRx yielded superior benefits six months after treatment compared to the VR sham control group across many of the pain-related indices measured. Specifically, the study highlighted:
Mean improvement in pain intensity six months after treatment was 31.3%;
Mean improvement in pain-related interference with activity, six months after treatment was 34.8%;
Mean improvement in pain-related interference with mood, six months after treatment was 39.2%;
Mean improvement in pain-related interference with sleep, six months after treatment was 44.5%; and
Mean improvement in pain-related interference with stress was 42.5%.
All of these results surpass the threshold to be considered "clinically meaningful" and provide key evidence that supports the efficacy of home-based VR treatment for providing durable pain relief. Researchers also found statistically significant improvements in study participants' physical function and sleep disturbance six months after treatment.
A 2020 study in the Journal of American Medical Association found that costs associated with lower-back and neck injury topped $134 billion, making it the highest-cost category of health spending in the country.
"Immersive VR therapeutics offer people experiencing pain a powerful, easy-to-use prescription treatment modality that teaches them the skills needed to self-regulate their chronic pain, and this study further validates how RelieVRx can be used safely by people in their homes to achieve lasting pain relief," said Josh Sackman, co-founder and president of AppliedVR. "The healthcare industry shouldn't expect people with chronic pain to always need expensive surgeries or a lifetime of taking pills to live a happier life, so healthcare stakeholders across the spectrum are looking for science-backed alternatives like VR. But we can't expect people to live their lives in VR headsets, so we are very encouraged by these results. Our commitment is to build an unparalleled body of evidence that shows VR can be an effective, accessible, scalable and long-lasting solution for everyone."
AppliedVR is currently building on its body of research with a new 1,000-participant RCT, which will look at healthcare utilization data via a claims data set in partnership with Komodo. Additionally, the study will evaluate the efficacy, durability and accessibility of VR for a broader, more diverse group of individuals across race, gender and socioeconomic status (SES).
About AppliedVR
AppliedVR is creating a new reality in healthcare. We are pioneering immersive therapeutics (ITx), a new category of medicine, to treat intractable health conditions such as chronic pain and behavioral and mental health disorders that affect millions of people worldwide. Today, AppliedVR's treatments represent a comprehensive approach to chronic pain that empowers patients with an intuitive device they can self-manage at home. AppliedVR's RelieVRx is the first VR-based, prescription therapeutic to receive Breakthrough Therapy Designation and De Novo authorization by the FDA for chronic lower back pain (CLBP). In addition to RelieVRx, AppliedVR's pain management and wellness programs have been trusted by more than 200 leading health systems and thousands of healthcare professionals globally, treating more than 60,000 patients. For more information, visit www.appliedvr.io.
Press Contact:
Sam Moore press@appliedvr.io
SOURCE AppliedVR
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