Virtual Reality for Cognitive Impairment in Hemodialysis (NCT06739187) | Clinical Trial Compass
Not Yet RecruitingPhase 2
Virtual Reality for Cognitive Impairment in Hemodialysis
Italy60 participantsStarted 2025-04-01
Plain-language summary
The goal of this randomized feasibility clinical trial is to identify participant recruitment and retention, acceptability, and adherence to virtual reality training in people undergoing hemodialysis. The main question it aims to answer is if virtual reality could be a feasible and acceptable intervention in this setting.
The investigators will compare participants on virtual reality training during the standard dialysis session with those treated with standard dialysis session alone to see if a cognitive training using immersive virtual reality in people on hemodialysis is feasible and acceptable.
Participants randomised in the intervention group will use virtual reality during the standard dialysis session for 30 minutes, three times a week for 12 weeks. The virtual reality intervention will consist of computerized cognitive training of 4 games. Each exercise delivered to the participant will specifically provide training in a specific cognitive category (memory, cognitive flexibility, processing, attention, and memory). Participants randomised in the control group will perform the standard hemodialysis session three times a week for 12 weeks, without using virtual reality.
Who can participate
Age range
18 Years – 75 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion Criteria:
* Adult participants aged 18 years or older and less than or equal to 75 years of age
* Receiving haemodialysis treatment for kidney failure for at least 90 days (permanent reduction in kidney function below an estimated glomerular filtration rate of 15 mL/minute per 1.73 m2)
* Able to provide written and informed consent
* Able to use the immersive virtual reality headset and follow instructions with sufficient motor, visual and auditory function to interact with the intervention
* Able to speak and understand Italian language
Exclusion Criteria:
* Severe cognitive impairment or psychiatric diseases leading to inability to follow instructions and use the virtual reality headset
* Significant nystagmus and/or vertigo leading to inability to tolerate the virtual reality headset
* Insufficient motor function to use the virtual reality system
* Hearing or visual disability
* Advanced or uncompensated chronic diseases unrelated to kidney failure (e.g. advanced cancer, heart failure, lung diseases with poor oxygen saturation)
* Other neurological diseases (ictus, Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia)
* Persistent pain or itch or who using opioids that may interfere with the tests or any other condition that the clinician may judge as influencing the results
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.