PRE-OP BIRDS - Pilot RCT
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Preoperative Behavioural Intervention to Reduce Drinking before elective orthopaedic Surgery: A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial
IRAS ID
222453
Contact name
Christopher Snowden
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN36257982
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 2 months, 30 days
Research summary
The majority of patients undergoing elective knee and hip replacement surgery are over 65 years of age. Unfortunately, older patients have an increased risk of complications following these types of operations. Reducing other factors that may also contribute to this increase in risk before surgery is important to help improve recovery.
Alcohol consumption above the recommended limit in the weeks before surgery is known to increase the risk of complications after surgery, which can delay recovery and lead to longer hospital stays. Therefore, any form of therapy that helps patients successfully reduce their alcohol consumption before surgery will likely have major benefits for their recovery.
The PRE-OP BIRDS (Preoperative Behavioural Intervention to reduce drinking before surgery) study has been split into two parts; a feasibility phase followed by a pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT). The Feasibility phase took place at one site during 2016 and is now almost complete. The feasibility phase investigated the delivery of alcohol screening and a brief behavioural intervention to a small number of patients. The intervention provided patients with advice about the benefits of reducing alcohol intake before surgery and supported them to make changes to their drinking behaviour. Staff and patients involved in the study took part in interviews to share their experiences of taking part. The information gathered has been used to improve the future study delivery and the appropriateness of the intervention materials.
The second phase will take place at three sites. This will involve 80 patients being recruited and randomised, so that half receive the intervention and half receive usual preoperative care. The aim of this phase is to look at how willing patients are to be randomised to the study and whether we can complete the questionnaires required at each study visit. This will help us decide if running a larger trial, to assess whether the intervention is successful and the effect on surgical outcome, is feasible.
REC name
North East - Tyne & Wear South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/NE/0093
Date of REC Opinion
6 Apr 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion