PHARMAID study protocol: Randomized controlled trial to assess the impact of integrated pharmaceutical care at a psychosocial intervention on caregiver's burden in Alzheimer's disease or related diseases

Abstract

Introduction: Alzheimer's Disease and Related Diseases (ADRD) are associated with a caregiver burden that increases with the progression of the disease. Psychosocial interventions reported a moderate improvement on caregivers' burden. Patients with ADRD and their older caregivers are also exposed to a higher risk of developing drug-related problems. The main objective of the PHARMAID study is to measure the impact of personalized pharmaceutical collaborative care integrated to a multidisciplinary psychosocial program on the burden of caregivers.

Methods: The PHARMAID study is a 18-month randomized controlled trial that started in September 2016. This paper describes the study protocol. PHARMAID plans to enroll 240 dyads, i.e. ADRD patients and caregivers, whose inclusion criteria are: outpatient with mild or major neurocognitive disorders due to ADRD, living at home, receiving support from a family caregiver. Three parallel groups will compare a control group with two experimental groups: psychosocial intervention and integrated pharmaceutical care at a psychosocial intervention. The main outcome is the caregiver's burden assessed by the Zarit Burden Index at 6, 12 and 18months.

Discussion: This is the first trial designed to assess the specific impact of the integration of pharmaceutical care in a multidisciplinary psychosocial program on the caregiver's burden. The results will inform policymakers on strategies to implement in the near future.

Trial registration number: [ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02802371] Registered in June 2016.

Keywords: Alzheimer's Disease and Related Diseases; Burden; Caregivers; Pharmaceutical care; Psychosocial intervention; Study protocol.