With “Smartgem” against migraines
17.07.2018 06:18
The Charité and its partners are starting a project for smartphone-assisted migraine therapy ("Smartgem"). The aim is to offer patients with frequent migraine attacks an effective and location-independent form of treatment. The app is a combination of documentation, therapy module and self-help training. Telemedical advice as well as medically moderated forums and expert chats are also offered. The project is being funded with more than three million euros for three years as part of the Innovation Fund.
The innovative care project under the consortium leadership of the Charité is being carried out in cooperation with the Department of Neurology at the University Medical Center Rostock, the Department of Neurology at the University Hospital Halle, the Institute for Public Health at the Charité, the app developer M-sense and the health insurance companies AOK Nordost and BKK VBU , IKK healthy plus and the BIG direct healthy.
Around 15 to 25 percent of all women and around 6 to 8 percent of men worldwide suffer from migraines. The pain disorder often leads to a severe reduction in quality of life and the ability to work. Medicinal and non-medicinal methods are currently used to reduce the frequency of attacks. However, access to medical headache experts and specialized pain therapists is limited in urban and especially rural areas
“With “Smartgem” we want to investigate the effectiveness of a location-independent, effective and time-saving form of therapy for migraines. We hope for a significant reduction in attacks and painkiller consumption for patients. Our goal is to improve the quality of life of patients and prevent the disease from becoming chronic,” says project leader Dr. Lars Neeb from the Department of Neurology at the Charité Mitte campus.
Using the M-sense smartphone app, patients can document their headaches so that therapy can be monitored and possible triggers for migraine attacks can be identified at the same time. The integrated therapy module supports you in carrying out relaxation procedures and endurance sports and trains you in individual behavioral therapy approaches. In addition, the treating physicians can network with the neurologists at the university headache centers via telemedicine and consult on the treatment of their patients. For those affected, medically moderated forums and expert chats are offered in order to shorten communication with the doctor.
According to the Charité, the effectiveness of the new form of care will be examined in a controlled study with 1,200 patients from Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Saxony-Anhalt. Those affected must suffer from migraines on more than five days a month and present themselves for the first time to the headache clinic at the Charité, the Rostock University Medical Center or the Halle University Hospital. 600 test subjects will be provided with the new M-sense app; the comparison group will receive the app for pure headache documentation without access to the advanced functions.
Dr. Neeb on the future of the project: “If successful, “Smartgem” will serve as a model for the nationwide care of migraine patients. This is particularly true in structurally weak regions.”