Recruiting

Online Wellness Program

Sponsor:

University of Iowa

Code:

NCT07831928

Conditions

Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (PPMS)

Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (SPMS)

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 45 - 70

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Online wellness course and online exercise platform

Usual Care Group

Study Details

Brief summary:

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if an online wellness program can lower fatigue and improve mood and quality of life in people with progressive multiple sclerosis who are 45 to 70 years old and are experiencing significant fatigue disability.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

  • Does the online wellness program lower fatigue after 3 months and further lower fatigue after 6 months?
  • Does the online wellness program improve anxiety, depression, and quality of life after 3 months and lead to additional improvements after 6 months? Researchers will compare participants who receive immediate access to the online wellness program with participants who continue their usual care and receive access to the program after the study ends.

Participants will:

  • Complete online surveys at the start of the study, at 3 months, and at 6 months. Each survey session takes less than 1 hour.
  • Complete a 7-day run-in period before randomization to confirm their interest and ability to complete study activities.
  • Be assigned by chance to either the online wellness program group or the wait-list control group.

Participants in the online wellness program group will:

  • Receive access to the "Creating Health" online course through the University of Iowa Canvas platform.
  • Work through five self-paced education modules over 6 months. Topics include nutrition, stress management, and physical activity.
  • Have access to monthly group coaching calls by Zoom.
  • Have access to an online exercise platform.
  • Have access to email and text support from the study team.

Participants in the wait-list control group will:

  • Continue their usual diet, lifestyle, and medical care during the 6-month study period.
  • Complete the same study surveys as the intervention group.
  • Receive full access to the online wellness program, online exercise platform and support materials after completing their final 6-month surveys.

At the end of the study, all participants will complete final surveys about their symptoms, quality of life, and their experience with the program. Active study participation ends after the 6-month assessments are completed.

Conditions

Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (PPMS)

Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (SPMS)

Study ID

NCT07831928

Start date

Dec 15, 2026

Status verified date

Nov, 2026

Completion date

Dec 15, 2030

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Nov 15, 2029

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 45 - 70

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Definitive diagnosis of Primary Progressive MS (PPMS) or Secondary Progressive MS (SPMS) based on the 2024 revised McDonald Criteria and confirmed by the treating neurologist who also approves participation.
2. Age 45 to 70 at the time of consent.
3. Must be fluent in both speaking and reading English.

\*Study participant must be able to read and comprehend informed consent document and speak with study staff about study document content. Study staff will use discretion in determining whether the study participant can clearly communicate with staff and comprehend the study material during the consent call or prior to the call.
4. Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) score of greater than or equal to 4.
5. Ability to prepare, or availability of someone in the household to prepare, home-cooked meals.
6. Willingness to commit to the study diet, 4-7-8 breathing technique, and a structured exercise program.
7. Access to high-speed internet with ownership of a device that can access the online programming and is capable of audio/video streaming.
8. Completion of online surveys at Month 0 (baseline), Month 3, \& Month 6.
9. Resident of the continental U.S.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Confirmation of taking insulin or coumadin.
2. Documentation of relapse during the prior 4 weeks.
3. Use of corticosteroids during the prior 4 weeks.
4. Change or initiation of Disease Modifying Treatment (DMT) during the prior 4 weeks.
5. Treatment for cancer by radiation or chemotherapy within the prior 12 months.
6. Diagnosis of clinically significant heart, liver, or kidney disease, or history of oxalate kidney stones.
7. Clinical diagnosis of psychiatric disease making study adherence difficult (e.g., schizophrenia) or an active eating disorder (anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, orthorexia).
8. Measurement of Body Mass Index (BMI) < 19.
9. Initiation of or change in medication to treat mood disorders in the prior 12 weeks.
10. Documentation of moderate or severe mental impairment (greater than or equal to 5 errors) as measured by the validated Short Portable Mental Health Questionnaire (SPMHQ).
11. Resident of Alaska or Hawaii.

Study Design

Enrollment

118 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Crossover

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Intervention arm

Wellness online program and virtual exercise platform

placebo comparator: Waitlist control

Continues with usual care as directed by their neurologist

Interventions

Online wellness course and online exercise platform

An online wellness course that teaches participants about behavior change, nutrition, exercise, stress management, and other wellness behaviors. Also includes access to an online exercise platform.

Usual Care Group

Participant will continue with their usual diet and wellness behaviors.

Primary outcome measure

  • Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) Score [ Time Frame: Baseline to 3 months ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Mary L. Ehlinger, BS

319-384-5002MSDietStudy@healthcare.uiowa.edu

Whitney Schley, Schley

319-356-8555whitney-schley@uiowa.edu

Locations

UI Health Care

Recruiting

Iowa City, Iowa, United States, 52242.

Contacts

Mary Study Coordinator, BS

319-384-5002MSDietStudy@healthcare.uiowa.edu

Whitney Schley

3193568555whitney-schley@uiowa.edu

Principal Investigator:

Terry Wahls, MD

More Information

Sponsor

University of Iowa

Last update posted

Nov 12, 2026

Last verified

Nov, 2026

Keywords

  • nutrition
  • exercise
  • virtual intervention
  • stress management
  • fatigue

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-11-13. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by University of Iowa on 2026-11-12. Recruitment status is synced daily from ClinicalTrials.gov and may not reflect the sponsor's current status. Confirm during your call.