Efficacy and cost-effectiveness of a digital guided self-management intervention to support transition from intensive care to community care in anorexia nervosa (TRIANGLE): pragmatic multicentre randomised controlled trial and economic evaluation.

Background: There is uncertainty regarding how best to support patients with anorexia nervosa following inpatient or day care treatment. This study evaluated the impact of augmenting intensive treatment with a digital, guided, self-management intervention (ECHOMANTRA) for patients with anorexia nervosa and their carers.

Methods: In this pragmatic multicentre randomised controlled trial and economic evaluation, patients with a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa or atypical anorexia nervosa, aged 16+ and attending one of the 31 inpatient or day-patient services in the UK were randomised with one of their carers to receive ECHOMANTRA plus treatment as usual (TAU), or TAU alone. ECHOMANTRA was hosted on a digital platform and included a workbook, recovery-oriented video-clips and online facilitated groups (patients only, carers only, joint patient-carer). Participants were randomised on a 1:1 ratio using a minimisation algorithm to stratify by site (N = 31) and severity (defined by BMI <15 and ≥ 15 kg/m at baseline). The primary outcome was patient depression, anxiety, and stress at 12 months. Primary and secondary outcomes were compared between trial arms on an intention-to-treat basis (ITT). This trial is registered with the ISRSTN registry, ISRCTN14644379.

Findings: Between July 01, 2017 and July 20, 2020, 371 patient-carer dyads were enrolled and randomly assigned to ECHOMANTRA + TAU (N = 185) or TAU alone (N = 186). There were no significant differences between trial arms with regards to the primary outcome (completed by N = 143 patients in the TAU group, Mean = 61.7, SD = 29.4 and N = 109 patients in the ECHOMANTRA + TAU group, Mean = 58.3, SD = 26.9; estimated mean difference 0.48 points; 95% CI -5.36 to 6.33;  = 0.87). Differences on secondary outcomes were small and non-significant (standardised effect size estimates ≤0.25). Five patients died (2 from suicide and 3 from physical complications) over the course of the trial, and this was unrelated to their participation in the study.

Interpretation: ECHOMANTRA added to TAU was not superior to TAU alone in reducing patient depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. This may be explained by limited engagement with the intervention materials and changes in usual care practices since the beginning of the trial.

Funding: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), under its Health Technology Assessment Programme (HTA) Programme (Grant Reference Number 14/68/09). NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, and King's College London. NIHR Applied Research Collaboration South London (NIHR ARC South London) at King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.