%0 Journal Article
%T "Me's me and you's you": Exploring patients' perspectives of single patient (n-of-1) trials in the UK
%A Sara T Brookes
%A Lucy Biddle
%A Charlotte Paterson
%A Gillian Woolhead
%A Paul Dieppe
%J Trials
%D 2007
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1745-6215-8-10
%X Patients with osteoarthritis of the knee were recruited to their own 12-week n-of-1 trial comparing either two knee supports or an NSAID with simple analgesic. Patients were interviewed at the start and completion of their trial to explore reasons for participation, understanding of the trial design and experiences of participation. Daily diaries were completed to inform future treatment.Nine patients participated (5 supports, 4 drugs). Patients were keen to participate, believing that the trial may lead to personal gains such as improved symptom control and quality of life. However, recruitment to the pharmacological comparison was more difficult since this could also entail risk. All patients were eager to complete the trial, even when difficulties were encountered. Completing the daily diary provided some patients with greater insight into their condition, which allowed them to improve their self-management. The n-of-1 trial design was viewed as a 'logical' design offering an efficient method of reaching a personalised treatment decision tailored to suit individual needs and preferences.This pilot study suggests that patients perceive the n-of-1 trial as an acceptable approach to the individualisation of treatment. In addition, further benefits over and above any gained from the interventions can be derived from involvement in such a study.In routine clinical practice, when optimum treatment for an individual patient is uncertain, clinicians frequently conduct a "trial of therapy", in which the patient is given a treatment and the subsequent clinical course determines whether the treatment is deemed effective and continued. Many factors may mislead the clinician, such as the placebo effect, the natural history of the illness, patient and clinician preferences and the urge of the patient and clinician not to disappoint each other[1]. The single patient, or n-of-1 trial, offers a more methodologically sound approach to identify responders and non-responders to trea
%U http://www.trialsjournal.com/content/8/1/10