The purpose the research is to demonstrate the feasibility of using a transdermal alcohol sensing device (BACtrack Skyn), and to correlate biological and self-reported alcohol measures with the transdermal alcohol measures in patients with a history of pancreatitis. The results from this study will inform tailored, self-directed interventions for reducing alcohol consumption in persons with pancreatitis.
Alcohol is the leading cause of recurrent acute and chronic pancreatitis, which greatly elevates the risk of pancreatic cancer. Reducing alcohol intake in patients with a history of alcoholic pancreatitis prevents progression of pancreatitis. Provider-based education on alcohol reduction has not translated to sustainable behaviors change, and more effective and scalable interventions are needed. Wearable alcohol sensors can empower patient-directed behavior change through real-time feedback on alcohol levels in the blood. BACtrack Skyn, the winner of NIAAA's Wearable Alcohol Biosensor Challenge, is a validated transdermal alcohol sensor that estimates blood alcohol concentration. In this pilot study, the investigators aim to (a) determine the feasibility and acceptability of using BACtrack Skyn to monitor changes in blood alcohol concentration among patients at risk for pancreatitis, (b) assess correlations between alcohol levels measured with BACtrack Skyn, breathalyzer, patient-reported alcohol consumption, and urine alcohol metabolite levels, (c) explore whether the use of a wearable alcohol sensor results in a decrease in alcohol consumption over a two-week period. Sixteen participants with known history of alcoholic pancreatitis will be assigned to wearing BACtrack Skyn for 2 weeks with the goal of not exceeding a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08%. Patient-reported drinking history, urine will be collected to correlate reported drinking levels and alcohol metabolic levels with the blood alcohol concentration readings in BACtrack Skyn. Findings from this study will be used as preliminary data to support and optimize subsequent grant applications and inform larger, randomized trials. The proposed study aligns closely with the mission of Cedars-Sinai and contributes to the growing body of research focusing on novel technologies for cancer prevention and control, as well as translational studies on alcoholic gastrointestinal diseases.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
16
BACtrack Skyn, is a novel transdermal blood alcohol sensor developed by BACtrack, a company established for police-grade breathalyzers, and winner of the Wearable Alcohol Biosensor Challenge sponsored National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Los Angeles, California, United States
Proportion of enrolled patients who wore the BACTrack sensor for at least 7 days within the 14-day period
Feasibility based on proportion of patients who wore the BACTrack sensor for at least 50% of study duration
Time frame: up to 14 days
Acceptability of the BACtrack Skyn using the System Usability Scale (SUS)
SUS is a 10 item questionnaire, with 5 Likert-type response options (range 1(strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree)). Sensors will be deemed acceptable if ≥75% of the study population report an acceptability score of 68 or greater
Time frame: 14 days
Blood alcohol concentration (BACtrack breathalyzer)
Daily levels of estimated BAC using breathalyzer (continuous)
Time frame: up to 14 days
Patient-reported alcohol consumption
Number of alcoholic beverages each day
Time frame: up to 14 days
Urine alcohol consumption
Urine alcohol metabolite (ethyl glucuronide \[EtG\]) levels (continuous)
Time frame: 14 days
Patient-reported pain
Daily visual analog scale (range 0(low)-10 (high))
Time frame: up to 14 days
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