Scientific Abstracts  161

Objectives: We aimed to create an AR application that has informative content 
designed to educate users on the topics of basic brain anatomy and function. 
Furthermore, we aimed to increase the users understanding of the complete 
impairment of fatigue by creating a short video that describes living with fatigue 
from the patient’s perspective.
Methods: The application was created using medical scan dataset, a variety of 
3D modelling software, and a game engine to create a functional and interactive 
augmented application. The short video regarding a patient’s perspective on liv-
ing with fatigue was developed in collaboration with the Glasgow Arthritis Involve-
ment Network patient partners. In order to determine if the application met its 
primary objectives a pilot test was conducted on 14 participants. After consenting 
to taking part in the study, individuals were guided through a pre-application test, 
the use of the application itself and finally a post-application test.
Results: Initial results from the pilot test showed promise in the educational 
potential of the application. With regards to the questions pertaining to the brain 
anatomy, the percentage of questions answered correctly increased from 36% 
in the pre-test to 60% in the post-test. Furthermore, after using the applica-
tion the participants reported a significant increase in their confidence for their 
answers. An additional six questions ascertained a participants perceptions of 
fatigue. From these questions, the answer that was most significantly changed 
after use of the application, was in relation to the impact that fatigue has on a 
patient’s quality of life (t-Test p=0.02). After use of the application participants’ 
opinions changed to reflect the fact that fatigue can completely impair a per-
son’s quality of life, showing an increase in their understanding of the debilitat-
ing nature of fatigue.
Conclusion: This research explored the development and effectiveness of 
an AR application that was centered around fatigue and basic neuroanat-
omy education within the general population. From the pilot test conducted 

we are able to report that the application was successful in delivering edu-
cational material about brain anatomy and was successful in increasing 
awareness about the impact that fatigue can have on an individual’s quality 
of life.
Acknowledgments: The Glasgow Arthritis Involvement Network (GAIN)
Disclosure of Interests: None declared
DOI: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2020-eular.5342

OP0256-PARE A PAW? YES, THANK YOU AN ANIMAL ASSISTED 
INTERVENTION (AAI) PILOT PROJECT FOR CHILDREN 
WITH JUVENILE IDIOPATHIC ARTHRITIS (JIA)

U. Viora*1, P. Ponzio2, M. T. Mascarino3, B. Picco4, P. Guiso4, E. Battista4, 
S. Martino5, D. Montin6, M. Dellepiane6, G. Rosso6. 1AMaR Piemonte, Chieri, 
Italy; 2University of Turin, Veterinary Science, Grugliasco, Italy; 3AMaR Piemonte, 
Torino, Italy; 4Centro Studi Te.CA., Chieri, Italy; 5University of Torino, Torino, Italy; 
6AO Città della Salute e della Scienza - OIRM Hospital, Torino, Italy

Background: Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAI) is the new way to indicate 
what was previously known as “Pet Therapy”, as activities can be done either 
with the conventional “pets” (dogs, cats and rabbits) or with horses and donkeys.
Children with JIA have several problems in terms of adherence both due to the 
atavistic fear of the needle and due to nausea and vomiting - the most important 
side effects of Methotrexate – often since the 2-3 days before the assumption to 
immediately after it.
Sure that animals can help children to forget this fear and to avoid the psycolog-
ical conditions which enhance nausea, for the first time in Italy (and probably in 
Europe) it was designed a specific AAI program for these children.
Objectives: To promote a general state of psycho-physical well-being in children 
and families about:
manage of therapy; reduce discomfort and anxiety caused by entering hos-
pital; improve self-esteem and the response to the stress generated by the 
execution of therapy and disease management; strengthen communication 
and socialization; stimulate the affective area through the activities of animal 
care.
Methods: Dogs and cats are part of the recreational activities once a week in 
an equipped area in the OIRM Hospital (no alternative gateway was needed).
Paediatric Rheumatologists selected two different groups of children: the first one 
(5 children in the pilot study) every 15 days; the second one (5 children) every 
month; the selection was made looking at the therapeutic scheme.
Every session, one hour, has 3 clearly distinct stages:
Welcome and organization: children say hello to dogs and cats, open the tool-
kits specifically designed for the intervention, express their state of mind and are 
encouraged to tell their own stories.
Therapy: parents prepare and inject the drug to their children under medical or 
Health Professional control without discontinuation of the activities with animals.
Play and socializing: children are involved in petting and other activities with 
animals; they are also involved in manipulative activities (design, puppets shows, 
modelling clay, animal care, ball retriving, etc). This step has the aim to relieve 
stress and discomfort due to medical procedures.
Visual Analogic Scales (VAS) were part of the toolkit, to let the researchers eval-
uate the effects of the activity directly from the children experience.
For the first time, we will control also the animal health status and wellness con-
dition monitoring behavioural parameters and salivary cortisol level during each 
session.
Results: The pilot project started in October 2019 and nowaday we closed 12 
meetings, 4 on October, 4 on November, 3 on December and 2 on January, with 
the participation of 2 dogs (Golden and Labrador Retriever) and 1 cat (Devon 
Rex) in each one.
All children love to play with animals, seek their closeness at the time of therapy 
and enjoy playing all together with the dogs; no one cry or refuse therapy and, since 
the third session, no one has nausea before, during or after the injection. Parents 
have reached a certain level of confidence: they stay quietly in the waiting room or 
go away to have a drink or to run an errand (it becomes a moment of relaxing for 
them too).
Animals remain in healthy and wellness conditions during the activity.
Conclusion: These preliminary data seem that AAI to be useful in helping 
patients in JIA to overcome some problems related to their pathology.
Disclosure of Interests: UGO VIORA: None declared, Patrizia Ponzio: None 
declared, Maria Teresa Mascarino: None declared, Barbara Picco: None 
declared, Paolo Guiso: None declared, Eleonora Battista: None declared, 
Silvana Martino: None declared, Davide Montin Speakers bureau: Not rele-
vant for the topic, Marta Dellepiane: None declared, Germana Rosso: None 
declared
DOI: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2020-eular.4899Figure 2. Example of material change upon selection of Occipital Lobe option

Figure 1. Augmented brain model scene using brain model as trigger

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