Recruitment for the trial has paused effective mid-March due to COVID-19’s impact on the country. If you are currently enrolled in the study, you are still a part of the study and should expect follow-up as regularly scheduled. If your treatment (surgery or physical therapy) is delayed due to the pandemic (or for any reason) please contact our office directly at [email protected].

ARC Trial Update – March 2020

Recruiting for the study began at Vanderbilt in January of 2018, with 11 more sites brought on board by June 2018 and 4 more at the end of 2019/ beginning of 2020, bringing us to a total of 16 sites currently recruiting. There are two more sites preparing to join the study when recruiting resumes after the COVID-19 pandemic. A couple exciting things that have happened since then; the ARC Trial Protocol was published by the JAMA Network (see our publications page for more information), and we have surpassed 10,000 patients screened and 100 patients enrolled.

Here’s the update as of March 19th, 2020:

  • 120 patients have been enrolled in the study and randomized to a treatment
    • 60 (50%) randomized to operative treatment (surgery), 60 (50%) randomized to non-operative treatment (physical therapy)
    • 57 % female, 43% male
    • 80% White, 12% Black/ African American, 4% Missing data, 1% Asian, 1% American Native
  • Patients who have reached follow-up time points
    • 3 months = 105
    • 6 months = 96
    • 12 months = 66
    • 92% of sent questionnaires are successfully filled out and returned
  • Tear size representation:
    • 69% Less than 2cm
    • 31% Greater than or equal to 2cm
  • Age representation:
    • 55 % less than 65 years old
    • 45% greater than or equal to 65 years old