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High-intensity Interval Training in Patients With Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Not Applicable
Recruiting
Conditions
Spinal Muscular Atrophy
Interventions
Behavioral: Exercise
Registration Number
NCT06368076
Lead Sponsor
Rigshospitalet, Denmark
Brief Summary

Patients with spinal muscular atrophy who are wheelchair users often experience lower back - and gluteal pain, reduced sleep quality, constipation and reduced quality of life - symptoms that regular exercise could potentially alleviate. However, only very little research has been done on exercise for patients who are wheelchair users. The aim of this study is to explore the impact of cycle exercise on patients with spinal muscular atrophy.

Detailed Description

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a neuromuscular disease affecting the motor neurons of the spinal cord that innervate the skeletal muscles, leading to progressive muscle atrophy and weakness. Consequently, many patients end up having to use a wheelchair from an early age.

Besides the impaired motor function, patients with SMA can also experience a variety of symptoms associated with their disease, a sedentary lifestyle and physical inactivity such as lower back and leg pain, obstipation, reduced sleep quality and impacted quality of life.

Training can help alleviate these symptoms in patients with neuromuscular diseases. However, there isn´t any validated way for patients with SMA to train as of today.

Research has shown that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) has been well tolerated among patients with SBMA, a disease resembling SMA with patients tolerating this form for training well.

The aim of this study is to investigate:(1) if HIIT could be exercise modality in SMA patients (2) and to see what positive effects exercise has for their impaired motor function and related challenges.

The investigators will test the participants at baseline, which will be followed by a 8-week control period. After the control period the participants will be tested again before the intervention period.

During the intervention period the participants will have to train 5 times a week for 10 minutes. After the intervention period, there will be a final test day, where the final results will be compared with those from the baseline.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
RECRUITING
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
20
Inclusion Criteria
  • Spinal muscular atrophy
  • Age: over 15 years
Exclusion Criteria
  • Competing disorders (as arthritis) or other muscle disorders as well as heart- or lung related issues.
  • Current psychiatric treatment
  • Unable to use the cycle ergometer due to contractures

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
SINGLE_GROUP
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
ExerciseExercise-
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Questionnaire on quality of life10 minutes

A QoL that has been used in former studies will be used. 16 questions with scores ranging from 1 (very unsatisfied) to 7 (very satisfied) will be scored.

Questionnaire on constipation5 minutes

A questionnaire made from the Danish definition of constipation will be used. Four questions will be answered "yes" or "no".

Questionnaire on pain.5 minutes

A visual pain score for leg and lower back pain with 3 questions with scores ranging from 1 to 10 each, 10 being the worst pain imaginable, will be used.

Questionnaire on fatigue5 minutes

The Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20) will be used. It measures fatigue in 5 different domains comprised of 4 items each with values ranging from 1 to 5. A higher score indicates more fatigue. Each domain is scored individually, ranging from 4 points (best outcome) to 20 points (worst outcome).

Questionnaire on sleep quality10 minutes

Minimum Score = 0 (better); Maximum Score = 21 (worse) Interpretation: TOTAL \< 5 associated with good sleep quality TOTAL \> 5 associated with poor sleep quality Minimum Score = 0 (better); Maximum Score = 21 (worse) Interpretation: TOTAL \< 5 associated with good sleep quality TOTAL \> 5 associated with poor sleep quality Minimum score is 0, maximum score is 21. Total over 5 is associated with good sleep quality and under 5 associated with poor sleep quality.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Ultrasound scan15 minutes

Additional assessment of liver size, fibrosis and steatosis

Motorscore20 minutes

Change in motor function score, using the Motor Function Measurement (MFM-32). Assesses motor function in 3 domains, 32 two items in total. A higher score in each domain indicates better function.

MRI scan liver size5 minutes

Assessment of liver size

Exercise test7 minutes

Change in time to cycle X km in minutes

MR-elastography5 minutes

Assessment of liver fibrosis (assessed by MR-elastography)

Blood sample2 minutes

Change in blood sample for bilirubin (liver parameter) in umol/L

MRI scan liver steatosis5 minutes

Assessment of liver steatosis

MRI scan15 minutes

Assessment of muscle degeneration and subsequent fat replacement (using Dixon method to visualise fat in an optimal way)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Rigshospitalet

🇩🇰

Copenhagen, Denmark

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