Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
试验速览
- 阶段
- 2 期
- 状态
- 已完成
- 入组人数
- 20
- 试验地点
- 2
- 主要终点
- Rate of decline of ALSFRS-R score
研究概览
简要总结
The investigators' preliminary studies demonstrated that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the brain may determine a slight slowing in the rate of disease progression in ALS patients (Di Lazzaro et al 2004, 2006). The aim of this study is to investigate whether rTMS of the motor cortex performed over a long period of time (12 months) in a group of patients with ALS, can have a more pronounced beneficial effect. The investigators will compare the disease progression in two groups of patients: the first group of patients will be treated with real rTMS (one week daily treatment every month) and the second group of patients will be treated with sham (placebo) rTMS.
详细描述
Eligible patients should have a diagnosis of definite ALS according to the El Escorial revised criteria with clear clinical upper and lower motor neuron signs. Twenty patients with definite ALS will be enrolled and will be allocated to the treatment: 10 active and 10 sham stimulation. Patients will be randomly allocated by one of the investigators not involved in follow-up evaluations and data analysis. Stratified block randomisation will be performed such that the two treatment groups will be evenly balanced for disease severity, as evaluated with the revised ALS functional rating scale (ALSFRS-R), and duration. The patients and the neurologists assessing the outcomes will be blinded to group assignment.
Outcome measures Patients will be evaluated at the beginning of the treatment and every month until the end of the study at 1 year. At each visit, patients will be evaluated using the ALSFRS-R and manual muscle testing (MMT). MMT testing will be performed by means of the Medical Research Council (MRC) Scale. To obtain an estimate of the overall limb muscle strength we will calculate a MRC compound score by adding the MRC scores of eight upper limb muscles and five lower limb muscles for each side and dividing the sum by the number of muscles tested (26 muscles). We will test the following muscles: biceps brachii, deltoid, triceps brachii, extensor carpi radialis , extensor digitorum communis, abductor digiti minimi, abductor pollicis brevis, opponens pollicis, iliopsoas, rectus femoris, tibialis anterior, extensor hallucis longus, gastrocnemius.
The primary outcome measure will be the rate of decline of ALSFRS-R scores. Secondary outcome measure will be the rate of decline in MMT.
Transcranial brain stimulation Central motor conduction time for the first dorsal interosseous muscle will calculated by subtracting the peripheral conduction time, from spinal cord to muscles, from the latency of responses evoked by cortical stimulation at the maximum stimulator output during voluntary contraction at about 20% of maximum.
Repetitive TMS will be applied over the hand motor area using a MagPro (Medtronic A/S Denmark) stimulator and a figure of eight-shaped coil.
研究设计
- 研究类型
- Interventional
- 分配方式
- Randomized
- 干预模型
- Parallel
- 主要目的
- Treatment
- 盲法
- Quadruple (Participant, Care Provider, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
入排标准
- 性别
- All
- 接受健康志愿者
- 否
入选标准
- •Eligible patients should have a diagnosis of definite ALS according to the El Escorial revised criteria with clear clinical upper and lower motor neuron signs.
排除标准
- •Contraindications to transcranial magnetic stimulation:
- •Tracheostomy
- •Pace-maker
- •Implanted metallic devices
结局指标
主要结局
Rate of decline of ALSFRS-R score
时间窗: one year
次要结局
- Rate of decline of manual muscle force testing score(one year)