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Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Associated With Physical Therapy to Reduce Upper Limb Spasticity in Post Stroke Patients

Not Applicable
Conditions
Chronic Stroke
Interventions
Device: TMS
Other: Physical therapy
Registration Number
NCT03481179
Lead Sponsor
Universidade Federal de Pernambuco
Brief Summary

In this study, it is being investigated if the association between high frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation associated with motor physical therapy reduces spasticity, increases upper limb motor function, and quality of life of post-chronic stroke patients than motor physical therapy alone. For this purpose, patients included will be submitted to ten sessions with active or sham hf-rTMS followed by a protocol of physical therapy.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
UNKNOWN
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
20
Inclusion Criteria
  • Age 30 to 75 years;
  • Both sexes;
  • With diagnosis of ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke proven by means of computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging;
  • Spasticity grade will be assessed using the Ashworth modified scale (BOHANNON & SMITH, 1987), with score +1, 2 or 3 for the wrist flexors of the affected upper limb;
  • With absence of cognitive deficit verified by the Folstein Mini Mental State Examination (score ≥ 20) modified for the Brazilian population (BRUCKI et al., 2003)
Exclusion Criteria
  • Contraindications to and EMT (ROSSINI et al., 2015)
  • Clinical evidence of multiple brain lesions
  • Trauma-orthopedic injury that limits the range of motion of the upper limb
  • Presence of visual and / or communication deficit
  • Involvement of other interventions focused on reducing spasticity
  • Modification of medications in the last 30 days.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Control: Sham hf rTMS and Physical theraphyPhysical therapyIn this group, the volunteer will start with sham TMS, will be the same parameters was used in experimental group, however, it will be performed using two coils, one connected to the magnetic stimulator, away from the patient's scalp and another uncoupled from the stimulator and positioned in the same way as in real stimulation. After, the volunteer will be submitted to 50 minutes of physical therapy protocol.
Experimental: hf rTMS and Physical therapyTMSHigh frequency TMS will be applied with an eight shaped coil angled at 45 degrees from the sagittal axis and positioned at the C3 or C4 in accordance with the international 10-20 marking system (JASPER, 1958), which corresponds to the right or left primary motor cortex (M1) injured. Forty stimulus trains will be provide at 10Hz over the injured hemisphere, at 10 Hz for five seconds each. The interval between the trains will be 25 seconds, totaling 2000 pulses for approximately 20 minutes, with 120% of resting motor threshold (RMT). After TMS, patients will be submitted to 50 minutes of physical therapy protocol.
Experimental: hf rTMS and Physical therapyPhysical therapyHigh frequency TMS will be applied with an eight shaped coil angled at 45 degrees from the sagittal axis and positioned at the C3 or C4 in accordance with the international 10-20 marking system (JASPER, 1958), which corresponds to the right or left primary motor cortex (M1) injured. Forty stimulus trains will be provide at 10Hz over the injured hemisphere, at 10 Hz for five seconds each. The interval between the trains will be 25 seconds, totaling 2000 pulses for approximately 20 minutes, with 120% of resting motor threshold (RMT). After TMS, patients will be submitted to 50 minutes of physical therapy protocol.
Control: Sham hf rTMS and Physical theraphyTMSIn this group, the volunteer will start with sham TMS, will be the same parameters was used in experimental group, however, it will be performed using two coils, one connected to the magnetic stimulator, away from the patient's scalp and another uncoupled from the stimulator and positioned in the same way as in real stimulation. After, the volunteer will be submitted to 50 minutes of physical therapy protocol.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Spasticitybefore 10 sessions, before and after each session (every day), after 10 daily sessions and after 30 days

Change from degree of Spasticity: ordinal variable measured through the Ashworth Modified Scale, expressed as scores graded from +1 to 3. The EMA is a qualitative instrument with ordinal measures that scores the degree of spasticity presented by the resting muscle from zero to four, in increasing order of intensity.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Cortical excitabilitybefore and after 10 daily sessions and after 30 days

Expressed as percent motor resting threshold and numerical values of motor evoked potential. The motor evoked potential (MEP) will be provided by twenty unconditioned stimuli (120% of motor resting threshould).

Quality of lifebefore and after 10 daily sessions and after 30 days

Expressed in numerical values for each domain, the SSQOL has 49 items distributed in 12 domains (energy, family role, language, mobility, humor, personality, self-care, social role, reasoning, upper limb function, vision and work / productivity). There are three possibilities for responses that are quantified on a five-to-one scale.

Qualitative and quantitative of movimentbefore and after 10 daily sessions and after 30 days

Motor Activity Log 30 (MAL-30) is a standardized instrument that was developed specifically to evaluate the function and use of the upper limb most affected post-stroke in the real-life environment (uncontrolled) through two scales: qualitative and quantitative. The total score is obtained by calculating the mean for each of the scales. The higher the mean obtained in the scales, the better the quality and quantity of use of the upper limb more affected in the accomplishment of the daily activities of life.

Changes on Patient Global Impression of Change Scalebefore and after 10 daily sessions and after 30 days

Changes on Patient Global Impression of Change Scale - (time frame: baseline, before 6 session, after 10 sessions)

The PGICS is a one-dimensional measure in which individuals rate their improvement associated with intervention on a scale of 7 items ranging from "1 = no change" to "7 = Much better".

Variation of the median nerve Hmax / Mmax ratiobefore and after 10 sessions and after 30 days

The reflex H is an estimate of the excitability of the alpha motoneuron when there is a pre-synaptic inhibition (PALIERI, R.M et al., 2004). The variation of the H-reflex amplitude will evaluate the spinal cord excitability variation.

Sensory-motor function of the upper limbbefore and after 10 daily sessions and after 30 days

This consists of a quantitative scale developed to measure the recovery of the motor function of stroke patients.Measured through the Fugl-Meyer Rating Scale. Expressed in values from 0 to 66;

Dynamometrybefore and after 10 daily sessions and after 30 days

It consists of an objective and quantitative way of measuring muscle shape using a manual portable dynamometer. The test will be performed with the Jamar dynamometer in KGF.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Applied Neuroscience Laboratory

🇧🇷

Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil

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