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Effects of Magnetic Stimulation of the Dorsal Spinal Cord on Gait in Patients With Parkinson´s Disease and Deep Brain Stimulation

Not Applicable
Recruiting
Conditions
Parkinson Disease
Interventions
Device: Magnetic transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation
Device: Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation
Registration Number
NCT05008289
Lead Sponsor
University of Sao Paulo General Hospital
Brief Summary

Gait disorders are symptoms that significantly compromise the quality of life and functionality of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). When they are not responsive to drug dopaminergic therapy and deep brain stimulation (DBS), the management of these symptoms is a challenge in clinical practice. Although deep brain stimulation is useful in the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease, gait symptoms remains a challenge in patients undergoing this therapy. This is because, in addition to adjustments in the DBS programming not adding evident benefit in some patients with gait disorders, motor symptoms tend to progress over the years. In this context, spinal cord invasive electrical stimulation was proposed as a potential and effective therapy in a group of patients with PD who presented with gait impairment. More recently, the application of transcutaneous magnetic stimulation of the spinal cord has emerged as a possible therapeutic option, as it could stimulate neural elements in a non-invasive way. The general objective will be to study the effect of transcutaneous magnetic stimulation of the spinal cord on gait in PD patients with deep brain stimulation refractory to dopaminergic therapy. The method of the present study will be a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel, phase II clinical trial that will evaluate the efficacy of transcutaneous magnetic stimulation of the spinal cord in patients with PD and deep brain stimulation who present gait disorders refractory to dopaminergic therapy. The primary outcome will be the change in gait speed between pre-stimulation and post-stimulation conditions between the two groups (active and placebo) assessed using the Timed Up and Go Test (TUG). Secondary outcomes will be the effects of stimulation on other gait measures (speed, step length, stride length, cadence, step width, sway time, support time and the presence of blocks), other motor symptoms (Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale), cognitive alterations, quality of life and side effects. Statistical analysis will be performed using ANOVA for repeated measures and 38 patients will be included. The expected results are supported by transcutaneous magnetic stimulation of the spinal cord, which may improve gait disorders in participants with PD and DBS.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
RECRUITING
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
55
Inclusion Criteria
  1. Men and women (non-pregnant) aged between 21 and 80 years;
  2. Presence of deep brain stimulation in the subthalamic nucleus or globus pallidus
  3. Participants with idiopathic Parkinson's disease at Hoehn Yahr stages between 2 and 4 during off-medication, whose primary symptom includes altered gait and/or balance (score equal to or greater than 1 on sub-item 2.12 of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) ["gait and balance"]). Patients should present the above symptoms even though they are optimized from a drug point of view and with optimized programming. The criteria to be optimized will be defined by a neurologist specialized in movement disorders who will evaluate the case.
  4. Able to give informed consent in accordance with institutional policies;
  5. Able to meet all testing and follow-up requirements as defined by the study protocol
Exclusion Criteria
  1. Patients with unstabilized psychiatric comorbidities;
  2. Impossibility to consent to their participation in the study;
  3. Patients with uncontrolled infection or other uncontrolled pre-existing medical conditions (eg, decompensated diabetes, high blood pressure, symptomatic pneumo or heart disease);
  4. Concurrent treatment with other experimental drugs;
  5. Pregnant or breastfeeding women;
  6. Patients who cannot walk, not even with unilateral aid of a walking aid device or another person, when they are without their medication for Parkinson's Disease (off-medication);
  7. Presence of cardiac pacemaker.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
ACTIVEMagnetic transcutaneous spinal cord stimulationMagnetic transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation
ACTIVETranscutaneous electrical nerve stimulationMagnetic transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation
PLACEBOTranscutaneous electrical nerve stimulation-
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Timed Up and Go - Test 5 Meters (TUG-Test 5M)Baseline, immediately after the fifth day of stimulation, seven days after the stimulation, twenty-eight days after stimulation

The primary outcome will be the change in gait speed between pre-stimulation and post-stimulation conditions between the two groups (active and placebo) assessed using the 5-meter total Timed Up and Go Test (TUG). Mixel model ANOVA, with TUG as the dependent variable, and time and group as independent variables - "group" would have two levels ("active" and "placebo"). Our alternative hypotesis is that "the time vs. group" interaction effect is significant. Then we should use post hoc statistical tests to explore our data further and to compare the effects of active versus placebo at different time levels.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Timed Up and Go - Test 5 Meters (TUG-Test 5M) Dual TaskBaseline, immediately after the fifth day of stimulation, seven days after the stimulation, twenty-eight days after stimulation.

Change in gait speed between pre-stimulation and post-stimulation conditions

Percentage of freezing by video analysis of Timed Up and Go - TestBaseline, immediately after the fifth day of stimulation, seven days after the stimulation, twenty-eight days after stimulation.

Change in percentage between pre-stimulation and post-stimulation conditions

New Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (NFOG-Q)Baseline, immediately after the fifth day of stimulation, seven days after the stimulation, fourteen days after the stimulation, twenty-one days after the stimulation, twenty-eight, thirty-five and forty-two days after the stimulation.

Change in NFOG-Q between pre-stimulation and post-stimulation conditions. Minimum 0 Maximum 28. Higher value is worse.

Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) - Part IIIBaseline, immediately after the fifth day of stimulation, seven days after the stimulation, twenty-eight days after stimulation.

Change in UPDRS PART III between pre-stimulation and post-stimulation conditions. Minimum value 0 and maximum value 132. Higher value is worse.

Mini Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Mini-BESTest)Baseline, immediately after the fifth day of stimulation, seven days after the stimulation, twenty-eight days after stimulation.

Change in balance between pre-stimulation and post-stimulation conditions. Minimum value 0 and maximum value 108. Higher value is better.

Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire 39 (PDQ-39);Baseline, seven days after the stimulation, twenty-eight days after stimulation.

Change in PDQ-39 between pre-stimulation and post-stimulation conditions. Minimum value 0% and maximum value 100%. Higher value is worse.

Falls Efficacy Scale (FES-I)Baseline, seven days after the stimulation, twenty-eight days after stimulation.

Change in FES-I between pre-stimulation and post-stimulation conditions. Minimum value 16 and maximum value 64. Higher value is worse.

Visual analog scale (VAS)Baseline, immediately after the fifth day of stimulation, seven days after the stimulation, twenty-eight days after stimulation.

Change in pain between pre-stimulation and post-stimulation conditions. Minimum value 0 and maximum value 10. Higher value is worse.

Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) ScaleBaseline, seven days after the stimulation, twenty-eight days after stimulation.

Change in ABC scale between pre-stimulation and post-stimulation conditions. Minimum value 0 and maximum value 100%. Higher value is better.

Freezing of gait score (FOG SCORE)Baseline, immediately after the fifth day of stimulation, seven days after the stimulation, twenty-eight days after stimulation.

Change in FOG SCORE between pre-stimulation and post-stimulation conditions.Minimum value 0 and maximum value 36. Higher value is worse.

Subitems 2.12 and 2.13 of Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS)Baseline, immediately after the fifth day of stimulation, seven days after the stimulation, fourteen days after the stimulation, twenty-one days after the stimulation, twenty-eight, thirty-five and forty-two days after the stimulation

Change between pre-stimulation and post-stimulation conditions

Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC)Baseline, immediately after the fifth day of stimulation, seven days after the stimulation, fourteen days after the stimulation, twenty-one days after the stimulation, twenty-eight, thirty-five and forty-two days after the stimulation

Impression of change post-stimulation conditions

Frontal assessment battery (FAB);Baseline, immediately after the fifth day of stimulation, seven days after the stimulation, twenty-eight days after stimulation.

Change in executive function between pre-stimulation and post-stimulation conditions. Minimum value 0 and maximum value 18. Higher value is better.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Sao Paulo

🇧🇷

Sao Paulo, Brazil

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