Transcutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation for Spinal Cord Injury Neurogenic Bladder

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: Spinal Cord Injuries

• Registration Number: NCT04350359
• Lead Sponsor: The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine if electric stimulation to the leg, called transcutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (TTNS), can improve bladder outcomes in acute spinal cord injury.

Detailed Description

The purpose of this study is to see how well TTNS works at preventing incontinence in people with paraplegia from SCI that perform intermittent catheterization to empty their bladder. This study will compare the effectiveness of TTNS at 2 doses, fixed-dose and variable-dose. It will also evaluate the frequency of use, 2 days weekly compared to 5 days weekly.

Based on our pilot trials, tibial nerve stimulation protocols use submotor current intensity with a duration of 200 µs and a frequency of 20Hz. The experimental group will use a submotor "variable dose." The fixed-dose group will use submotor at current intensity at 1mA and designated as "fixed-dose."

TTNS will be used 5 days weekly, per our pilot trial. At 4-months post-SCI, the subject will be instructed to switch to 2x daily if he or she was randomized into the variable dose group of 2 days weekly and thus continue to doing so for the remainder of study participation. Because there is support in the literature for reduced doses of tibial nerve stimulation required for maintenance (1-3x weekly), the RCT includes this frequency comparison arm. All subjects will continue for 1-year post-SCI.

Additionally, we are collecting surveys to help identify characteristics of people (resilience and confidence) and adherence to medication and TTNS use throughout the study.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2020-04-02
• Study First Submitted QC: 2020-04-14
• Study First Posted: 2020-04-17
• Study Start: 2020-06-08
• Status Verified: 2024-08
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-08-15
• Last Update Posted: 2024-08-19
• Primary Completion: 2025-06-01
• Study Completion: 2025-12-01

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 120

Inclusion Criteria

• 18-75 years old
• Traumatic or non-traumatic SCI
• Admitted to inpatient rehabilitation within 6 weeks
• T9 level of injury and above who are at greatest risk of morbid NGB
• Regionally located to allow follow-up
• English or Spanish speaking

Exclusion Criteria

• History of genitourinary diagnoses (i.e. prostate hypertrophy, overactive bladder, cancer, etc.)
• History of central nervous system disorder (i.e. prior SCI, stroke, brain injury, Parkinson's disease, MS, etc.)
• History of peripheral neuropathy
• pre-SCI symptoms of peripheral neuropathy (numbness and/or tingling in feet, sharp/jabbing/burning pain in feet, sensitivity to touch, lack of coordination, muscle weakness, etc.)
• Pregnancy
• Known injury to the lumbosacral spinal cord or plexus, or pelvis with associated neuropathy
• concern for tibial nerve pathway injury
• absence of toe flexion or autonomic dysreflexia during electric stimulation test
• Potential for progressive SCI including neurodegenerative SCI, ALS, cancer myelopathy, Multiple sclerosis, transverse myelitis

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: FACTORIAL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Prolonged sensation with bladder filling as assessed by the Urodynamics study measured in ml	1 year post SCI	Evidence of TTNS mechanism expected in those with effective TTNS
Maintained bladder capacity as assessed by the Urodynamics study measured in ml	4 months post SCI	we expect bladder capacity to be maintained in those with effective TTNS
Change in bladder pathology from baseline presence of detrusor overactivity and DSD as assessed by the urodynamics study at 4 months.	Baseline, 4 months	Reduced bladder pathology (presence of detrusor overactivity and DSD) in those with effective bladder neuromodulation based on change in urodynamic studies at baseline and 4-months
Change in bladder pathology from 4 month presence of detrusor overactivity and DSD as assessed by the urodynamics study at 1 year post SCI.	4 months and 1 year post SCI	Reduced bladder pathology (presence of detrusor overactivity and DSD) in those with effective bladder neuromodulation based on the change in urodynamic studies at 4 months and 1-year

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Evidence of improved quality of life in those with effective bladder neuromodulation based on Incontinence Quality of Life (I-QOL) survey	At discharge which could be up to 4 week from admission, 4-months post injury and at 1 year post injury.	Comparing I-QOL upon discharge from rehabilitation, 4-months post-injury and 1-year post-injury using incontinence QOL (I-QOL) survey, between and within both arms of the study
Evidence of improved quality of life in those with effective bladder neuromodulation based on Neurogenic Bladder Symptom Score (NBSS)	Prior to discharge which could be up to 4 weeks from admission, monthly until 1 year post injury.	Changes in Neurogenic Bladder Symptom Scores. The total score can range from 0 (no symptoms at all) to 74 (maximum symptoms) where a lower score indicates a better outcome.
Evidence of improved quality of life in those with effective bladder neuromodulation based on frequency of catheterization and voiding volumes	2 days at the end of each month for 1 year.	Maintaining frequency of catheterization (count per day) and volumes per void (ml per collection)

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital; 🇺🇸 Washington, District of Columbia, United States

TIRR Memorial Hermann Research Center; 🇺🇸 Houston, Texas, United States