Phase II Subthalamic Nucleus (STN) vs. Globus Pallidus (GPi) Trial

Phase 3

Completed

• Conditions: Parkinson's Disease
• Interventions: Device: Bilateral Deep Brain Stimulation

• Registration Number: NCT01076452
• Lead Sponsor: US Department of Veterans Affairs

Brief Summary

The goal of the second phase of the study is to determine if simultaneous bilateral subthalamic nucleus stimulation or simultaneous bilateral globus pallidus stimulation is more effective in reducing symptoms of Parkinson's Disease.

Detailed Description

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is a promising therapy for Parkinson's disease (PD) Whether DBS is superior to comprehensive best medical therapy or whether some patients or symptoms respond better to DBS in one area of the brain or the other is currently not known. The goals of this project are to compare the effectiveness of DBS and comprehensive medical therapy as treatments for PD (Phase I) and to compare bilateral DBS at 2 areas of the brain-the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and the globus pallidus (GPi) -to determine the most effective brain site for surgical intervention (Phase II) In this prospective, randomized, multi-center trial, 316 patients will be enrolled at 13 centers over four and a half years. Patients will initially be randomized to immediate surgery (DBS) or to 6 months of "best medical therapy". BMT arm patients will then be randomized to proceed into the DBS surgical phase of the trial. The DBS site (STN pr GPi) will be assigned on a random basis at the time the patient enters the surgical phase of the trial. Patients will be followed for two years post surgery (24 months for DBS only patients and 30 months for BMT-DBS patients) Effective 8/5/05 randomization to the BMT arm has been discontinued since the study has sufficient information to compare the outcomes of DBS and BMT patients at 6 months. The findings will be critically important in establishing the optimal surgical treatment of the disabling symptoms of PD.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2002-04
• Primary Completion: 2008-10
• Study Completion: 2009-04
• Study First Submitted: 2010-02-24
• Study First Submitted QC: 2010-02-25
• Study First Posted: 2010-02-26
• Results First Submitted: 2013-09-11
• Results First Submitted QC: 2013-11-26
• Results First Posted: 2014-01-15
• Status Verified: 2014-06
• Last Update Submitted: 2014-06-27
• Last Update Posted: 2014-07-14

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 299

Inclusion Criteria

• idiopathic Parkinson's Disease
• Hoehn and Yahr stage 2 or worse when off medications
• L-dopa responsive with clearly defined "on" periods (i.e. symptoms improve at least partially with L-dopa administration, a characteristic that helps distinguish idiopathic PD from "Parkinson's Plus" and atypical Parkinson's syndromes-see below)
• persistent disabling symptoms (e.g. on troubling dyskinesias, or disabling "off" periods at least 3 hours/day) despite medication therapy. Patients will have been treated with variable doses of levodopa and dopamine agonists (at a minimum) and will have had an adequate trial of other adjunctive medications)
• stable on medical therapy for at least one month prior to study enrollment
• age >21
• available and willing to be followed-up according to study protocol

Exclusion Criteria

• "Parkinson's plus" syndromes, secondary, or atypical Parkinson's syndromes (e.g. progressive supranuclear palsy, striato-nigral degeneration, multiple system atrophy, post-stroke, post-traumatic, or post-encephalitic Parkinson's. These patients have cardinal symptoms characteristic of PD but with additional symptoms indicating other organic brain dysfunction, such as gaze palsies, autonomic dysfunction, lack of response to L-dopa, these individuals tend not to improve with standard treatments for PD)
• previous Parkinson's Disease surgery
• medical contraindications to surgery or stimulation (e.g. uncontrolled hypertension, advanced coronary artery disease, other implanted stimulation or electronically-controlled devices including cardiac demand pacemaker, aneurysm clips, cochlear implants, or a spinal cord stimulator) (Note: for the subject who receives either a pacemaker and/or defibrillator after this study enrollment, he/she will be allowed to continue the study if the neurostimulator system can be adequately programmed to permit system compatibility)
• contraindication to magnetic resonance imaging (e.g. indwelling metal fragments or implants that might be affected by MRI)
• active alcohol or drug abuse
• score on Mini-Mental Status examination of 24 or lower, or other neuropsychological dysfunction 9e.g. dementia) that would contraindicate surgery
• intracranial abnormalities that would contraindicate surgery (e.g. stroke, tumor, vascular abnormality affecting the target area)
• pregnancy
• concurrent participation in another research protocol

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
STN	Bilateral Deep Brain Stimulation	Participants were randomized to receive deep brain stimulation on STN (Subthalamic Nucleus) target.
GPi	Bilateral Deep Brain Stimulation	Participants were randomized to receive deep brain stimulation on GPi (Globus Pallidus) target.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
The Change From Baseline in the UPDRS-III Score at 24 Months With Deep-brain Stimulation and Without Medication.	Baseline and 24 months	The primary outcome measure for the comparison of GPi deep brain stimulation (DBS) to STN DBS is the motor function score of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS Part III) measured while the patient is off medications and on stimulation at follow-up visits post surgery. UPDRS Part III has 14 items assessing motor skills including facial expression and speech, tremors, rigidity, posture, gait, and bradykinesia. Left and right sides (arms, legs, and hands) are assessed separately for seven of the functions. The motor function (UPDRS part III) assessments are done by turning on the stimulation with and without taking PD medications (on/off) at each in-person visit. A summary score ranging from 0 to 108 is generated by adding the 14 specific motor function responses. The higher score indicates the worse motor function.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
The Change From Baseline in the UPDRS Scores Part I (Mentation) at 24 Months.	Baseline and 24 months	The UPDRS has four parts (Parts I-IV) in which a total of 42 disease characteristics are assessed. Most characteristics are assessed according to their severity on a 0-4 scale (0 = normal, 4 = most substantial impairment), and some are assessed only for absence (score = 0) or presence (score = 1). Part I has four items assessing intellectual impairment, thought disorder, depression and motivation. A summary score ranging from 0 to16 is generated by adding the four items. The higher score indicates worse condition.
The Change From Baseline in the UPDRS Scores Part II (Activity of Daily Living) at 24 Months.	Baseline and 24 months	The UPDRS has four parts (Parts I-IV) in which a total of 42 disease characteristics are assessed. Most characteristics are assessed according to their severity on a 0-4 scale (0 = normal, 4 = most substantial impairment), and some are assessed only for absence (score = 0) or presence (score = 1). Part II has 13 items focusing on activities of daily living including walking, writing, dressing and speech. A summary score ranging from 0 to 52 is generated by adding the 13 items. The higher score indicates worse condition.
The Change From Baseline in the UPDRS Scores Part IV (Complication of Therapy) at 24 Months.	Baseline and 24 months	The UPDRS has four parts (Parts I-IV) in which a total of 42 disease characteristics are assessed. Most characteristics are assessed according to their severity on a 0-4 scale (0 = normal, 4 = most substantial impairment), and some are assessed only for absence (score = 0) or presence (score = 1). Part IV includes four categories (11 items) related to dyskinesias, clinical fluctuations of symptoms, and other complications. A summary score ranging from 0 to 23 is generated by adding the four items. The higher score indicates worse condition.

Trial Locations

Locations (14)

University of California at Los Angeles; 🇺🇸 Los Angeles, California, United States

University of California at San Francisco; 🇺🇸 San Francisco, California, United States

VA Medical Center, San Francisco; 🇺🇸 San Francisco, California, United States

VA Medical Center, Iowa City; 🇺🇸 Iowa City, Iowa, United States

VA Medical Center, Portland; 🇺🇸 Portland, Oregon, United States

VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, West LA; 🇺🇸 West Los Angeles, California, United States

Oregon Health Sciences University; 🇺🇸 Portland, Oregon, United States

University of Pennsylvania Hospital; 🇺🇸 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Philadelphia, OPC; 🇺🇸 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle; 🇺🇸 Seattle, Washington, United States

Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center; 🇺🇸 Richmond, Virginia, United States

Baylor College of Medicine; 🇺🇸 Houston, Texas, United States

Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center (152); 🇺🇸 Houston, Texas, United States

Medical College of Virginia; 🇺🇸 Richmond, Virginia, United States