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StrokeNCT01123382

Electrical Stimulation for Hemiplegic Shoulder Pain

A study testing Intramuscular Electrical Stimulator and Outpatient Therapy in people with Stroke and Shoulder Pain, run by MetroHealth Medical Center at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

Post-stroke shoulder pain is a major rehabilitation problem affecting moderate to severely impaired stroke survivors. Surface electrical stimulation (ES) of muscles surrounding the hemiparetic shoulder has been demonstrated to be beneficial, but despite the evidence for therapeutic benefit, the clinical implementation… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 21 years and older
Conditions the study is for
Stroke, Shoulder Pain
What is being tested?
Intramuscular Electrical Stimulator and Outpatient Therapy
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
25 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
Jan 2010to Feb 2013
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 21 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • shoulder pain localized to the glenohumeral joint, subacromial area or deltoid insertion associated with any of the following conditions: a) rest; b) passive abduction or external rotation ROM; c) active abduction or external rotation ROM; or d) manual palpation
  • weakness of shoulder abductors (≤4/5 on MRC if isolated movement is present)
  • age ≥21-yrs
  • time from stroke ≥ 3-mo
  • shoulder pain onset after the most recent stroke
  • duration of shoulder pain ≥ 3-mo
Show all 11Show fewer
  • severity of shoulder pain on BPI-SF 3 ≥4
  • cognitive ability to fulfill study requirements [a) exhibit 3 object immediate and 30 minute recall; b) ability to use a numeric rating scale (using a 0-10 numeric rating scale) by correctly ranking the tightness they feel on the unaffected arm of 3 low-pressure inflations with a standard sphygmomanometer cuff which follow a predetermined sequence (20, 40 and 0 mm Hg); and c) ability to follow 3-stage commands]
  • availability of a reliable adult who can check the skin and assist the participant with the treatment protocol
  • willing and able to report severity of shoulder pain throughout the study period
  • willing to make all scheduled study visits post-implantation.

Who cannot join

  • evidence of joint or overlying skin infection
  • insensate skin
  • >1 opioid or nonopioid analgesics daily for shoulder pain
  • daily intake of pain medications for any other chronic pain
  • intra-articular or subacromial steroid injections to the shoulder in the previous 12-wks
  • botulinum toxin injection to the trapezius, pectoralis or subscapularis muscle in the previous 12-wks
Show all 21Show fewer
  • receiving physical or occupational therapies for shoulder pain
  • physician-diagnosed shoulder pathology symptomatic within the 5 yrs prior to CVA
  • bleeding disorder
  • INR>3.0 for those on warfarin [INR>3.0]
  • poorly controlled diabetes [HbA1c>7.0]
  • medical instability
  • pregnancy
  • uncontrolled seizures (>1/mo for 6-mo)
  • uncompensated hemi-neglect
  • severely impaired communication
  • moderate to severe depression
  • other confounding conditions such as ipsilateral upper limb lower motorneuron lesion, Parkinson's Disease, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury or multiple sclerosis
  • other medical issues such as complex regional pain syndrome, bicipital tendonitis, myofacial pain syndrome, etc.
  • the following cardiac conditions: a) history of arrhythmia with hemodynamic instability, such as ventricular tachycardia, supraventricular tachycardia and rapid ventricular response atrial fibrillation; b) any implantable stimulator such as demand pacemakers or defibrillators; and c) valvular heart disease including artificial valves (due to risk of infection and endocarditis)
  • likely non-compliance factors such as distance from the center, inadequate social support, or psychiatric/psychologic factors

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • MetroHealth Medical Center

    Cleveland, Ohio, 44109

Other trials in United States

About this study

Post-stroke shoulder pain is a major rehabilitation problem affecting moderate to severely impaired stroke survivors. Surface electrical stimulation (ES) of muscles surrounding the hemiparetic shoulder has been demonstrated to be beneficial, but despite the evidence for therapeutic benefit, the clinical implementation of surface ES for poststroke shoulder pain has been difficult. In order to address the limitations of surface ES, the investigative team pioneered the development of percutaneous intramuscular (IM) ES for the treatment of post-stroke shoulder pain. However, prior to acceptance by the clinical community, additional gaps in the scientific and clinical knowledge need to be addressed. This study begins to do so. The primary objective is to estimate the relative pain reduction associated with IM ES vs. "usual care." We hypothesize that the IM ES group will exhibit a larger effect size with respect to pain reduction compared to "usual care". A secondary objective is to estimate the effect on health related QOL of IM ES vs. "usual care." Demonstration of improvement in QOL will validate the clinical relevance of the intervention. We hypothesize that the IM ES group will exhibit greater improvement in health related QOL compared to "usual care".

Being tested
Intramuscular Electrical Stimulator, Outpatient Therapy
Keywords
Stroke, Shoulder pain, Electrical stimulation, Neuromuscular stimulation, Intramuscular stimulation
Medical subject headings
Stroke, Shoulder Pain

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Intramuscular Electrical StimulatorDevice

    A sterile percutaneous IM electrode is implanted in the shoulder using a 20-gauge hypodermic needle and connected to an external cable. The exit site and electrode are covered by a bandage, but the cable extends out. After a one week stabilization period, the cable is connected to a stimulator. A self-adhesive surface electrode serves as the indifferent electrode. Stimulation intensity is set by the investigator. The prescription for daily stimulation treatment will be 6 hrs. The duty cycle and daily dose will remain constant throughout the treatment, but stimulus parameters may be adjusted by the research staff as deemed appropriate. The treatment period will be 3 weeks, after which the electrode will be removed. Total time of electrode implantation is no more than 29 days.

  • Outpatient TherapyOther

    Subjects will receive 8 hrs of outpatient therapy over a four week period from a treating therapist, coupled with prescribed daily home exercises. The therapist will implement an individualized treatment plan consistent with the needs of the participant.

Study groups in NCT01123382
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
IM Electrical Stimulation (IM ES)ExperimentalThe IM ES Group will receive electrical stimulation treatment for three weeks (6 hrs daily) with an Intramuscular Electrical Stimulator following a one week electrode stabilization period.
Receives: Device: Intramuscular Electrical Stimulator
Usual Care (UC)Active comparatorThe Usual Care Group will receive outpatient therapy for four weeks, coupled with prescribed daily home exercises.
Receives: Other: Outpatient Therapy

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Brief Pain Inventory Short Form

    The BPI is a pain questionnaire, which assesses both pain intensity (sensory dimension) and the interference (reactive dimension) of pain in daily activities. Pain intensity is measured on a 0 - 10 scale, with 0 being no pain and 10 being worst possible.

    Measured: Baseline (Week 0); Start of Treatment (Week 1); End of Treatment (EOT, Week 4); EOT + 6 wks (Week 10); EOT + 12 wks (Week 16)

Secondary outcomes (8)
  1. ShoulderQ VGRS Scale

    The ShoulderQ Visual Graphics Rating Scale (VGRS) T is a structured questionnaire designed to assess severity of HSP at rest during the day, on movement, and at night on a 0-30 scale where higher numbers indicate greater pain.

    Measured: Baseline (Week 0); Start of Treatment (Week 1); End of Treatment (EOT, Week 4); EOT + 6 wks (Week 10); EOT + 12 wks (Week 16)

  2. SF-36 Bodily Pain Component

    The SF-36v2 is a population-norm based health related quality of life measure, presented in T-scores where population average equals a score of 50 with a standard deviation of 10. Maximum is 100, with higher score indicating greater health realated quality of life.

    Measured: Baseline (Week 0); Start of Treatment (Week 1); End of Treatment (EOT, Week 4); EOT + 6 wks (Week 10); EOT + 12 wks (Week 16)

  3. Pain-free External ROM, Degrees

    Passive pain-free Externa ROM is a motor recovery measure. The subject was supine with the shoulder adducted with hand resting on the abdomen, elbow flexed, and with the humerus supported by the mat. The axis of a universal goniometer was centered on the olecranon process of the ulna projecting through the humeral shaft toward the humeral head. The subject's shoulder was externally rotated passively to the pain threshold, defined as the start of any pain. Pain at rest was recorded as 0 degrees.

    Measured: Baseline (Week 0); Start of Treatment (Week 1); End of Treatment (EOT, Week 4); EOT + 6 wks (Week 10); EOT + 12 wks (Week 16)

  4. Fugl-Myer Motor Assessment (FMA) - Upper Extremity

    The Fugl-Myer Motor Assessment (FMA) is a motor recovery measure. Volitional movement of the upper limb (shoulder, elbow, forearm, wrist, and hand) is examined in and out of synergies. Each item was graded on a 3-point ordinal scale and summed to provide a maximum score of 66, with higher scores indicating lower impairment.

    Measured: Baseline (Week 0); Start of Treatment (Week 1); End of Treatment (EOT, Week 4); EOT + 6 wks (Week 10); EOT + 12 wks (Week 16)

  5. Pain Interference Questionnaire

    BPI-9 from Brief Pain Inventory, Short Form. Pain interference is on a 0 - 10 scale, with 0 being no interference, and 10 being complete interference.

    Measured: Baseline (Week 0); Start of Treatment (Week 1); End of Treatment (EOT, Week 4); EOT + 6 wks (Week 10); EOT + 12 wks (Week 16)

  6. Isometric Shoulder Abduction Moment, Ratio Affected to Unaffected

    A measure of isometric strength in response to audio cue. Isometric shoulder abduction moment was measured with a Biodex Biomechanical Measurement System (Biodex Medical Systems, Shirley, NY). The average moment during the last second of the audible tone was calculated for each trial and those values were averaged over the three trials. Subjects underwent testing of both shoulders, non-paretic side first, and the results are presented as the ratio of the paretic shoulder to the non-paretic shoulder to decrease the influence of intra-subject variability between measurements.

    Measured: Baseline (Week 0); Start of Treatment (Week 1); End of Treatment (EOT, Week 4); EOT + 6 wks (Week 10); EOT + 12 wks (Week 16)

  7. Delay in Initiation of Shoulder Abduction EMG Activity

    Electromyographic activity from the deltoid was also measured during the isometric abduction moment trials. Surface EMG recording electrodes (2 cm x 2 cm) were placed over the deltoid muscle and spaced approximately 4 cm apart. The EMG amplifier gain was adjusted to record as high-fidelity an EMG signal as possible during shoulder abduction. Delay of initiation (DOI) was defined as the duration between onset of the audibe tone and the onset of EMG signal. Raw EMG signals were analyzed visually to determine the earliest rise in EMG activity relative to steady state for delay of initiation. The mean DOI of the three trials were calculated, and the ratio of the paretic to non-paretic shoulder DOI were used as summary metrics.

    Measured: Baseline (Week 0); Start of Treatment (Week 1); End of Treatment (EOT, Week 4); EOT + 6 wks (Week 10); EOT + 12 wks (Week 16)

  8. Delay in Termination of Shoulder Abduction EMG Activity

    Electromyographic activity from the deltoid was also measured during the isometric abduction moment trials. Surface EMG recording electrodes (2 cm x 2 cm) were placed over the deltoid muscle and spaced approximately 4 cm apart. The EMG amplifier gain was adjusted to record as high-fidelity an EMG signal as possible during shoulder abduction. Delay of termination (DOT) was defined as the duration between cessation of the audible tone and return of the EMG signal to baseline. Raw EMG signals were analyzed visually to determine the earliest rise in EMG activity relative to steady state for delay of initiation, and return to steady for delay of termination. The mean DOT of the three trials were calculated, and the ratio of the paretic to non-paretic shoulder DOT were used as summary metrics.

    Measured: Baseline (Week 0); Start of Treatment (Week 1); End of Treatment (EOT, Week 4); EOT + 6 wks (Week 10); EOT + 12 wks (Week 16)

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted14 May 2010 (estimated)
  2. Study startJan 2010
  3. Primary completionFeb 2013
  4. Study completionFeb 2013

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
25 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT01123382
Sponsor's protocol ID
R01HD059777
Other IDs
R01HD059777
Status last verified
Dec 2017
First submitted
12 May 2010
Last updated
23 Jan 2018
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Yu DT, Chae J, Walker ME, Fang ZP. Percutaneous intramuscular neuromuscular electric stimulation for the treatment of shoulder subluxation and pain in patients with chronic hemiplegia: a pilot study. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2001 Jan;82(1):20-5. doi: 10.1053/apmr.2001.18666.

    PubMed 11239281
  • Yu DT, Chae J, Walker ME, Kirsteins A, Elovic EP, Flanagan SR, Harvey RL, Zorowitz RD, Frost FS, Grill JH, Feldstein M, Fang ZP. Intramuscular neuromuscular electric stimulation for poststroke shoulder pain: a multicenter randomized clinical trial. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2004 May;85(5):695-704. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2003.07.015.

    PubMed 15129391
  • Chae J, Yu DT, Walker ME, Kirsteins A, Elovic EP, Flanagan SR, Harvey RL, Zorowitz RD, Frost FS, Grill JH, Fang ZP. Intramuscular electrical stimulation for hemiplegic shoulder pain: a 12-month follow-up of a multiple-center, randomized clinical trial. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2005 Nov;84(11):832-42. doi: 10.1097/01.phm.0000184154.01880.72.

    PubMed 16244520
  • Chae J, Ng A, Yu DT, Kirsteins A, Elovic EP, Flanagan SR, Harvey RL, Zorowitz RD, Fang ZP. Intramuscular electrical stimulation for shoulder pain in hemiplegia: does time from stroke onset predict treatment success? Neurorehabil Neural Repair. 2007 Nov-Dec;21(6):561-7. doi: 10.1177/1545968306298412. Epub 2007 Mar 16.

    PubMed 17369520
  • Wilson RD, Gunzler DD, Bennett ME, Chae J. Peripheral nerve stimulation compared with usual care for pain relief of hemiplegic shoulder pain: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2014 Jan;93(1):17-28. doi: 10.1097/PHM.0000000000000011.

    PubMed 24355994

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Intramuscular Electrical Stimulator and Outpatient Therapy in people with Stroke and Shoulder Pain, run by MetroHealth Medical Center at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 11 inclusion and 21 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 23 Jan 2018. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 12 Dec 2017). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Brief Pain Inventory Short Form (time frame: Baseline (Week 0); Start of Treatment (Week 1); End of Treatment (EOT, Week 4); EOT + 6 wks (Week 10); EOT + 12 wks (Week 16)). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT01123382, which also lists 5 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 23 Jan 2018.

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Electrical Stimulation for Hemiplegic Shoulder Pain | AzTrials