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Healthy VolunteersNCT01300897

Investigation of Cortico-Rectal Pathways in Healthy Subjects and Constipated Patients

An observational study of Healthy Volunteers and Constipation, run by Augusta University at 1 site in United States.

Unknown status

Status not confirmed. The sponsor has not verified this record for over two years, so it may be out of date.

Official record
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Trial summary

Biofeedback therapy improves bowel symptoms and anorectal function in patients with dyssynergic defecation, however its mechanism of action is not known. The investigators hypothesize that biofeedback therapy enhances gut-brain-gut communication by altering cortical processing of information and improving cortically… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 85 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Healthy Volunteers, Constipation
What is being tested?
Cortical Evoked Potentials, Transcranial motor evoked potentials and Translumbosacral motor evoked potentials
Type of treatment
Surgery or procedure
How many people
150 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
Aug 2005to Dec 2018
Phase
Observational
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

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 18 to 85 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult, Older adult

Study population: 40 Healthy volunteers. 110 patients with chronic constipation and dyssynergic defecation and rectal hyposensitivity and rectal hypersensitivity

Who may be able to join

  • Right-handed adults between ages 18 years and 99 years, who are free of bowel disorders or other medical illnesses.

Who cannot join

  • Potential subjects with comorbid illnesses; severe cardiac disease, chronic renal failure or previous gastrointestinal surgery except cholecystectomy and appendectomy.
  • Neurologic diseases e.g.; head injury, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, strokes, spinal cord injuries.
  • People who have metal in their skull or under the skull, or have metal in the back or hips.
  • People who have a cardiac pacemaker, implanted defibrillator or medication pump.
  • Impaired cognizance (mini mental score of < 15) and/or legally blind.
  • Pregnant or likely to conceive during the course of the study. Women with potential for pregnancy must be willing to use contraceptive measures during the study.
  • Previous pelvic surgery, rectocele repair, bladder repair, radical hysterectomy.
  • Rectal prolapse or anal fissure or anal surgery.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics

    Iowa City, Iowa, 52242

Other trials in United States

About this study

Biofeedback therapy improves bowel symptoms and anorectal function in patients with dyssynergic defecation, however its mechanism of action is not known. The investigators hypothesize that biofeedback therapy enhances gut-brain-gut communication by altering cortical processing of information and improving cortically mediated neuromuscular function of the gut. However, in order to better understand these mechanisms in patients, the investigators need to examine and establish normative data and compare findings with healthy subjects. The investigators specific aims are to examine and evaluate the following 40 normal subjects; (1) To evaluate the afferent cortical evoked potentials in response to the electrical stimulation of the anorectum and (2) To evaluate the corticofugal tracts (efferent) by recording the anal and rectal electromyographic responses following noninvasive lumbosacral and transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Read the detailed description
  1. Cortical evoked potentials:A probe with 2 ring electrodes is placed in anus and rectum. A small amount of electrical current is passed. The cortical evoked responses to the anal and rectal electrical stimulation is measured from the scalp using a neurophysiology recorder.
  2. Motor evoked potentials: A magnetic coil is placed on the scalp at the anorectal cortical site and discharged using magnetic energy. The anal and rectal motor evoked potentials are then measured using a probe with 2 ring electrodes.
Being tested
Cortical Evoked Potentials, Transcranial motor evoked potentials, Translumbosacral motor evoked potentials
Keywords
cortical evoked potentials, motor evoked potential responses
Medical subject headings
Constipation

What participants receive

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

  • Cortical Evoked PotentialsProcedure or surgery

    A probe with 2 ring electrodes is placed in the anorectum. A small amount of electric current is passed separately through the anal and rectal electrodes.. The cortical evoked potentials from the anal and rectal sites are measured.

  • Transcranial motor evoked potentialsProcedure or surgery

    A probe with 2 ring electrodes is placed in the anorectum. A magnetic coil is placed on the scalp at the anorectal site on each side, and discharged using magnetic energy. The motor evoked potentials at the anal and rectal sites are measured.

  • Translumbosacral motor evoked potentialsProcedure or surgery

    A probe with 2 ring electrodes is placed in the anorectum. A magnetic coil is placed on the back at the lumbar plexus and sacral plexus levels and discharged using magnetic energy. The motor evoked potentials at the anal and rectal sites are measured.

Study groups in NCT01300897
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Healthy Volunteerhealthy volunteers will serve as controls. In each subject the cortical evoked potentials, transcranial motor evoked potentials and translumbosacral motor evoked potentials will be measured.
Receives: Procedure: Cortical Evoked Potentials; Procedure: Transcranial motor evoked potentials; Procedure: Translumbosacral motor evoked potentials
Constipated patientsPatients with chronic constipation and rectal hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity and/or dyssynergic defecation.In each subject the cortical evoked potentials, transcranial motor evoked potentials and translumbosacral motor evoked potential will be measured
Receives: Procedure: Cortical Evoked Potentials; Procedure: Transcranial motor evoked potentials; Procedure: Translumbosacral motor evoked potentials

What is being measured

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

  1. Describe latencies and amplitudes between the brain and gut in healthy volunteers

    Measurements \& Analysis: The latency, inter-peak latency and amplitude of each component of the cortical evoked potentials will be averaged to obtain group mean data.

    Statistical Analysis: The paired t-test or Wilcoxon signed-rank test will be used to compare the latencies.

    Lumbosacral and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Data and Statistical Analysis: Mean latency and mean amplitude for each individual will be calculated.

    Measured: 1 visit of 3 hours

Timeline

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

  1. First posted23 Feb 2011 (estimated)
  2. Study startAug 2005
  3. Primary completionDec 2015
  4. Study completionDec 2018 (estimated)

Resources

More details

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

Study design
Study type
Observational
Observational model
Case-control
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrolment
150 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT01300897
Sponsor's protocol ID
5R01DK057100-2
Other IDs
5R01DK057100
Status last verified
Jul 2018
First submitted
18 Aug 2010
Last updated
23 Jul 2018
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

An observational study of Healthy Volunteers and Constipation, run by Augusta University 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 1 inclusion and 8 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: status not confirmed, as of the sponsor's last update on 23 Jul 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?

Results are not available in the source record.

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?

Describe latencies and amplitudes between the brain and gut in healthy volunteers (time frame: 1 visit of 3 hours). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
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 Jul 2018.

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