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FibromyalgiaPhase 2NCT01904097

Functional Neuroimaging in Fibromyalgia Patients Receiving tDCS

A Phase 2 study testing Pregabalin and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in people with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain, run by Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre at 1 site in Brazil.

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 The sponsor has not verified this record for over two years, so it may be out of date.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

The purpose of this study is to evaluate effectiveness and cerebral neuronal ability to adaptation in patients with fibromyalgia who receive pregabalin and transcranial direct current stimulation. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 65 years, women only
Conditions the study is for
Fibromyalgia, Chronic Pain
What is being tested?
Pregabalin and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
Type of treatment
Pill or oral medicine
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
34 participants
Where
1 siteBrazil
Study dates
Mar 2013to Dec 2014
Phase
Phase 2
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 65 years
  • Women only
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • - Diagnosis of fibromyalgia according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria

Who cannot join

  • Psychiatric or neurologic disorder that unable patient to consent and follow study protocol.
  • De-compensated systemic disease.
  • Chronic inflammatory disease (e.g. Systemic Lupus Erythematous, Rheumatoid Arthritis).

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Wolnei Caumo, MD, PhD contact

51 3359 8083

caumo@cpovo.net

Brazil1 site, 1 recruiting
  • Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre

    Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, 90035-903

    Wolnei Caumo, MD, PhD, (51) 3359 8083, caumo@cpovo.net

    Wolnei Caumo, MD PhD

    Recruiting

Other trials in Brazil

About this study

Official title: Study of the Brain With Optic Functional Neuroimaging in Patients With Chronic Pain Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

The purpose of this study is to evaluate effectiveness and cerebral neuronal ability to adaptation in patients with fibromyalgia who receive pregabalin and transcranial direct current stimulation.

Read the detailed description

Fibromyalgia syndrome occurs in around 2% of the population (predominantly women), and is characterized by its poor response to conventional therapies. Therapeutic approaches modulating inhibitory pathways, including pharmacologic options as pregabalin, and non pharmacological ones as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) have been proven to be of limited utility independently. Aiming to evaluate a better understanding of the pathophysiogenic mechanisms and the effect of these treatments on neuroplasticity, this study was designed evaluating neurophysiologic, neurochemical and clinical parameters. Neurophysiologic parameters and functions to be assessed will include pain threshold, motor evoked potential, silent period, intracortical facilitation and inhibition assessed by Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and optic functional neuroimaging. Neurochemical measurements considered will be neurotrophins (BDNF) and inflammatory mediators (TNF, IL1, IL6, IL10 and cortisol). Clinical characteristics will be assessed using validated scales capable to detect functional capacity, quality of life (WHOCOHL), catastrophism, sleep disruptions (Pittsburgh) and depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory). Considering the above described hypothesis, the present randomized clinical trial with blinded patients and evaluators is proposed. It pretends to analyze short-, mid- and long-term neurobiological mechanisms triggered by the selected interventions.

Being tested
Pregabalin, Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation, Sham Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
Keywords
Fibromyalgia, Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation, tDCS, Pregabalin, Functional Neuroimaging, Near Infrared Spectroscopy, NIRS, Chronic Pain, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, TMS
Medical subject headings
Fibromyalgia, Chronic Pain

What participants receive

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

  • PregabalinDrug

    Also called Lyrica

    Pregabalin 150 mg per oral BID (i.e. twice per day).

  • Transcranial Direct Current StimulationOther

    Also called tDCS

    The tDCS consists of application of low intensity direct current (2 mA), with the anode placed in the dominant motor cortex (M1) and the cathode in the ipsilateral supraorbital region during 30 minutes each session, using sponge electrodes soaked with normal saline solution.

  • Sham Transcranial Direct Current StimulationOther

    Also called Sham tDCS

    The sham tDCS consists of the same montage of the active tDCS, but the device is turned off 30 seconds after initiating stimulation (without letting the patient notice it). Rest of the montage is kept identical as the active one during the 30 minutes that the session lasts.

Study groups in NCT01904097
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Pregabalin, Sham tDCSSham comparatorPatients will receive pregabalin 150 mg oral (PO) twice per day (BID), and sham transcranial direct current stimulation (sham tDCS) five times per week during 2 weeks, and then twice per week until week 8th. The sham tDCS consists of the same montage of the active tDCS, but the device is turned off 30 seconds after initiating stimulation (without letting the patient notice it). Rest of the montage is kept identical as the active one during the 30 minutes that the session lasts.
Receives: Drug: Pregabalin; Other: Sham Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
Pregabalin, tDCSExperimentalPatients will receive pregabalin 150 mg oral(PO) twice per day (BID), and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) five times per week during 2 weeks, and then twice per week until week 8th. The tDCS consists of application of low intensity direct current (2 mA), with the anode placed in the dominant motor cortex (M1) and the cathode in the ipsilateral supraorbital region during 30 minutes each session, using sponge electrodes soaked with normal saline solution.
Receives: Drug: Pregabalin; Other: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

What is being measured

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

  1. Change in the pressure pain threshold.

    Assessed with pressure algometer. Will be assessed before and 1 hour after a single dose of 150 mg of Pregabalin. Patients will also receive pregabalin 150 mg BID + tDCS (or sham tDCS) daily during 2 weeks, and then twice per week until week 8th. Pain thresholds will be assessed 2 and 8 weeks after initiating the allocated intervention. Total: Four evaluations.

    Measured: Day 1 (1 hour before receiving the 1st dose of pregabalin; and 1 hour after the first dose of pregabalin); week 2 and week 8 after initiating the allocated intervention.

  2. Change in cortical excitability parameters assessed by transcranial magnetic stimulation.

    Will be assessed before and 1 hour after a single dose of 150 mg of Pregabalin. Patients will also receive pregabalin 150 mg BID + tDCS (or sham tDCS) daily during 2 weeks, and then twice per week until week 8th. Cortical Excitability will be assessed 2 and 8 weeks after initiating the allocated intervention. Total: Four Evaluations.

    Measured: Day 1 (1 hour before receiving the 1st dose of pregabalin; and 1 hour after the first dose of pregabalin); week 2 and week 8 after initiating the allocated intervention.

  3. Changes in motor cortex blood flow assessed by near infrared spectroscopy.

    Will be assessed before and 1 hour after a single dose of 150 mg of Pregabalin. Patients will also receive pregabalin 150 mg BID + tDCS (or sham tDCS) daily during 2 weeks, and then twice per week until week 8th. Motor cortex blood flow will be assessed 2 and 8 weeks after initiating the allocated intervention. Total: Four Evaluations.

    Measured: Day 1 (1 hour before receiving the 1st dose of pregabalin; and 1 hour after the first dose of pregabalin); week 2 and week 8 after initiating the allocated intervention.

Secondary outcomes (5)
  1. Change in the temperature pain threshold.

    Will be assessed before and 1 hour after a single dose of 150 mg of Pregabalin. Patients will also receive pregabalin 150 mg BID + tDCS (or sham tDCS) daily during 2 weeks, and then twice per week until week 8th. Pain thresholds will be assessed 2 and 8 weeks after initiating the allocated intervention. Total: Four Evaluations.

    Measured: Day 1 (1 hour before receiving the 1st dose of pregabalin; and 1 hour after the first dose of pregabalin); week 2 and week 8 after initiating the allocated intervention.

  2. Change in the visual analogue scale for pain to prolonged thermal stimuli.

    Will be assessed before and 1 hour after a single dose of 150 mg of Pregabalin. Patients will also receive pregabalin 150 mg BID + tDCS (or sham tDCS) daily during 2 weeks, and then twice per week until week 8th. Pain to prolonged thermal stimuli will be assessed 2 and 8 weeks after initiating the allocated intervention. Total: Four Evaluations.

    Measured: Day 1 (1 hour before receiving the 1st dose of pregabalin; and 1 hour after the first dose of pregabalin); week 2 and week 8 after initiating the allocated intervention.

  3. Change in average daily pain assessed with the visual analogue scale.

    Patients will be asked to daily write down their average pain level (assessed by the Visual Analogue Scale, self-administered) in a paper diary. Total evaluations: 84.

    Measured: Starting on day 1, each day until Week 12. Total: 84 Evaluations.

  4. Change in the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire.

    Will be assessed before initiating treatment. Patients will receive pregabalin 150 mg BID + tDCS (or sham tDCS) daily during 2 weeks, and then twice per week until week 8th. Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire will be assessed 2, 8 and 12 weeks after initiating the allocated intervention. Total: Four Evaluations.

    Measured: Day 1 (1 hour before receiving the 1st dose of pregabalin); week 2, week 8 and week 12 after initiating the allocated intervention.

  5. Change in quality of life assessed by the WHOQOL (World Health Organization Quality of Life), reduced form, adapted to Brazilian Portuguese.

    Will be assessed before initiating treatment. Patients will receive pregabalin 150 mg BID + tDCS (or sham tDCS) daily during 2 weeks, and then twice per week until week 8th. Quality of life will be assessed 2, 8 and 12 weeks after initiating the allocated intervention. Total: Four Evaluations.

    Measured: Day 1 (1 hour before receiving the 1st dose of pregabalin), week 2, week 8 and week 12 after initiating the allocated intervention.

Timeline

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

  1. First posted22 Jul 2013 (estimated)
  2. Study startMar 2013
  3. Primary completionJul 2014 (estimated)
  4. Study completionDec 2014 (estimated)

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 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Participant
Enrolment
34 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT01904097
Sponsor's protocol ID
120128
Status last verified
Jul 2013
First submitted
8 Jul 2013
Last updated
22 Jul 2013
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No

Publications

  • Russell IJ, Raphael KG. Fibromyalgia syndrome: presentation, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and vulnerability. CNS Spectr. 2008 Mar;13(3 Suppl 5):6-11. doi: 10.1017/s1092852900026778.

    PubMed 18323767
  • Burgmer M, Pogatzki-Zahn E, Gaubitz M, Wessoleck E, Heuft G, Pfleiderer B. Altered brain activity during pain processing in fibromyalgia. Neuroimage. 2009 Jan 15;44(2):502-8. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2008.09.008. Epub 2008 Sep 24.

    PubMed 18848998
  • Ziemann U, Lonnecker S, Steinhoff BJ, Paulus W. Effects of antiepileptic drugs on motor cortex excitability in humans: a transcranial magnetic stimulation study. Ann Neurol. 1996 Sep;40(3):367-78. doi: 10.1002/ana.410400306.

    PubMed 8797526
  • Arnold LM. Biology and therapy of fibromyalgia. New therapies in fibromyalgia. Arthritis Res Ther. 2006;8(4):212. doi: 10.1186/ar1971.

    PubMed 16762044
  • Chizh BA, Gohring M, Troster A, Quartey GK, Schmelz M, Koppert W. Effects of oral pregabalin and aprepitant on pain and central sensitization in the electrical hyperalgesia model in human volunteers. Br J Anaesth. 2007 Feb;98(2):246-54. doi: 10.1093/bja/ael344.

    PubMed 17251214
  • Dooley DJ, Mieske CA, Borosky SA. Inhibition of K(+)-evoked glutamate release from rat neocortical and hippocampal slices by gabapentin. Neurosci Lett. 2000 Feb 18;280(2):107-10. doi: 10.1016/s0304-3940(00)00769-2.

    PubMed 10686389
  • Fregni F, Gimenes R, Valle AC, Ferreira MJ, Rocha RR, Natalle L, Bravo R, Rigonatti SP, Freedman SD, Nitsche MA, Pascual-Leone A, Boggio PS. A randomized, sham-controlled, proof of principle study of transcranial direct current stimulation for the treatment of pain in fibromyalgia. Arthritis Rheum. 2006 Dec;54(12):3988-98. doi: 10.1002/art.22195.

    PubMed 17133529
  • Nitsche MA, Fricke K, Henschke U, Schlitterlau A, Liebetanz D, Lang N, Henning S, Tergau F, Paulus W. Pharmacological modulation of cortical excitability shifts induced by transcranial direct current stimulation in humans. J Physiol. 2003 Nov 15;553(Pt 1):293-301. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2003.049916. Epub 2003 Aug 29.

    PubMed 12949224
  • Taber KH, Hillman EM, Hurley RA. Optical imaging: a new window to the adult brain. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2010 Fall;22(4):iv, 357-60. doi: 10.1176/jnp.2010.22.4.iv. No abstract available.

    PubMed 21037118

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 2 study testing Pregabalin and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in people with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain, run by Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre at 1 site in Brazil.

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 3 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 22 Jul 2013. 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 Brazil. 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. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

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?

Contact Wolnei Caumo, MD, PhD (51 3359 8083, caumo@cpovo.net), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Change in the pressure pain threshold. (time frame: Day 1 (1 hour before receiving the 1st dose of pregabalin; and 1 hour after the first dose of pregabalin); week 2 and week 8 after initiating the allocated intervention.). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. 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 NCT01904097, which also lists 9 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 22 Jul 2013.

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