StrokeNCT01907737
Combined Brain and Peripheral Nerve Stimulation for Stroke
A study testing Active tDCS and Active PNS in people with Stroke, run by University of Sao Paulo General Hospital at 1 site in Brazil.
Trial summary
Cerebrovascular disease is a major cause of disability worldwide. The catastrophic burden of stroke is more dramatic in low- and middle- income countries, and the scarcity of evidence-based rehabilitation interventions represents a major challenge to global health care. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Stroke
- What is being tested?
- Active tDCS and Active PNS
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 22 participants
- Where
- 1 siteBrazil
- Study dates
- Jul 2013to Jul 2016
- 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 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Age, 18 years or older;
- First-ever, ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke at least six months before, confirmed by computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging;
- Moderate to severe motor impairment of an upper limb, defined as a score between 7 and 50 on the Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Sensorimotor Recovery after stroke, a scale with scores for upper limb ranging from 0 (no function) to 66 (normal function;
- Ability to provide written Informed Consent (patient or legal representative);
- Ability to comply with the schedule of interventions and evaluations in the protocol.
Who cannot join
- Lack of ability to voluntarily activate any active range of wrist extension;
- Anesthesia of the paretic hand;
- Stroke lesions affecting entirely the hand knob area of the motor cortex120;
- Stroke lesions affecting the cerebellum or the brain stem;
- Severe spasticity at the paretic elbow, wrist, or fingers, defined as a score of >3 on the Modified Ashworth Spasticity Scale;
- Active joint deformity;
Show all 13Show fewer
- Uncontrolled medical problems such as end-stage cancer or renal disease;
- Pregnancy;
- Seizures;
- Pacemakers;
- Other neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease;
- Psychiatric illness including severe depression;
- Aphasia or serious cognitive deficits that preclude comprehension of the experimental protocol or ability to provide consent. A score in the Minimental State Examination lower than 23/30 points will be used for patients with higher than 1 year of education, and a score lower than 19/30 will be used for patients with 1 year of education or less.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Brazil1 site
Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo/Fundação Faculdade de Medicina
São Paulo, São Paulo, 05403000
About this study
Official title: Combined Brain and Peripheral Nerve Stimulation to Enhance Beneficial Effects of Functional Electrical Stimulation on Hand Motor Function After Stroke
Cerebrovascular disease is a major cause of disability worldwide. The catastrophic burden of stroke is more dramatic in low- and middle- income countries, and the scarcity of evidence-based rehabilitation interventions represents a major challenge to global health care. Upper limb weakness is frequent after stroke, but there is no universally accepted treatment to effectively improve hand function in patients with moderate and severe motor impairment. These are the patients in deepest need of rehabilitative interventions. This project addresses this important issue, by testing effects of a novel approach. We will non-invasively stimulate the brain and peripheral nerves in order to enhance effects of motor training aided by an electrical stimulation device in patients with moderate to severe hand weakness. Our hypothesis is that brain stimulation, when added to peripheral nerve stimulation, will enhance effects of motor training to a greater extent than brain stimulation alone, peripheral stimulation alone, or no stimulation.
Read the detailed description
The goal of this study is to compare the effects of FES in close association with either transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) alone, peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS)alone, tDCS + PNS or sham tDCS + sham PNS, in patients with moderate to severe upper limb weakness, in a cross-over design. The working hypothesis of this proof-of-principle study is that either tDCS or PNS will enhance effects of functional electrical stimulation (FES) to a greater extent than placebo tDCS and PNS, and that the combination of tDCS and PNS will further improve motor outcomes than either tDCS or PNS alone.
The interventions will consist of outpatient motor training of the paretic wrist with FES in four experimental sessions separated by two weeks. In each session, either active tDCS + sham PNS, active PNS + sham tDCS,active tDCS + active PNS or sham tDCS + sham PNS will be applied. PNS will be applied for 2 hours and tDCS will be applied in the last 20 minutes before completion of PNS. The order of the sessions will be randomized across patients. Before the first session, patients will be familiarized with the FES device.
- Conditions
- Stroke
- Being tested
- Active tDCS, Active PNS, Sham tDCS, Sham PNS
- Medical subject headings
- Stroke
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Active tDCSOther
Active tDCS will be applied with the anode positioned over the ipsilesional M1 and the cathode over the contralateral supraorbital region for 20 minutes (1mA).
Active PNSOther
Active PNS will be administered by 2 pairs of surface electrodes (cathode proximal). One pair will overly the median and ulnar nerves at the wrist, and the other pair will overly the radial nerve. Trains of electric stimulation will be delivered at 1 Hz by using isolation units connected to a square pulse stimulator.
Sham tDCSOther
In sham tDCS, no current will be delivered through the tDCS device.
Sham PNSOther
No current will be delivered to the radial, ulnar and median nerves.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Active tDCS and active PNS | Active comparator | 1 session of active transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS) of the hemisphere affected by the stroke and active peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) Receives: Other: Active tDCS; Other: Active PNS |
| Active tDCS and sham PNS | Other | 1 session of active transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS) of the hemisphere affected by the stroke and sham peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) Receives: Other: Active tDCS; Other: Sham PNS |
| Sham tDCS and active PNS | Other | 1 session of sham transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS) of the hemisphere affected by the stroke and active peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) Receives: Other: Active PNS; Other: Sham tDCS |
| Sham tDCS and sham PNS | Sham comparator | 1 session of sham transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS) of the hemisphere affected by the stroke and sham peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) Receives: Other: Sham tDCS; Other: Sham PNS |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Active Range of Motion of Wrist Extension in the Paretic Side
In this cross-over study, the primary outcome was measured immediately before and after each session of treatment. In each session, one of the four possible interventions was administered.
Measured: Pre- and post-intervention on each intervention day
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted25 Jul 2013 (estimated)
- Study startJul 2013
- Primary completionJul 2016
- Study completionJul 2016
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Other trials for StrokeStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
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
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Triple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Care provider, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 22 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Sao Paulo General Hospital
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Fundação Faculdade de Medicina
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Adriana Bastos Conforto, University of Sao Paulo General Hospital
- Investigators
- Adriana Conforto, MD PhD, Principal investigator, Instituto do Coracao
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT01907737
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- P0546/11
- Status last verified
- May 2019
- First submitted
- 14 Jul 2013
- Last updated
- 19 Jul 2019
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 19 Jul 2019. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Combined Brain and Peripheral Nerve Stimulation to Enhance Beneficial Effects of Functional Electrical Stimulation on Hand Motor Function After Stroke
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT01907737
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- P0546/11
- Conditions
- Stroke
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 22 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of Sao Paulo General HospitalUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Fundação Faculdade de Medicina
- Study start
- Jul 2013
- Primary completion
- Jul 2016 (actual)
- Study completion
- Jul 2016 (actual)
- First posted
- 25 Jul 2013 (estimated)
- Results
- Posted 19 Jul 2019
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Cerebrovascular disease is a major cause of disability worldwide. The catastrophic burden of stroke is more dramatic in low- and middle- income countries, and the scarcity of evidence-based rehabilitation interventions represents a major challenge to global health care. Upper limb weakness is frequent after stroke, but there is no universally accepted treatment to effectively improve hand function in patients with moderate and severe motor impairment. These are the patients in deepest need of rehabilitative interventions. This project addresses this important issue, by testing effects of a novel approach. We will non-invasively stimulate the brain and peripheral nerves in order to enhance effects of motor training aided by an electrical stimulation device in patients with moderate to severe hand weakness. Our hypothesis is that brain stimulation, when added to peripheral nerve stimulation, will enhance effects of motor training to a greater extent than brain stimulation alone, peripheral stimulation alone, or no stimulation.
Detailed description
The goal of this study is to compare the effects of FES in close association with either transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) alone, peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS)alone, tDCS + PNS or sham tDCS + sham PNS, in patients with moderate to severe upper limb weakness, in a cross-over design. The working hypothesis of this proof-of-principle study is that either tDCS or PNS will enhance effects of functional electrical stimulation (FES) to a greater extent than placebo tDCS and PNS, and that the combination of tDCS and PNS will further improve motor outcomes than either tDCS or PNS alone.
The interventions will consist of outpatient motor training of the paretic wrist with FES in four experimental sessions separated by two weeks. In each session, either active tDCS + sham PNS, active PNS + sham tDCS,active tDCS + active PNS or sham tDCS + sham PNS will be applied. PNS will be applied for 2 hours and tDCS will be applied in the last 20 minutes before completion of PNS. The order of the sessions will be randomized across patients. Before the first session, patients will be familiarized with the FES device.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Triple blind (participant, care provider, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 4
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Active tDCS and active PNS | Active comparator | Other: Active tDCS, Other: Active PNS1 session of active transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS) of the hemisphere affected by the stroke and active peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) |
| Active tDCS and sham PNS | Other | Other: Active tDCS, Other: Sham PNS1 session of active transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS) of the hemisphere affected by the stroke and sham peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) |
| Sham tDCS and active PNS | Other | Other: Active PNS, Other: Sham tDCS1 session of sham transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS) of the hemisphere affected by the stroke and active peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) |
| Sham tDCS and sham PNS | Sham comparator | Other: Sham tDCS, Other: Sham PNS1 session of sham transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS) of the hemisphere affected by the stroke and sham peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Age, 18 years or older;
- First-ever, ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke at least six months before, confirmed by computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging;
- Moderate to severe motor impairment of an upper limb, defined as a score between 7 and 50 on the Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Sensorimotor Recovery after stroke, a scale with scores for upper limb ranging from 0 (no function) to 66 (normal function;
- Ability to provide written Informed Consent (patient or legal representative);
- Ability to comply with the schedule of interventions and evaluations in the protocol.
Key exclusion criteria (13 listed)
- Lack of ability to voluntarily activate any active range of wrist extension;
- Anesthesia of the paretic hand;
- Stroke lesions affecting entirely the hand knob area of the motor cortex120;
- Stroke lesions affecting the cerebellum or the brain stem;
- Severe spasticity at the paretic elbow, wrist, or fingers, defined as a score of >3 on the Modified Ashworth Spasticity Scale;
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Active tDCSActive tDCS will be applied with the anode positioned over the ipsilesional M1 and the cathode over the contralateral supraorbital region for 20 minutes (1mA). | Other | Active tDCS and active PNS, Active tDCS and sham PNS |
| Active PNSActive PNS will be administered by 2 pairs of surface electrodes (cathode proximal). One pair will overly the median and ulnar nerves at the wrist, and the other pair will overly the radial nerve. Trains of electric stimulation will be delivered at 1 Hz by using isolation units connected to a square pulse stimulator. | Other | Active tDCS and active PNS, Sham tDCS and active PNS |
| Sham tDCSIn sham tDCS, no current will be delivered through the tDCS device. | Other | Sham tDCS and active PNS, Sham tDCS and sham PNS |
| Sham PNSNo current will be delivered to the radial, ulnar and median nerves. | Other | Active tDCS and sham PNS, Sham tDCS and sham PNS |
Primary outcome
Active Range of Motion of Wrist Extension in the Paretic Side
Time frame: Pre- and post-intervention on each intervention day
In this cross-over study, the primary outcome was measured immediately before and after each session of treatment. In each session, one of the four possible interventions was administered.
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 19 Jul 2019.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Adriana Conforto, MD PhD principal investigator
Instituto do Coracao
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Active tDCS and Active PNS in people with Stroke, run by University of Sao Paulo General Hospital 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 5 inclusion and 13 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 19 Jul 2019. 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.
Are results available for this study?
Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 19 Jul 2019). 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?
Active Range of Motion of Wrist Extension in the Paretic Side (time frame: Pre- and post-intervention on each intervention day). 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 19 Jul 2019; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 27 Oct 2026.