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Neurogenic Bowel DysfunctionNCT02641483

Stimulation for Colonic Motility

A study testing Electrical Rectal Stimulation in people with Neurogenic Bowel Dysfunction, run by VA Office of Research and Development at 2 sites 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

The investigators are testing the effect of electrical stimulation of the rectum on colonic motility. Most individuals with spinal cord injury develop neurogenic bowel dysfunction, which includes slowed colonic motility, which means that stools take longer than normal to pass through the colon. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
Conditions the study is for
Neurogenic Bowel Dysfunction
What is being tested?
Electrical Rectal Stimulation
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
2 participants
Where
2 sitesUnited States
Study dates
1 Jan 2019to 31 Dec 2021
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

  • Diagnosed neurogenic bowel dysfunction and using digital rectal stimulation
  • Neurologically stable
  • Skeletally mature
  • Suprasacral spinal cord injury, stroke, or multiple sclerosis
  • At least 6 months post neurological injury or disease diagnosis

Who cannot join

  • Active sepsis
  • Open pressure sores on or around pelvis
  • Significant colon trauma or colostomy
  • History of autonomic dysreflexia

Trial locations and contacts

2 sites in 1 country.

United States2 sites
  • Louis Stokes VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH

    Cleveland, Ohio, 44106

  • Syracuse VA Medical Center, Syracuse, NY

    Syracuse, New York, 13210

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Afferent Stimulation to Evoke Recto-colonic Reflex for Colonic Motility

The investigators are testing the effect of electrical stimulation of the rectum on colonic motility. Most individuals with spinal cord injury develop neurogenic bowel dysfunction, which includes slowed colonic motility, which means that stools take longer than normal to pass through the colon. This slowed movement may result in chronic constipation and difficulty emptying the bowels. Individuals typically (without or without caregiver assistance) insert a gloved finger into the rectum and gently stretch it to improve colonic motility for a brief period to empty the bowels. The investigators hypothesize that electrically stimulating the rectum, instead of mechanically stretching it, will produce the same beneficial effect of improving colonic motility. Therefore, this study will compare the two methods. If electrical stimulation effectively improves colonic motility, then the investigator shall develop the approach as a therapeutic intervention in future studies.

Being tested
Electrical Rectal Stimulation

What participants receive

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

  • Electrical Rectal StimulationOther

    Electrical stimulation of the rectum will be applied to activate sensory afferent neurons of the rectum and evoke a recto-colonic reflex to improve colonic motility. This intervention will compared to individuals' usual mechanical intervention of digital rectal stimulation.

Study groups in NCT02641483
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Colonic MotilityExperimentalStudy participants will act as their own controls, first providing data using their usual digital rectal stimulation intervention for bowel care, then providing data using electrical stimulation for bowel care.
Receives: Other: Electrical Rectal Stimulation

What is being measured

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

  1. Compare Changes in Number of Interventions Used to Complete Bowel Routine, Including Electrical Rectal Stimulation (Treatment) Versus Mechanical Rectal Distension (Control)

    Two interventions will be tested, including the clinical standard of digital rectal stimulation and a novel approach using electrical stimulation of rectal sensory afferents, to determine the effect on colonic pressure. Typically several bouts of digital rectal stimulation are required to achieve complete bowel emptying. We will compare the number of bouts of digital rectal stimulation (control) with electrical rectal stimulation (treatment) required to achieve complete bowel emptying.

    Measured: 1 month

Timeline

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

  1. First posted29 Dec 2015 (estimated)
  2. Study start1 Jan 2019
  3. Primary completion31 Dec 2021
  4. Study completion31 Dec 2021

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
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
2 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT02641483
Sponsor's protocol ID
B1962-W
Status last verified
Nov 2022
First submitted
22 Dec 2015
Last updated
21 Sep 2023
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Electrical Rectal Stimulation in people with Neurogenic Bowel Dysfunction, run by VA Office of Research and Development at 2 sites 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 5 inclusion and 4 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 21 Sep 2023. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 2 sites 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 21 Sep 2023). 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?

Compare Changes in Number of Interventions Used to Complete Bowel Routine, Including Electrical Rectal Stimulation (Treatment) Versus Mechanical Rectal Distension (Control) (time frame: 1 month). 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 21 Sep 2023.

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