AzTrials
AzTrials

Nemaline Myopathy Type 6NCT03211923

Muscle Relaxation in Myopathies With Positive Muscle Phenomena

An observational study of Nemaline Myopathy Type 6 and Myotonic Dystrophy Type 2, run by Radboud University Medical Center.

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 The sponsor has not verified this record for over two years, so it may be out of date.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

Trial summary

The aim of this study is to quantify muscle relaxation properties of the finger flexor muscles in patients with different myopathies. The inhibiting effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) on the cortical motor hand area are used to induce relaxation, which in turn will be monitored with handgrip… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
What is being tested?
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
How many people
30 participants
Where
No sites listed yet
Study dates
5 Jan 2017to 31 Dec 2019
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 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Study population: Diagnosis of one of the following myopathies: Nemaline myopathy type 6 (NEM6), Myotonic dystrophy type 2 (DM2), McArdle disease. Patients will be selected from a local database at the Radboud University Medical Center. The goal is to include 5 men and 5 women per myopathy.

Who may be able to join

  • Diagnosis of one of the following myopathies: Nemaline myopathy type 6 (NEM6), Myotonic dystrophy type 2 (DM2), McArdle disease.

Who cannot join

  • Pregnancy
  • Serious head trauma or brain surgery
  • Large or ferromagnetic metal parts in the head
  • Implanted cardiac pacemaker or neurostimulator
  • Epilepsy, convulsion or seizure
  • Use of medication that can influence muscle relaxation or cortical excitability

About this study

Official title: Muscle Relaxation Properties in Myopathies With Positive Muscle Phenomena: a Study Using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

The aim of this study is to quantify muscle relaxation properties of the finger flexor muscles in patients with different myopathies. The inhibiting effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) on the cortical motor hand area are used to induce relaxation, which in turn will be monitored with handgrip dynamometry and EMG. The investigators will evaluate if this technique can be implemented as a diagnostic tool in clinical practice.

Muscle relaxation is an often overlooked property of the muscle as compared to muscle strength or activation. Muscle relaxation is affected in different myopathies, such as myotonic dystrophy, non-dystrophic myotonias, and Brody myopathy. Therefore, a diagnostic tool to quantify muscle relaxation is of clinical and scientific importance. In this study, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is used, in combination with a dynamometer to quantify muscle relaxation properties.

Read more

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive technique that is commonly used to stimulate the brain. In practice, a circular coil is held directly above the scalp, upon which a strong current pulse induces a magnetic field that stimulates the underlying superficial brain areas. This stimulation can have both activating and inhibiting effects.

When the motor cortex (i.e. the area of the brain that controls muscle contractions) is strongly stimulated with TMS during a voluntary muscle contraction, both excitatory and inhibitory effects can be observed in the muscle the targeted cortical area controls. The inhibitory effect entails a transient interruption of neural drive to the muscle. This interruption, called the "silent period", lasts for less than half a second and results in the relaxation of the muscle. Muscle activity and control quickly return to normal after the silent period.

The elegance and main advantage of TMS-induced muscle relaxation lies in the fact that it excludes all voluntary influences on the relaxation process. Furthermore, the TMS pulse causes all muscle fibres involved in the contraction just prior to the onset of the silent period to relax simultaneously. This allows us to study muscle relaxation as only a property of the muscle, i.e. without voluntary influences.

In this study, the investigators will measure muscle relaxation in several myopathies (McArdle disease, Nemaline myopathy type 6 and myotonic dystrophy type 2) and compare this to healthy controls and to controls with no myopathy but with similar complaints (myalgia, stiffness, cramps). The data from these two control groups has been gathered previously in a different study. The investigators will also compare this to patients suffering from Brody disease who were previously measured in a different study.

Muscle relaxation will be evaluated in fresh and fatigued finger flexor muscles. The main outcome of this study is the peak relaxation rate normalized to the peak force preceding relaxation.

The final outlook of this research is to evaluate whether muscle relaxation studied with TMS, can be used for different myopathies as a diagnostic tool, to monitor disease progression, and to study the effects of different interventions (e.g. medication, exercise).

Being tested
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
Keywords
muscle relaxation, transcranial magnetic stimulation, myopathy
Medical subject headings
Myotonic Dystrophy, Glycogen Storage Disease Type V, Muscular Diseases

What participants receive

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

  • Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)Diagnostic test

    Single pulse, monophasic transcranial magnetic stimulation

Study groups in NCT03211923
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Nemaline myopathy type 6 (NEM6)Patients diagnosed with nemaline myopathy type 6 (mutation in KBTBD13 gene). The aim is to measure five male and five female patients.
Receives: Diagnostic Test: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
Myotonic dystrophy type 2 (DM2)Patients diagnosed with myotonic dystrophy type 2 (pathological repeat expansion in CNBP gene). The aim is to measure five male and five female patients.
Receives: Diagnostic Test: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
McArdle disease (McA)Patients diagnosed with McArdle disease (mutation in PYGM gene). The aim is to measure five male and five female patients.
Receives: Diagnostic Test: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
Healthy controls14 male and 10 female healthy subjects were measured in a previous study
Controls with positive muscle phenomena9 male and 8 female subjects with positive muscle phenomena but no myopathy, ruled out by normal muscle biopsy, CK level, and genetic testing. These subjects were measured in a previous study.
Brody disease4 male patients diagnosed with Brody disease (ATP2A1 mutation). All Dutch patients suffering from Brody disease (n=4) were measured in a previous study

What is being measured

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

  1. Normalized peak relaxation rate

    Maximal rate at which the muscle relaxes after the TMS pulse, defined as the steepest point on the force curve.

    This value is normalised to the force that preceded relaxation, i.e. top of the superimposed twitch.

    Measured: 1 hour

Secondary outcomes (3)
  1. Force decline at 150ms

    The force decline (percentage of peak force) at 150ms after TMS stimulation.

    Measured: 1 hour

  2. Relaxation times (RT)

    The time needed for force to decline to a certain percentage of peak force. E.g. the 75% relaxation time, is defined as the time needed for force to decline from 100% (i.e. force before relaxation onset) to 75%.

    Different relaxation times will be evaluated, e.g. 90% RT, 75% RT, and 50% RT

    Measured: 1 hour

  3. Maximal muscle strength

    The highest point on the force curve prior to TMS stimulus

    Measured: 1 hour

Timeline

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

  1. First posted7 Jul 2017
  2. Study start5 Jan 2017
  3. Primary completion31 Dec 2019 (estimated)
  4. Study completion31 Dec 2019 (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
Cross-sectional
Enrolment
30 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT03211923
Sponsor's protocol ID
NL57301.091.16
Status last verified
Sep 2018
First submitted
28 Jun 2017
Last updated
1 Oct 2019
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

An observational study of Nemaline Myopathy Type 6 and Myotonic Dystrophy Type 2, run by Radboud University Medical Center.

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 6 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 1 Oct 2019. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

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?

Normalized peak relaxation rate (time frame: 1 hour). 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 1 Oct 2019.

Free account

Log in to keep searching

You’ve used your 3 free searches. AzTrials is free: log in or create a free account to keep searching clinical trials and save the ones you want to follow.

Create a free accountLog in