Chronic Low Back PainEPSNCT03320863
The Enso Study for Chronic Low Back Pain
A study testing Enso device in people with Chronic Low Back Pain, run by Thimble Bioelectronics, Inc. at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
Enso is a portable device for the treatment of chronic and acute types of musculoskeletal pain. This study is being designed as a double-blinded, sham-controlled randomized clinical trial. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Chronic Low Back Pain
- What is being tested?
- Enso device
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 50 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 9 Nov 2017to 30 Jan 2021
- Phase
- Interventional
- 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
Who may be able to join
- Mechanical (myofascial), axial back pain (focused around the spine)
- 6/10 or greater level of pain
- Functionally debilitated by their pain (e.g., difficulty walking)
- Minimal radicular symptoms with no effect on functionality, medication, quality of life
- Expressed desire to stop taking pain medications
- Expressed desire to improve disability
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- 80% or greater of disability is due to pain in the low back (as opposed to other body areas)
- Experiencing chronic pain for at least 6 months
- Interested in being active, improving their functionality
- Comfortable with using technology in daily life
- Subject able to understand and grant informed consent
- Documented adherence with clinic follow up visits per medical records
- Has an email account
- Above 18 years old
Who cannot join
- Patients that do not own or have access to a smartphone
- Has spinal instability, joint instability, or grade 2 or greater spondylolisthesis with instability
- Primary symptoms due to spinal stenosis
- Source of back pain related to an acute nerve impingement
- Diagnosis of cancer/malignant tumors in the last 5 years
- Source of back pain is an infection
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- Source of pain is a prior spinal fusion surgery
- Has a cardiac pacemaker, implanted defibrillator or other implanted electronic device
- Has radicular pain symptoms that affect functionality, quality of life or medication intake
- Has undergone surgery to solve pain related to the study indication in the past 6 months
- Patients with history of opioid, alcohol or drug abuse in the last 5 years, per investigator discretion
- Any psychiatric condition that may interfere with the study assessments or prevent the subject from complying with the requirements of the protocol, in the judgement of the investigator
- Inability to complete subjective data as required; e.g. on mobile application and questionnaires
- Pregnant women (as determined by self-report)
- Have severe epilepsy
- Have severe form of cardiovascular disease
- Any other disease, condition, or habit(s) that in the opinion of the Principal Investigator would interfere with study compliance or adversely affect study outcomes
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
University of California Medical Center
San Francisco, California, 94143
Bobby Tay, MD, 415-353-2739, TayB@ucsf.edu
Krishn Khanna, MD, 719-510-9613, Krishn.Khanna@ucsf.edu
About this study
Official title: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Novel Form of Non-Invasive Neuromodulation for Treatment of Chronic Low Back Pain
Enso is a portable device for the treatment of chronic and acute types of musculoskeletal pain. This study is being designed as a double-blinded, sham-controlled randomized clinical trial.
Read the detailed description
Fifty subjects will be selected based on the inclusion criteria and then randomized to either the intervention group or the sham control group. Each subject will be randomly fitted with an Enso or a sham device and will be instructed to self-administer treatment daily for one hour or more per day for four weeks in both cohorts. Throughout the duration of the study, data will be recorded via a smartphone application regarding treatment usage and intensity, pain levels, the subject's impression of any changes in their functionality, and their opioid and non-opioid medication intake. Medication usage will also be tracked through the use of CURES 2.0 information and pill counts at specified study visits. Additional functional testing will be conducted at each study visit.
At the 4 week visit, the study blind will be broken, and subjects who were randomized to the sham group will be given the opportunity to cross over for an additional week in the study, using the active device.
- Conditions
- Chronic Low Back Pain
- Being tested
- Enso device
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Enso deviceDevice
An active Enso device that delivers neuromodulation therapy.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Active or Enso Group | Active comparator | Active Enso device use for one month, at least one hour daily, including coaching via a smartphone app and coaching phone calls regarding device usage. Receives: Device: Enso device |
| Sham Group | No intervention | Sham device use for one month, at least one hour daily, including coaching via a smartphone app and coaching phone calls regarding device usage. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Six Minute Walk Test
Compare the change in patient's 6 Minute Walk Test (6MWT) between the Enso intervention group and the sham group using the validated 6MWT procedure.
Measured: Once a week for 4 weeks
Secondary outcomes (1)
Functional back pain assessment
Functional back pain assessment using a 0 to 10 Numeric Pain Intensity Scale, assessed immediately after the 6MWT.
Measured: Once a week for 4 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted25 Oct 2017
- Study start9 Nov 2017
- Primary completion30 Dec 2020 (estimated)
- Study completion30 Jan 2021 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Chronic Low Back PainStudies 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
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Double-blind, randomized, sham controlled study
- Masking
- Quadruple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Thimble Bioelectronics, Inc.
- Sponsor type
- Industry (pharma, biotech, devices)
- Collaborators
- University of California, San Francisco
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Bobby Tay, MD, Principal investigator, University of California, San Francisco
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03320863
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Protocol 17-01
- Acronym
- EPS
- Status last verified
- Jan 2020
- First submitted
- 17 Oct 2017
- Last updated
- 27 Jan 2020
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- Yes
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 27 Jan 2020. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Novel Form of Non-Invasive Neuromodulation for Treatment of Chronic Low Back Pain
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03320863
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- EPS / Protocol 17-01
- Conditions
- Chronic Low Back Pain
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Unknown status
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Thimble Bioelectronics, Inc.Industry (pharma, biotech, devices)
- Collaborators
- University of California, San Francisco
- Study start
- 9 Nov 2017 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Dec 2020 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 30 Jan 2021 (estimated)
- First posted
- 25 Oct 2017 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Enso is a portable device for the treatment of chronic and acute types of musculoskeletal pain. This study is being designed as a double-blinded, sham-controlled randomized clinical trial.
Detailed description
Fifty subjects will be selected based on the inclusion criteria and then randomized to either the intervention group or the sham control group. Each subject will be randomly fitted with an Enso or a sham device and will be instructed to self-administer treatment daily for one hour or more per day for four weeks in both cohorts. Throughout the duration of the study, data will be recorded via a smartphone application regarding treatment usage and intensity, pain levels, the subject's impression of any changes in their functionality, and their opioid and non-opioid medication intake. Medication usage will also be tracked through the use of CURES 2.0 information and pill counts at specified study visits. Additional functional testing will be conducted at each study visit.
At the 4 week visit, the study blind will be broken, and subjects who were randomized to the sham group will be given the opportunity to cross over for an additional week in the study, using the active device.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Quadruple blind (participant, care provider, investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Double-blind, randomized, sham controlled study
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Active or Enso Group | Active comparator | Device: Enso deviceActive Enso device use for one month, at least one hour daily, including coaching via a smartphone app and coaching phone calls regarding device usage. |
| Sham Group | No intervention | –Sham device use for one month, at least one hour daily, including coaching via a smartphone app and coaching phone calls regarding device usage. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (14 listed)
- Mechanical (myofascial), axial back pain (focused around the spine)
- 6/10 or greater level of pain
- Functionally debilitated by their pain (e.g., difficulty walking)
- Minimal radicular symptoms with no effect on functionality, medication, quality of life
- Expressed desire to stop taking pain medications
Key exclusion criteria (17 listed)
- Patients that do not own or have access to a smartphone
- Has spinal instability, joint instability, or grade 2 or greater spondylolisthesis with instability
- Primary symptoms due to spinal stenosis
- Source of back pain related to an acute nerve impingement
- Diagnosis of cancer/malignant tumors in the last 5 years
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Enso deviceAn active Enso device that delivers neuromodulation therapy. | Device | Active or Enso Group |
Primary outcome
Six Minute Walk Test
Time frame: Once a week for 4 weeks
Compare the change in patient's 6 Minute Walk Test (6MWT) between the Enso intervention group and the sham group using the validated 6MWT procedure.
1 secondary outcome
Functional back pain assessment
Time frame: Once a week for 4 weeks
Results and safety
Results are not available in the source record.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 27 Jan 2020.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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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.
Bobby Tay, MD principal investigator
University of California, San Francisco
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Enso device in people with Chronic Low Back Pain, run by Thimble Bioelectronics, Inc. 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 14 inclusion and 17 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 27 Jan 2020. 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?
Contact Shaun CEO (408-799-8783, shaun@ensorelief.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Six Minute Walk Test (time frame: Once a week for 4 weeks). 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 27 Jan 2020; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 1 Nov 2026.