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Myelomeningocele Without HydrocephalusNCT04035863

Effects of Photobiomodulation on Superficial Sensitivity and Muscle Activity of Individuals With Myelomeningocele

A study testing Low level laser therapy in people with Myelomeningocele Without Hydrocephalus and Sensory Defect, run by University of Nove de Julho.

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 The sponsor has not verified this record for over two years, so it may be out of date.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

Myelomeningocele is a neural tube defect that occurs between the third and fourth week of gestation. Functional impairment occurs due to dysplasia of the nerve roots, which can lead to flaccid paralysis and sensory-motor dysfunction below the level of the lesion. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 5 to 16 years
What is being tested?
Low level laser therapy
Type of treatment
Medical device
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
30 participants
Where
No sites listed yet
Study dates
2 Sep 2019to 3 May 2020
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 5 to 16 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child

Who may be able to join

  • Age 5 to 16 years;
  • diagnosis of myelomeningocele on the lower lumbar and sacral level;
  • community ambulator;
  • score above the cutoff point for age on the Mini Mental State Examination.

Who cannot join

  • Cognitive impairment that compromises the ability to communicate and answer the questions that will be posed;
  • allergy to latex; - manifestations secondary to MMC, such as hydrocephalus;
  • congenital club foot; neuromuscular scoliosis;
  • subluxation or luxation of hip and knee;
  • other disease of the central nervous system, neoplasms, heart failure, renal, respiratory, hepatic.

About this study

Official title: EVALUATION OF THE SENSORY-MOTOR RESPONSE IN PATIENTS WITH MYELOMENINGOCELE FOLLOWING TREATMENT WITH PHOTOBIOMODULATION

Myelomeningocele is a neural tube defect that occurs between the third and fourth week of gestation. Functional impairment occurs due to dysplasia of the nerve roots, which can lead to flaccid paralysis and sensory-motor dysfunction below the level of the lesion. Although advances in the multidisciplinary treatment of myelomeningocele have led to functional improvements in affected children, novel therapeutic modalities, such as photobiomodulation (PBM), could be a promising complement to treatment. Objective: Evaluate the effectiveness of PBM combined with physiotherapeutic exercises on the sensory-motor response in individuals with myelomeningocele at the lower lumbar and sacral level. Participants will be recruited from the Integrated Health Clinic of University Nove de Julho and randomized into two groups: Grupo 1 - treatment with PBM at a wavelength of 808 nm + physical therapy; Grupo 2 - sham PBM + physical therapy. Evaluations will involve electromyography of the gastrocnemius, tibialis anterior and rectus femoris muscles of both lower limbs. Balance will be evaluated using the Pediatric Balance Scale. The sensory evaluation will be performed using the Semmes-Weinstein monofilament kit (Smiles®). BDNF levels will be determined using ELISA. The data will be analyzed with the aid of GraphPad PRISM version 7.0. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test will be used to determine the normality of the data. Variables that fit the Gaussian curve will be expressed as mean and standard deviation values. The t-test will be used for the comparisons between groups, with the level of significance set to 95% (p < 0.05).

Being tested
Low level laser therapy
Medical subject headings
Motor Activity

What participants receive

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

  • Low level laser therapyDevice

    For the PBM protocol, articles of interest were identified through analyses of titles and abstracts. Articles addressing PBM in experimental models or clinical trials of spinal cord injuries were included and articles not pertinent to the proposed study were excluded. Next, the selected articles were analyzed and used for the creation of an initial protocol (Table 1).

    For irradiation, the individuals will be positioned comfortably in lateral decubitus on the examining table. Three points will be irradiated above the lesion level, which will be located using an imaging exam brought by the guardian on the day of the evaluation. After determining the lesion level, palpation of the transverse processes of the vertebrae will be performed. The same laser device (Laser DMC Therapy EC) will be used for both groups. For the placebo group, the device will emit sound but not light.

Study groups in NCT04035863
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
PBM + physiotherapy exercisesExperimentalwill be submitted to active PBM and physiotherapeutic exercises. For irradiation, the individuals will be positioned comfortably in lateral decubitus on the examining table. Three points will be irradiated at the lesion level with a wavelength of 808 nm, 25 J per point for 12 sessions. The same laser device (Laser DMC Therapy EC). Physical therapy will occur twice per week after PBM for six weeks. Static balance exercises will be performed with the feet together and tandem on a variety of different surfaces (hard surface, foam rubber and carpets with different textures) and sensory inputs (eyes open and closed). Dynamic balance exercises will involve walking forward and backward on firm and foam surfaces and circumventing obstacles. Muscle strengthening exercises, squatting and changing postural positions will also be performed. All activities will be in the form of play to maintain the children's interest
Receives: Device: Low level laser therapy
SHAM PBM + physiotherapy exercisesSham comparatorwill be submitted to sham PBM and physiotherapeutic exercises. For irradiation sham, the individuals will be positioned comfortably in lateral decubitus on the examining table. The same laser device (Laser DMC Therapy EC) will be used but the device will emit sound but not light. Physical therapy will occur twice per week after PBM for six weeks. Static balance exercises will be performed with the feet together and tandem on a variety of different surfaces (hard surface, foam rubber and carpets with different textures) and sensory inputs (eyes open and closed). Dynamic balance exercises will involve walking forward and backward on firm and foam surfaces and circumventing obstacles. Muscle strengthening exercises, squatting and changing postural positions will also be performed. All activities will be in the form of play to maintain the children's interest
Receives: Device: Low level laser therapy

What is being measured

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

  1. Assessment of muscle activity

    Electromyography (EMG) will be performed with the EMG System®. The participants will be placed on an examining table and the skin will be cleaned with tissues soaked in alcohol for the placement of the markers. Disposable self-adhesive Ag/AgCl surface electrodes (Noraxon) measuring 10 mm in diameter will be attached to the belly of the lateral gastrocnemius, tibialis anterior and rectus femoris muscles on both lower limbs to capture the EMG signals. A reference electrode will be placed on the left wrist of the volunteers to impede interference of external noise

    Measured: 10 minutes

  2. Sensory evaluation - monofilaments

    The sensory evaluation will be performed using the Semmes-Weinstein kit (Smiles®), which is a set of six nylon monofilaments of the same length that exert force on the specific area tested. Each monofilament has a different color and diameter: green (0.05 g), blue (0.2 g), violet (2 g), red (4 g), orang (10 g) and magenta (300 g). The score ranges from seven (green monofilament) to 1 (magenta monofilament). The test will be performed on the following dermatomes: L1, L2, L4, L5, S1, S2 and S3.

    Measured: 10 minutes

Secondary outcomes (3)
  1. Evaluation of balance

    Balance will be evaluated using the Pediatric Balance Scale, which consists of 14 items scored from 0 to 4 points. The maximum score is 56, with higher scores denoting better balance.

    Measured: 10 minutos

  2. Analysis expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)

    BDNF be quantified in saliva samples from the participants using ELISA MAX HUMAN kits (BioLegend), which contain capture and detection antibodies for the precise quantification of each cytokine. All kits will be used following the manufacturer's instructions. The optical density of the samples will be measured in a spectrophotometer at 450 nm.

    Collection of saliva

    Measured: 10 minutes

  3. Analysis expression Interleukin-10 (IL-10)

    IL-10 will be quantified in saliva samples from the participants using ELISA MAX HUMAN kits (BioLegend), which contain capture and detection antibodies for the precise quantification of each cytokine. All kits will be used following the manufacturer's instructions. The optical density of the samples will be measured in a spectrophotometer at 450 nm.

    Measured: 10 minutes

Timeline

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

  1. First posted29 Jul 2019
  2. Study start2 Sep 2019 (estimated)
  3. Primary completion1 Mar 2020 (estimated)
  4. Study completion3 May 2020 (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 N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Double blind
Who is masked
Participant, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
30 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT04035863
Sponsor's protocol ID
MieloTamiris
Status last verified
Jul 2019
First submitted
24 Jul 2019
Last updated
29 Jul 2019
Results posted
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Low level laser therapy in people with Myelomeningocele Without Hydrocephalus and Sensory Defect, run by University of Nove de Julho.

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 4 inclusion and 5 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 29 Jul 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. 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?

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?

Assessment of muscle activity (time frame: 10 minutes). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. 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 29 Jul 2019.

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