Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation During Immobilization Due to Ankle Fractures (ANKL-ES)
The Effects of Daily Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation on Muscle Mass During Long-term Unilateral Ankle Immobilization in Adults With Ankle Fractures
Rationale: Situations such as fractures of the lower extremity can necessitate a prolonged period of immobilization in otherwise healthy individuals. Long-term immobilization of the lower extremity has shown to cause significant reductions in skeletal muscle mass, already occurring during the early stages of disuse. Accordingly, feasible strategies for attenuating this loss of muscle during disuse need to be pursued. Local neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) offers such a potential strategy but, as yet, remains untested during prolonged muscle disuse in a clinical setting.
Objective: To investigate whether twice daily local (gastrocnemius/soleus) NMES attenuates muscle loss during 2 weeks of unilateral ankle immobilization.
Study design: Randomized, parallel (two groups) study design.
Study population: 30 adults (18-65 y) with any form of closed ankle fractures needing surgical treatment.
Intervention: Twice daily neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) or no intervention.
Main study parameters/endpoints: Primary: Calf muscle (gastrocnemius) cross sectional area (CSA) as determined by CT scan. Secondary: type I and II muscle fiber CSA and SC content, intramuscular triglyceride content and mRNA and protein expression of anabolic signaling proteins.
Study Overview
Status
Status
Conditions
Conditions
Intervention / Treatment
Intervention / Treatment
Study Type
Study Type
Enrollment (Actual)
Enrollment
Phase
Phase
- Not Applicable
Contacts and Locations
Study Locations
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-
Limburg
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Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands, 6229ER
- Maastricht University Medical Centre
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-
Participation Criteria
Eligibility Criteria
Eligibility Criteria
Ages Eligible for Study
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Genders Eligible for Study
Description
Inclusion Criteria:
- Unilateral closed ankle fracture (Weber type A, B or C)
- Aged from 18-65 years
- 18.5 < BMI < 30 kg/m2
- Undergoing surgical treatment
Exclusion Criteria:
- Additional fractures beside ankle fracture (e.g. multi-trauma following a car accident)
- Use of oral anticoagulants such as vitamin K-antagonists (e.g. acenocoumarol and fenprocoumon) and direct-acting or new oral anticoagulants (e.g. apixaban, dabigatran and rivaroxaban).
- Any family history of thrombosis
- All co-morbidities interacting with mobility and muscle metabolism of the lower limbs (e.g. arthritis, spasticity/rigidity, all neurological disorders and paralysis).
- Myocardial infarction within the last 3 years
Study Plan
How is the study designed?
Design Details
- Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
- Allocation: Randomized
- Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
- Masking: None (Open Label)
Number of Arms
Arms and Interventions
Participant Group / ArmParticipant Group / Arm |
Intervention / TreatmentIntervention / Treatment |
|---|---|
|
Experimental: NMES group
Patients will receive twice daily sessions of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES).
|
The protocol will consist of a warm-up period (5 min), a stimulation period (30min), and a cooling-down period (5min).
Stimulation will be provided by an Enraf Nonius TensMed S84 stimulation device.
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No Intervention: Control group
Patients will receive daily visits by the investigator to check progress.
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What is the study measuring?
Primary Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
Outcome Measure |
Measure Description |
Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
|
Percentage change in calf muscle cross sectional area
Time Frame: Baseline measurements will be performed at the day of the surgical intervention for the ankle fracture. Post measurements will be performed at the last day of the subsequent 2-week period of immobilization with a lower leg cast.
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Measured by a single slice CT-scan of the calf muscle.
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Baseline measurements will be performed at the day of the surgical intervention for the ankle fracture. Post measurements will be performed at the last day of the subsequent 2-week period of immobilization with a lower leg cast.
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Secondary Outcome Measures
Secondary Outcome Measures
Outcome Measure |
Measure Description |
Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
|
Percentage change in type I and II muscle fiber cross sectional area
Time Frame: Baseline measurements will be performed at the day of the surgical intervention for the ankle fracture. Post measurements will be performed at the last day of the subsequent 2-week period of immobilization with a lower leg cast.
|
Measured by immunohistochemical analyses of the muscle biopsies.
|
Baseline measurements will be performed at the day of the surgical intervention for the ankle fracture. Post measurements will be performed at the last day of the subsequent 2-week period of immobilization with a lower leg cast.
|
|
Percentage change in type I and II muscle fiber satellite cell content
Time Frame: Baseline measurements will be performed at the day of the surgical intervention for the ankle fracture. Post measurements will be performed at the last day of the subsequent 2-week period of immobilization with a lower leg cast.
|
Measured by immunohistochemical analyses of the muscle biopsies.
|
Baseline measurements will be performed at the day of the surgical intervention for the ankle fracture. Post measurements will be performed at the last day of the subsequent 2-week period of immobilization with a lower leg cast.
|
|
Percentage change in type I and II muscle fiber intramuscular triglyceride content
Time Frame: Baseline measurements will be performed at the day of the surgical intervention for the ankle fracture. Post measurements will be performed at the last day of the subsequent 2-week period of immobilization with a lower leg cast.
|
Measured by immunohistochemical analyses of the muscle biopsies.
|
Baseline measurements will be performed at the day of the surgical intervention for the ankle fracture. Post measurements will be performed at the last day of the subsequent 2-week period of immobilization with a lower leg cast.
|
Collaborators and Investigators
Sponsor
Sponsor
Investigators
Investigators
- Principal Investigator: Luc van Loon, Prof, Maastricht University Medical Centre
Study record dates
Study Major Dates
Study Start
Study Start
Primary Completion (Actual)
Primary Completion
Study Completion (Actual)
Study Completion
Study Registration Dates
First Submitted
First Submitted
First Submitted That Met QC Criteria
First Submitted That Met QC Criteria
First Posted (Estimate)
First Posted
Study Record Updates
Last Update Posted (Actual)
Last Update Posted
Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria
Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria
Last Verified
Last Verified
More Information
Terms related to this study
Additional Relevant MeSH Terms
Other Study ID Numbers
Other Study ID Numbers
- METC 14-3-050
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