Effects of Pulsed Magnetic Pads on Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms in Postmenopausal Women

August 4, 2008 updated by: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) Efficacy in Reducing Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a pulsed magnetic field (PMF) pad will improve symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in postmenopausal women.

Study hypothesis: A pulsed magnetic field pad will effectively reduce the symptoms of RA in postmenopausal women.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

RA is a condition characterized by pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and mood changes. These symptoms often persist despite the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Many women for whom these drugs do not work turn to complementary and alternative therapies, including the use of magnetic devices. Although few studies have investigated the effects of low strength PMF pads in persons with RA, evidence suggests that PMF may help relieve pain, inflammation, and fatigue. This study will determine the effects of a PMF device on RA symptoms in postmenopausal women.

This study will last 12 weeks. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: active PMF pad treatment, sham PMF pad treatment, or standard of care, which may include drug therapy or physical therapy. Participants in the active and sham PMF pad groups will be treated with their assigned pad for approximately 8 minutes, twice a day for the duration of the study. Questionnaires and self-report scales will be used to assess pain, fatigue, sleep quality, mood, and inflammation episodes. Blood and urine collection will occur to assess levels of stress hormones and certain proteins.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment

87

Phase

  • Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Virginia
      • Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, 22903
        • University of Virginia

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

35 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Diagnosis of RA
  • Postmenopausal, defined by no menstrual period in at least 2 years prior to study entry or a hysterectomy
  • Average pain of 2 or greater on a 0 to 10 pain scale
  • Sleep difficulty
  • Stable medication use related to RA for at least 4 weeks prior to study entry

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Diagnoses of lupus, sleep apnea, or restless leg syndrome
  • High-dose prednisone (more than 10 mg/day) or equivalent
  • Pacemakers or other implanted devices
  • Epilepsy
  • Currently undergoing treatment for cancer

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Pain

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
depression
Fatigue
C-reactive protein (CRP)
sleep disturbances
perceived stress
stress hormones (norepinephrine and epinephrine)
cortisol
pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1, IL-6)
erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
functional status
feasibility of study

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Cheryl M. Bourguignon, PhD, RN, University of Virginia

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

January 1, 2005

Primary Completion (Actual)

July 1, 2007

Study Completion (Actual)

July 1, 2007

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 10, 2005

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 10, 2005

First Posted (Estimate)

May 11, 2005

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

August 6, 2008

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 4, 2008

Last Verified

August 1, 2008

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • R21AT001469-01A2 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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