Restoration of Walking in Multiple Sclerosis Using Treadmill Training.

September 18, 2013 updated by: US Department of Veterans Affairs

Pilot Study on Gait & Motor Function in MS Using BWS Treadmill Training

The primary purpose of this study is to collect preliminary and pilot data to begin to determine whether the use of body weight support treadmill therapy (BWSTT) with and without driven-gait-orthotics (DGO), results in improved motor recovery and ambulation MS patients with gait impairment

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Gait impairment is a major cause of ongoing disability in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). New treadmills that provide body weight support and even robotic assistance to the lower limbs have recently been developed and are now commercially available. These treadmills allow the subject to execute the integrated process of walking in a task-specific manner that is repetitively reinforced in a normal pattern. Data from studies using these body-weight supported treadmills (BWSTT) in spinal cord injury and stroke patients suggest that intensive task-specific gait rehabilitative training may help to restore a normative gait pattern, improve overground walking and enhance quality of life in multiple sclerosis patients with neurological gait impairment. In this study, we propose a series of prospective longitudinal clinical studies to collect pilot data on the use of task-specific BWSTT +/- Lokomat on improving ambulation, motor function and quality of life for MS patients with mild to moderate gait difficulty. Pilot data will also be collected for the effect conventional rehabilitation has on ambulation and motor outcomes as well as how these outcomes change during usual care. Our clinical research goals are to capture the initial pilot data (mean changes and variances in ambulation, motor, fatigue and quality of life outcomes) to facilitate the design of a larger clinical trial to test efficacy if these preliminary data are promising. The planned studies will study the effect of two forms of task specific training (BWSTT alone and BWSTT combined with Lokomat) compared to conventional gait rehabilitative methods and usual care

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Anticipated)

30

Phase

  • Not Applicable

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
    • Rhode Island
      • Providence, Rhode Island, United States, 02908-4799
        • Providence VA Medical Center

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

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Clinical diagnosis of MS by McDonald criteria. EDSS level between 4-6.5.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Cardiovascular: recent MI < 4 wk, uncontrolled HTN >190/110 mmHg, Uncontrolled diabetes (blood glucose 2X above the upper limit of normal or non-fasting blood drain).
  • Symptomatic fall in blood pressure (>30mm Hg), when upright in the body support apparatus, despite medical therapy.
  • Circulatory problems, history of vascular claudication or pitting edema.
  • Cognitive impairment MMSE < 21.
  • Body weight over 150 kg (structural limits of the Lokomat).
  • Lower extremity injuries that limit range of motion or function.
  • Joint problems (hip or leg) that limit range of motion or cause pain with movement despite treatment.
  • Unstable fractures.
  • Pressure sores with any skin breakdown in areas in contact with the body harness or DGO apparatus.
  • Chronic and ongoing alcohol or drug abuse.
  • Pre-morbid, ongoing depression or psychosis.

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: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Arm 1
Cross over from body-weight support treadmill to Lokomat
Device: Body-weight supported treadmill
Device: Lokomat
Experimental: Arm 2
Cross over from Lokomat to body-weight support treadmill
Device: Body-weight supported treadmill
Device: Lokomat

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Mean changes and variances in ambulation, motor, fatigue and quality of life
Time Frame: Baseline, cross-over, study endpoint
Timed 25 foot walk
Baseline, cross-over, study endpoint

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

US Department of Veterans Affairs

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

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

September 1, 2004

Primary Completion (Actual)

September 1, 2007

Study Completion (Actual)

September 1, 2007

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

September 8, 2005

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 8, 2005

First Posted (Estimate)

September 12, 2005

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

September 20, 2013

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 18, 2013

Last Verified

September 1, 2013

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • B4031-I

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.

Clinical Trials on Multiple Sclerosis

Clinical Trials on Body-weight supported treadmill

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

CROs by country

CROs in Kenya

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

3
Subscribe