The Use of Anabolic Steroids to Improve Function After Spinal Cord Injury

February 12, 2008 updated by: US Department of Veterans Affairs

The Use of Oxandrolone to Improve Function in Persons With Chronic Spinal Cord Injury

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of oxandrolone on the function and quality of life of patients with chronic spinal cord injury.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Spinal cord injury results in significant loss of muscle mass. Oxandrolone, a derivative of testosterone, is an anabolic steroid shown to promote gain in body weight and muscle mass after trauma, severe illness, surgery, burns, and stress. To date there are no studies that have evaluated the effect of oxandrolone in persons with chronic spinal cord injury. This study will assess the effect of oxandrolone on strength, metabolic rate, lean body mass, pulmonary function, and ambulation in persons with chronic SCI. This study has the potential to yield valuable information concerning the use of oxandrolone after SCI.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment

40

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
    • Florida
      • Miami, Florida, United States, 33125
        • Miami Veterans Affairs 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

20 years to 70 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Part-A

  • Diagnosed with a traumatic injury to spinal cord
  • Motor complete injury at level of C5 to T12
  • Date of injury at least one year prior to enrollment
  • Sufficient upper body strength to participate in a 12-week resistance training program with accommodation for disability in hand strength and/or grasping
  • Lean body mass in lower extremities less than 90% of normal as determined by DEXA scan
  • Willingness to take study medication for 12 weeks twice a day by mouth

Part-B:

  • Diagnosed with a traumatic injury to the spinal cord
  • Motor incomplete injury at any level
  • Date of injury at least one year prior to enrollment
  • Lean body mass in lower extremities less than 90% of normal as determined by DEXA scan
  • Ability to stand independently with or without the aid of assistive device(s)
  • Willingness to take study medication for 12 weeks twice a day by mouth

Exclusion Criteria:

Active medical problems including:

  • Uncontrolled diabetes
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Cancer
  • Liver disease
  • Hypocalcaemia
  • Nephritic syndrome
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Pressure ulcers of grade 3 or 4
  • Shoulder pathology
  • Pregnancy

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: Double

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Part-A: lean body mass, upper extremity muscle strength. Measures are made at baseline, 12-weeks (end of intervention), and at 24-weeks.
Part-B: respiratory function, efficency of ambulaton (speed and quality of gait). Measures are made at baseline,
12-weeks (end of intervention), and at 24-weeks.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Part-A: maximum VO2/respiratory function, functional status, safety, quality of life, community
re-integration.
Part-B: upper extremity strength, lean body mass, functional status, safety, quality of life, community

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

US Department of Veterans Affairs

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Kresimir Banovac, PhD MD, VA Spinal Cord Injury Service

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

Helpful Links

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, 2004

Study Completion (Actual)

May 1, 2006

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

September 13, 2005

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 13, 2005

First Posted (Estimate)

September 22, 2005

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

February 13, 2008

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 12, 2008

Last Verified

May 1, 2006

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • B2656C

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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