Evaluation of the Muscle Strength and Motor Ability in Children With Spinal Muscle Atrophy(SMA) Treated With Valproic Acid

December 15, 2009 updated by: University of Sao Paulo General Hospital

Evaluation of the Muscle Strength and Motor Ability in Children With Spinal Muscle Atrophy Type II and III Treated With Valproic Acid

The purpose of this study is to determine if the treatment with valproic acid can increase the muscle strength and motor ability of children with spinal muscular atrophy.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Detailed Description

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive disorder that affects the motoneurons of the spinal anterior corn, resulting in hypotonia and muscle weakness. The knowledge about its molecular mechanism has led to clinical tests with drugs that increase survival motor neuron (SMN) protein level. The valproic acid (VA) that acts as a histone deacetylase inhibitor activates the SMN2 gene increasing the protein level. Methods: Twenty-two patients with type II and III SMA, aged between 2 and 18 years old, were treated with VA and were evaluated five times along a period of one year using the Manual Muscle Test (Medical Research Council scale-MRC), the Hammersmith Motor Ability Score, and the Barthel Index. The first evaluation was coincident with the introduction of VA. Results: After 12 months of therapy, the patients did not gain muscle strength but their motor ability has improved. Children younger than 6 years of age had a higher pronounced gain in motor ability. Conclusion: treatment of SMA patients with VA is one alternative to alleviate the progression of the disease.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

22

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

  • Brazil
      • Sao PAulo, Brazil, 05403-000
        • Section of Neuromuscular Disorders and Service of Child Neurology, Clinics Hospital of the School of Medicine at São Paulo University

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

2 years to 18 years (Child, Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

22 children with spinal muscular atrophy disease

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Regularly attended at the Out-patient Service of Neuromuscular Disorders and Child Neurology of our Institution;
  • More than 2 years olf and had a molecular analysis of Spinal Muscular Atrophy;

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Had been submitted into a surgery recently;
  • Did not come to the evaluation and medical sessions:
  • Did not take the medication correctly

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

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Manual Muscle Test (Medical Research Council scale-MRC), the Hammersmith Motor Ability Score
Time Frame: one year
one year

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Barthel Index
Time Frame: one year
one year

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

University of Sao Paulo General Hospital

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Umbertina Reed, Doctor, Sao Paulo University

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

July 1, 2006

Primary Completion (Actual)

August 1, 2008

Study Completion (Actual)

December 1, 2008

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

December 15, 2009

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 15, 2009

First Posted (Estimate)

December 16, 2009

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

December 16, 2009

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 15, 2009

Last Verified

August 1, 2008

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 290/06
  • CAPES9030 (Other Grant/Funding Number: CAPES)

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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