A Soft Robotics Approach Towards Finger Joint Deformities in Rheumatic Diseases

July 18, 2018 updated by: National University Hospital, Singapore
The study is to investigate the effect of a soft robotic glove approach providing continuous passive motion of fingers (flexion and extension) on degenerative arthritis patients. The approach may help reduce pain, maintain mobility and flexibility and to improve hand function.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

The aim is to investigate the effect of soft robotic gloves in providing continuous passive motion of the fingers (finger flexion and extension) of degenerative arthritis patients, for the purpose of providing pain relief and alleviating stiffness at the finger joints. Specifically, we intend to 1) observe the changes in range of motion of the fingers using the Total Active Motion (TAM) measure; 2) observe the changes in grip strength and pinch strength; and 3) record changes in the patients' perception of performance in activities of daily living using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM).

The hypothesis is that a soft robotics approach in providing continuous passive motion of the finger joints of degenerative arthritis patients can reduce pain, maintain mobility and flexibility of the joints, and to improve hand function. The soft robotics approach and the standard hand therapy is better than the standard hand therapy alone.

The proposed soft robotic glove is capable of providing continuous passive motion (flexion and extension) of the fingers, and in addition, it is also designed to be portable and easy to operate, with minimal supervision. It is aimed at the home therapy of degenerative arthritis patients. In this study, by using the soft robotic glove and in observing changes in finger range of motion, grip and pinch strength, as well as perception of performance in daily activities. This is important in establishing this device as a viable means to ultimately slow down the progression of degenerative arthritis, and to significantly improve the patients' abilities in carrying out activities of daily living, which had been impaired by degenerative arthritis.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

8

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

  • Singapore
      • Singapore, Singapore, 119074
        • National University Hospital

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

30 years to 90 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Aged 30-90 years regardless of race
  2. Osteoarthritis of the hand (Consistent with ACR criteria 1990)
  3. Ability to pay attention and maintain supported sitting for 45 mins continuously
  4. Able to give own consent
  5. Able to comprehend and follow commands (Abbreviated Mental Test >= 7)

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Inflammatory arthritis (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis), trigger fingers, carpal tunnel syndrome (by symptoms), finger contractures
  2. Recent steroid injections in the wrist/hand joints within the past 3 months
  3. Anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g. non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or oral steroid) in the past 1 month
  4. Old stroke and/or spasticity affecting the upper limbs
  5. Epilepsy for the last 6 months as of the date of recruitment
  6. Poor skin conditions which would hamper donning robotic gloves
  7. 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: Device Feasibility
  • Allocation: Non-Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Control Group
This group will receive standard care.
Other: Control Group
Patients receive standard care
Experimental: Soft Robotic Glove Group
This group will receive standard care and soft robotic therapy (continuous passive motion device developed by National University of Singapore).
Device: Soft Robotic Glove Group
This group will receive standard care and soft robotic therapy (continuous passive motion device developed by National University of Singapore).

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in fingers' Total Active Motion
Time Frame: Week 1 baseline assessment and Week 11 post intervention assessment
Measure hand range of motion in which the sum of the extension at the metacarpophalangeal (MCP), proximal interphalangeal (PIP), and distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints is subtracted from the total achievable flexion of the same joints. Unit: Degree
Week 1 baseline assessment and Week 11 post intervention assessment
Change in grip and pinch strength
Time Frame: Week 1 baseline assessment and Week 11 post intervention assessment
Measure hand strength. Unit: g/kg
Week 1 baseline assessment and Week 11 post intervention assessment

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in patient's Canadian Occupational Performance Measure
Time Frame: Week 1 baseline assessment and Week 11 post intervention assessment.
Identify issues of personal importance to the patient and to detect changes in a patient's self-perception of occupational performance over time.
Week 1 baseline assessment and Week 11 post intervention assessment.

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

National University Hospital, Singapore

Collaborators

National University, Singapore

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 (Actual)

October 27, 2017

Primary Completion (Actual)

March 14, 2018

Study Completion (Actual)

March 14, 2018

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

October 24, 2017

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 26, 2017

First Posted (Actual)

October 31, 2017

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

July 19, 2018

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 18, 2018

Last Verified

September 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2017/00386

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

No

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

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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