Management of Retinitis Pigmentosa Via Electromagnetic Stimulation and Platelet Rich Plasma (rEMS)

February 1, 2020 updated by: Umut Arslan, Ankara Universitesi Teknokent

Management of Retinitis Pigmentosa Via Repetitive Electromagnetic Stimulation and Autologous Platelet Rich Plasma

The aim of this study is to investigate whether natural progression rate can be slowed down with subtenon PRP or PRP application combined with rEMS in retinitis pigmentosa cases.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a progressive external retinal degeneration resulting from mutation in any of the 260 genes found in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). The progression rate and findings of the disease are heterogeneous according to genetic mutation and heredity type. The initial symptom of the disease is usually night blindness (nyctalopia) beginning in childhood or adolescent period. Narrowing in the visual field and legal blindness develops as the disease progresses. If low grade inflammation is added, the disease is complicated by cataracts, epiretinal membrane and macular edema. In the fundus examination, the appearance of midperiferal bone spicule pigmentation is usually sufficient to diagnosis. Developments in optical coherence tomography (OCT) technology enable detailed imaging of the sensorial retina and the ellipsoid zone. The ellipsoid zone (EZ) is an image of the inner and outer segments of photoreceptor cells. Loss of EZ is considered the gold standard in the diagnosis and follow-up of RP. Visual field monitoring and electroretinography (ERG) are indirect signs of EZ loss and correlated with EZ width. Mutations in RPE disrupt the synthesis of some vital peptide and growth factors for photoreceptors.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a good source of growth factors. Platelets have more than 30 growth factors and cytokines in α-granules such as neurotrophic growth factor (NGF), neural factor (NF), brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), insulin-like growth factor (IGF), transforming growth factor (TGF-β), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) etc. These peptides regulate the energy cycle at the cellular level, local capillary blood flow, neurogenesis and cellular metabolism. Anti-inflammatory effects of PRP are also associated with soluble cytokines.

Repetitive electromagnetic stimulation (rEMS), increases binding affinity and the synthesis of growth factor receptors on neural tissues. It provides electromagnetic iontophoresis by changing the electrical charges of tyrosine kinase receptors (Trk). rEMS forms hyperpolarization-depolarization waves in neurons, thereby increasing neurotransmission and capillary blood flow. Trk receptors are commonly found around limbus, extraocular muscle insertions and the optic nerve. Molecules smaller than 75 kD can pass from the sclera passively to the suprachoroidal space. Electrical or electromagnetic iontophoresis is required for molecules larger than 75kD such as BDNF and IGF to pass through the sclera.

The aim of this study is to investigate whether natural progression rate can be slowed down with subtenon PRP or PRP application combined with rEMS in retinitis pigmentosa cases.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

60

Phase

  • Not Applicable

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 to 60 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • RP patients in any phenotype with vision over 50 letters

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Media opacity and nystagmus presence to prevent EZW imaging in OCT

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: Non-Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Repetitive electromagnetic stimulation
Group 1 consists of 20 RP patients (40 eyes) who received combined rEMS with PRP. In this group, patients received rEMS for 30 minutes before subtenon PRP injections. In this group, 3 loading doses were applied at 3-week intervals. Then 2 booster dose were applied at 6-month intervals.
The rEMS helmet is used to stimulate the retina and visual pathways. (MagnovisionTM) combined with subtenon platelet rich plasma injection
Fresh autologous platelet rich plasma, injected subtenon space.
Active Comparator: Platelet rich plasma
Group 2 consists of 20 RP patients (40 eyes). In this group, patients received only subtenon PRP injections. In this group, 3 loading doses were applied at 3-week intervals. Then 2 booster dose were applied at 6-month intervals.
Fresh autologous platelet rich plasma, injected subtenon space.
No Intervention: Natural course
Group 3 consists of 20 RP patients (40 eyes). Patients in this group did not accept any interventional application and were only followed up. The

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Ellipsoid zone width (EZW)
Time Frame: Change from baseline EZW at 12 months
The ellipsoid zone (EZ) is an image of the inner and outer segments of photoreceptor cells on OCT view
Change from baseline EZW at 12 months

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Umut Arslan, MD, Ankara Universitesi Teknokent

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.

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)

January 1, 2017

Primary Completion (Actual)

December 30, 2019

Study Completion (Actual)

December 30, 2019

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 31, 2020

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 31, 2020

First Posted (Actual)

February 5, 2020

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

February 5, 2020

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 1, 2020

Last Verified

February 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

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.

Clinical Trials on Retinitis Pigmentosa

Clinical Trials on PRP combined Magnovision

3
Subscribe