Functional Electrical Stimulation Therapy After Stroke

January 12, 2024 updated by: Battelle Memorial Institute

Efficacy and Feasibility of Using the NeuroLife Sleeve System to Improve Hand Function in Stroke Survivors

The goal of this feasibility study is to test the feasibility of providing task-oriented, intention-driven functional electrical stimulation (FES) using the novel NeuroLife FES Sleeve and NeuroLife electromyography (EMG) and FES Sleeve devices in chronic stroke survivors. The main questions it aims to answer are:

  • Can these devices be used to administer task-oriented therapy with assistive stimulation at similar doses to current standards of care?
  • How does therapy using these devices impact the upper limb function in a few chronic stroke survivors?

Participants will receive assistive electrical stimulation synchronized to their movement intention while practicing functional tasks with everyday objects over the course of 8 weeks.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Battelle has developed the NeuroLife FES Sleeve and NeuroLife EMG-FES Sleeve devices, wearable sleeves that deliver non-invasive functional electrical stimulation (FES) paired with user intention. Participants in this study will use these devices while practicing functional tasks for about one hour at each session. FES will be applied through the forearm sleeve devices to assist with hand movements and grasps required by functional tasks simulating everyday activities such as turning a key or picking up a phone.

Sessions will be scheduled three days per week for 8 weeks total. Participants will complete clinical assessments at the beginning, midpoint and end of intervention as well as at follow-up sessions 2- and 10-weeks after the end of intervention to track upper limb function and impairment. Each session will last 1.5-2 hours, and participants will be compensated for their time.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

2

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
    • Ohio
      • Columbus, Ohio, United States, 43201
        • Battelle Memorial Institute

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

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Males and females ≥18 years old
  • Diagnosis of stroke
  • Ability to provide appropriate consent to partake in the study
  • Ability to follow 3-step commands and deemed by an occupational therapist to have the capacity to complete required upper extremity movements
  • Ability to secure transportation to attend scheduled study sessions
  • Stroke-related hand impairment that interferes with ability to complete activities of daily living and is classified as Stage 1-6 on the hand subscale of the Chedoke McMaster Stroke Assessment

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Presence of any other clinically significant medical comorbidity for which, in the judgment of the Investigator, participation in the study would pose a safety risk to the subject
  • Currently participating in physical rehabilitation (e.g., occupational or physical therapy) for stroke-related upper limb impairment
  • Co-occurring neurological condition (e.g., Parkinson's disease, Multiple Sclerosis) or other neuromuscular disorder (e.g., Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, neuropathy) that, in the judgment of the Investigator, may influence study results
  • Individuals who are immunosuppressed, have conditions that typically result in becoming immunocompromised, taking chronic steroids, or currently receiving immunosuppressive therapy
  • Individuals having or requiring any of the following: implanted pacemaker, life supporting/sustaining equipment, or critical non-removable implantable electronic devices such as an insulin pump.
  • Persistent pain ≥ 7/10 in impaired upper extremity, as measured by Visual Analogue Scale
  • Individuals whose forearm is determined to be too small or too large to fit the electrode sleeve being investigated.
  • Individuals who are pregnant or plan to get pregnant during the course of the study.

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: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: FES Therapy
Intention-driven assistive functional electrical stimulation provided during approximately 1 hour of task-oriented therapy. Sessions will be scheduled 3 days per week for 8 weeks.
Device: NeuroLife FES Sleeve / NeuroLife EMG-FES Sleeve
Electrical stimulation will be delivered via the NeuroLife FES Sleeve and NeuroLife EMG-FES Sleeve devices to assist with movement during functional task practice.
Other Names:
  • Functional Electrical Stimulation Therapy (FEST)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Action Research Arm Test (ARAT)
Time Frame: Week 0 (Baseline), Week 4 (Mid-Intervention), Week 8 (Post-Intervention), Week 10 (2-Week Follow Up), Week 18 (10-Week Follow Up)
The Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) will be used to track functional changes from the pre-intervention baseline. The ARAT is a common measure of upper extremity function after stroke ranging from 0 (maximal impairment) to 57 (no impairment).
Week 0 (Baseline), Week 4 (Mid-Intervention), Week 8 (Post-Intervention), Week 10 (2-Week Follow Up), Week 18 (10-Week Follow Up)
Therapy Dose
Time Frame: Week 0-18 (during the intervention and follow-up periods)
Therapy Dose was used to estimate the feasibility of the therapy. Therapy Dose will be computed as the average amount of time at each session the subject was engaged in intention-driven, task-oriented functional electrical stimulation therapy, excluding the time needed to set up the system.
Week 0-18 (during the intervention and follow-up periods)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Extremity (UEFM)
Time Frame: Week 0 (Baseline), Week 4 (Mid-Intervention), Week 8 (Post-Intervention), Week 10 (2-Week Follow Up), Week 18 (10-Week Follow Up)
The Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Extremity (UEFM) subscore will be used to track impairment changes from the pre-intervention baseline. The UEFM is a common measure of upper extremity impairment after stroke ranging from 0 (maximal impairment) to 66 (no impairment).
Week 0 (Baseline), Week 4 (Mid-Intervention), Week 8 (Post-Intervention), Week 10 (2-Week Follow Up), Week 18 (10-Week Follow Up)
Box and Block Test (BBT)
Time Frame: Week 0 (Baseline), Week 4 (Mid-Intervention), Week 8 (Post-Intervention), Week 10 (2-Week Follow Up), Week 18 (10-Week Follow Up)
The Box and Block Test (BBT) will be used to track dexterity changes from the pre-intervention baseline. The BBT is a common measure of unilateral gross manual dexterity after stroke quantified by the number of blocks transferred between boxes within 60 seconds.
Week 0 (Baseline), Week 4 (Mid-Intervention), Week 8 (Post-Intervention), Week 10 (2-Week Follow Up), Week 18 (10-Week Follow Up)
Nine-Hole Peg Test (NHPT)
Time Frame: Week 0 (Baseline), Week 4 (Mid-Intervention), Week 8 (Post-Intervention), Week 10 (2-Week Follow Up), Week 18 (10-Week Follow Up)
The Nine-Hole Peg Test (NHPT) will be used to track dexterity changes from the pre-intervention baseline. The NHPT is a common measure of unilateral manual dexterity after stroke quantified by the time taken to transfer nine pegs from holes to a dish.
Week 0 (Baseline), Week 4 (Mid-Intervention), Week 8 (Post-Intervention), Week 10 (2-Week Follow Up), Week 18 (10-Week Follow Up)
Motor Activity Log
Time Frame: Week 0-8 (during the intervention period)
The Motor Activity Log (MAL) will be used to track participants' use of their impaired arm throughout the study. The MAL is widely used to assess how stroke survivors use their more-impaired arm outside the laboratory through semi-structured interviews capturing the amount of use and quality of movement using their arm.
Week 0-8 (during the intervention period)

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Battelle Memorial Institute

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Eric Meyers, PhD, Principal Biomedical Engineer

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 18, 2022

Primary Completion (Actual)

June 8, 2022

Study Completion (Actual)

June 8, 2022

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 3, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 12, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

January 16, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

January 16, 2024

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 12, 2024

Last Verified

January 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 0828-RD0001.22

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

Yes

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

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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