E-STIM Trial: Comparing the Efficacy of the Empi Select TENS to a Control for the Treatment of Chronic Lower Back Pain

NCT ID: NCT00709748

Last Updated: 2008-07-03

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

UNKNOWN

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

300 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2008-02-29

Study Completion Date

2009-02-28

Brief Summary

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The purpose of this study is to determine whether transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) delivered via the Empi Select TENS device provides relief of chronic lower back pain.

Detailed Description

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The E-STIM Trial is designed to collect data on the efficacy of the Empi Select Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) device for the treatment of chronic low back pain. This clinical trial is a non-significant risk, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled 12-week trial involving the commercially available Empi Select TENS device for treating subjects with chronic (\>90 days) low back pain. Multiple centers located in the United States will enroll approximately 300 subjects in this study. Eligible subjects will be randomized 1:1 to either the treatment group or the placebo group. The subjects and investigational staff are blinded to the treatment assignment. Subjects will return to the investigational center for follow-up assessments at 1, 4, 8, and 12 weeks.

Conditions

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Lower Back Pain

Keywords

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Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation TENS Empi Electrotherapy Back pain Lower back pain Chronic lower back pain

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

QUADRUPLE

Participants Caregivers Investigators Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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1

Subjects in this study arm will receive treatment (fully active) Empi Select TENS devices.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Empi Select TENS Device

Intervention Type DEVICE

The Empi Select TENS device delivers therapeutic electrical currents at various frequencies (intensities) and periods of time for the treatment of pain.

2

Subjects in this study arm will receive control (not fully active) Empi Select TENS devices.

Group Type PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Placebo

Intervention Type DEVICE

Subjects in this study arm will receive control (not fully active) Empi Select TENS devices.

Interventions

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Empi Select TENS Device

The Empi Select TENS device delivers therapeutic electrical currents at various frequencies (intensities) and periods of time for the treatment of pain.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Placebo

Subjects in this study arm will receive control (not fully active) Empi Select TENS devices.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Other Intervention Names

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-Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation -TENS

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Subjects must be 18-65 years of age.
* Subjects must have reported low back pain of at least 3 months duration.
* Subjects must report a low back pain score of 4 or greater on the 0-10 point Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) for average daily pain.
* Subjects must have been on a stabilized analgesic medication regimen for 3 months or greater.
* Subjects must be willing to discontinue use of all rescue pain medications for the duration of the trial (all PRN medications for breakthrough pain), except for OTC oral acetaminophen (up to 4 grams per day).
* Subjects must be willing to refrain from starting any new lower back pain treatments for the duration of the trial.
* Subjects must be willing and able to comply with all follow-up procedures (including completion of the daily diary) and return for scheduled follow- up visits.
* Female subjects must be post-menopausal for at least 1 year, surgically sterile or willing to take a pregnancy test which must be negative prior to study enrollment.
* Subjects must be willing and able to provide written informed consent and HIPAA authorization prior to enrollment into the study.

Exclusion Criteria

* Subjects that have a demand type pacemaker or defibrillator.
* Subjects that have had previous experience with electrotherapy.
* Subjects that have had any failed back surgeries.
* Subjects that have spinal stenosis which contributes to, or is the cause of lower back pain.
* Subjects that have sciatica (lower back pain with radicular symptoms).
* Subjects that have cauda equina syndrome.
* Subjects that have fibromyalgia.
* Subjects that have pain secondary to cancer.
* Subjects who have cancer in the same anatomical location as their back pain.
* Subjects that have any sensory deprivation or diagnosis of shingles or post- herpetic neuralgia (specifically in the mid-trunk region).
* Subjects that have planned surgeries during the study period.
* Subjects that have a history of alcohol or substance abuse in the last 5 years.
* Subjects on psychoactive medication(s) that:

1. have had a change in dose or a change in medication type during the 3 months prior to screening, or
2. are expected to require a change in dose, or a new medication during the study.
* Subjects that are seeking worker's compensation or any other legal claims.
* Subjects that are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during the study period.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

65 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Alquest

INDUSTRY

Sponsor Role collaborator

Empi, A DJO Company

INDUSTRY

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Empi, A DJO company

Principal Investigators

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Jim Pomonis, PhD

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Empi, A DJO Company

Locations

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MedInvestigations

Fair Oaks, California, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Pain Consultants of West Florida

Pensacola, Florida, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Suncoast Neuroscience Associates, Inc.

St. Petersburg, Florida, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Center for Prospective Outcome Studies

Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Taylor Research LLC

Marietta, Georgia, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Millennium Pain Center

Bloomington, Illinois, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Clinical Research Source, Inc.

Perrysburg, Ohio, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Spinal Research Foundation

Reston, Virginia, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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United States

Central Contacts

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Barbara A. Stegmeier, RAC

Role: CONTACT

Phone: 763-588-9836

Email: [email protected]

Jim Pomonis, Ph.D.

Role: CONTACT

Phone: 651-415-7311

Email: [email protected]

Facility Contacts

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Leslie Mellor, CMA, CCRC

Role: primary

Sharon Harp, Res. Assist.

Role: backup

Kendra Keyes, PT

Role: primary

Michele Richardson, B.A., CCRC

Role: primary

Suzanne Lash, B.A., CCRC

Role: backup

Quin L Boynes, B.S.

Role: primary

Shelly Shearer

Role: backup

Nancy Taylor, RN, MSN

Role: primary

Jeffery M Kramer, Ph.D.

Role: primary

Sara Ditchen, BS, CCRC

Role: backup

Denise A Coressel, LPN, CCRC

Role: primary

Charlotte Patterson, LPN, CCRC

Role: backup

Anne Copay, Ph.D.

Role: primary

Marcus Martin, Ph.D.

Role: backup

References

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Johnson M, Martinson M. Efficacy of electrical nerve stimulation for chronic musculoskeletal pain: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Pain. 2007 Jul;130(1-2):157-65. doi: 10.1016/j.pain.2007.02.007. Epub 2007 Mar 23.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 17383095 (View on PubMed)

Deyo RA, Walsh NE, Martin DC, Schoenfeld LS, Ramamurthy S. A controlled trial of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and exercise for chronic low back pain. N Engl J Med. 1990 Jun 7;322(23):1627-34. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199006073222303.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 2140432 (View on PubMed)

Hamza MA, White PF, Ahmed HE, Ghoname EA. Effect of the frequency of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on the postoperative opioid analgesic requirement and recovery profile. Anesthesiology. 1999 Nov;91(5):1232-8. doi: 10.1097/00000542-199911000-00012.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 10551571 (View on PubMed)

Graff-Radford SB, Reeves JL, Baker RL, Chiu D. Effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on myofascial pain and trigger point sensitivity. Pain. 1989 Apr;37(1):1-5. doi: 10.1016/0304-3959(89)90146-2.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 2786179 (View on PubMed)

Cheing GL, Hui-Chan CW. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation: nonparallel antinociceptive effects on chronic clinical pain and acute experimental pain. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1999 Mar;80(3):305-12. doi: 10.1016/s0003-9993(99)90142-9.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 10084439 (View on PubMed)

Sluka KA, Deacon M, Stibal A, Strissel S, Terpstra A. Spinal blockade of opioid receptors prevents the analgesia produced by TENS in arthritic rats. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1999 May;289(2):840-6.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 10215661 (View on PubMed)

Han JS, Chen XH, Sun SL, Xu XJ, Yuan Y, Yan SC, Hao JX, Terenius L. Effect of low- and high-frequency TENS on Met-enkephalin-Arg-Phe and dynorphin A immunoreactivity in human lumbar CSF. Pain. 1991 Dec;47(3):295-298. doi: 10.1016/0304-3959(91)90218-M.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 1686080 (View on PubMed)

Lee KH, Chung JM, Willis WD Jr. Inhibition of primate spinothalamic tract cells by TENS. J Neurosurg. 1985 Feb;62(2):276-87. doi: 10.3171/jns.1985.62.2.0276.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 3871474 (View on PubMed)

Garrison DW, Foreman RD. Effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on spontaneous and noxiously evoked dorsal horn cell activity in cats with transected spinal cords. Neurosci Lett. 1996 Sep 27;216(2):125-8. doi: 10.1016/0304-3940(96)13023-8.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 8904799 (View on PubMed)

Garrison DW, Foreman RD. Decreased activity of spontaneous and noxiously evoked dorsal horn cells during transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). Pain. 1994 Sep;58(3):309-315. doi: 10.1016/0304-3959(94)90124-4.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 7838579 (View on PubMed)

Khadilkar A, Milne S, Brosseau L, Wells G, Tugwell P, Robinson V, Shea B, Saginur M. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for the treatment of chronic low back pain: a systematic review. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2005 Dec 1;30(23):2657-66. doi: 10.1097/01.brs.0000188189.21202.0f.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 16319752 (View on PubMed)

Brosseau L, Milne S, Robinson V, Marchand S, Shea B, Wells G, Tugwell P. Efficacy of the transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for the treatment of chronic low back pain: a meta-analysis. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2002 Mar 15;27(6):596-603. doi: 10.1097/00007632-200203150-00007.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 11884907 (View on PubMed)

Ordog GJ. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation versus oral analgesic: a randomized double-blind controlled study in acute traumatic pain. Am J Emerg Med. 1987 Jan;5(1):6-10. doi: 10.1016/0735-6757(87)90281-6.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 3545246 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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Empi 07-1-02

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id