Trial Outcomes & Findings for Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation to Lower Neuropathic Pain in People With Multiple Sclerosis (NCT NCT03219073)

NCT ID: NCT03219073

Last Updated: 2022-11-29

Results Overview

Whole and regional brain glucose uptake via positron emission tomography with a glucose analogue tracer will be measured to determine the mechanistic effect of transcranial direct current stimulation on brain activity in subjects. Glucose uptake will be determined in patients with multiple sclerosis who received brain stimulation and patients with multiple sclerosis who received SHAM. The outcome variable is the mean Standardized Uptake Value.

Recruitment status

TERMINATED

Study phase

Target enrollment

1 participants

Primary outcome timeframe

1 week

Results posted on

2022-11-29

Participant Flow

Only one person completed the the study. Problems with recruitment of more subjects.

Participant milestones

Participant milestones
Measure	SHAM tDCS SHAM tDCS using tDCS device will be used for sham stimulation where the electrodes will be placed in the same positions as for anodal M1 stimulation, but the stimulator will be turned off after 90 seconds. Therefore, the patients feel the initial itching sensation but receive no current for the rest of the stimulation period. SHAM tDCS using tDCS device: SHAM tDCS emulates active tDCS in all but the actual stimulation. Electrodes of the tDCS device are placed in the same place as with active tDCS however no current is activated.	Active tDCS With a tDCS Device Active tDCS using tDCS device (Neuroelectrics Inc., Simi Valley, CA, USA) will deliver a small direct current through two sponge surface electrodes (5cm × 5cm, soaked with 15 mM NaCL). The anodal electrode will be placed over the M1 contralateral to the worst somatic pain area (C3, EEG 10/20 system) and the cathode over the supraorbital area contralateral to the anodal electrode. A constant current of 2 mA intensity will be applied for 20 minutes once a day for 5 consecutive days. Active tDCS using tDCS device: Active tDCS using tDCS device is a noninvasive brain stimulation technique that utilizes low amplitude direct currents applied via scalp electrodes to apply currents to the brain and modulate the level of cortical excitability. tDCS applied over the dorsolateral prefrontal and motor cortex has been reported to be able to decrease pain sensation and to increase pain threshold in healthy subjects and is effective in reducing central chronic pain in PwMS.
Overall Study STARTED	0	1
Overall Study COMPLETED	0	1
Overall Study NOT COMPLETED	0	0

Reasons for withdrawal

Withdrawal data not reported

Baseline Characteristics

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation to Lower Neuropathic Pain in People With Multiple Sclerosis

Baseline characteristics by cohort

Baseline characteristics by cohort
Measure	Active tDCS With a tDCS Device n=1 Participants Active tDCS using tDCS device (Neuroelectrics Inc., Simi Valley, CA, USA) will deliver a small direct current through two sponge surface electrodes (5cm × 5cm, soaked with 15 mM NaCL). The anodal electrode will be placed over the M1 contralateral to the worst somatic pain area (C3, EEG 10/20 system) and the cathode over the supraorbital area contralateral to the anodal electrode. A constant current of 2 mA intensity will be applied for 20 minutes once a day for 5 consecutive days. Active tDCS using tDCS device: Active tDCS using tDCS device is a noninvasive brain stimulation technique that utilizes low amplitude direct currents applied via scalp electrodes to apply currents to the brain and modulate the level of cortical excitability. tDCS applied over the dorsolateral prefrontal and motor cortex has been reported to be able to decrease pain sensation and to increase pain threshold in healthy subjects and is effective in reducing central chronic pain in PwMS.
Age, Categorical <=18 years	0 Participants n=93 Participants
Age, Categorical Between 18 and 65 years	1 Participants n=93 Participants
Age, Categorical >=65 years	0 Participants n=93 Participants
Age, Continuous	64 Years STANDARD_DEVIATION 0 • n=93 Participants
Sex: Female, Male Female	0 Participants n=93 Participants
Sex: Female, Male Male	1 Participants n=93 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB) American Indian or Alaska Native	0 Participants n=93 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB) Asian	0 Participants n=93 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB) Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander	0 Participants n=93 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB) Black or African American	0 Participants n=93 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB) White	1 Participants n=93 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB) More than one race	0 Participants n=93 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB) Unknown or Not Reported	0 Participants n=93 Participants
Region of Enrollment United States	1 participants n=93 Participants

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: 1 week

Population: For this pilot study we only had one subject with active transcranial direct current stimulation.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure	Active tDCS With a tDCS Device n=1 Participants Active tDCS using tDCS device (Neuroelectrics Inc., Simi Valley, CA, USA) will deliver a small direct current through two sponge surface electrodes (5cm × 5cm, soaked with 15 mM NaCL). The anodal electrode will be placed over the M1 contralateral to the worst somatic pain area (C3, EEG 10/20 system) and the cathode over the supraorbital area contralateral to the anodal electrode. A constant current of 2 mA intensity will be applied for 20 minutes once a day for 5 consecutive days. Active tDCS using tDCS device: Active tDCS using tDCS device is a noninvasive brain stimulation technique that utilizes low amplitude direct currents applied via scalp electrodes to apply currents to the brain and modulate the level of cortical excitability. tDCS applied over the dorsolateral prefrontal and motor cortex has been reported to be able to decrease pain sensation and to increase pain threshold in healthy subjects and is effective in reducing central chronic pain in PwMS.
Cerebral Glucose Uptake in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis With Neuropathic Pain	3 percentage of glucose uptake increase Standard Deviation 0

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: 1 week

Population: For this pilot study we only had one subject with Active tDCS.

VAS Scale 0-100 The higher the worse.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure	Active tDCS With a tDCS Device n=1 Participants Active tDCS using tDCS device (Neuroelectrics Inc., Simi Valley, CA, USA) will deliver a small direct current through two sponge surface electrodes (5cm × 5cm, soaked with 15 mM NaCL). The anodal electrode will be placed over the M1 contralateral to the worst somatic pain area (C3, EEG 10/20 system) and the cathode over the supraorbital area contralateral to the anodal electrode. A constant current of 2 mA intensity will be applied for 20 minutes once a day for 5 consecutive days. Active tDCS using tDCS device: Active tDCS using tDCS device is a noninvasive brain stimulation technique that utilizes low amplitude direct currents applied via scalp electrodes to apply currents to the brain and modulate the level of cortical excitability. tDCS applied over the dorsolateral prefrontal and motor cortex has been reported to be able to decrease pain sensation and to increase pain threshold in healthy subjects and is effective in reducing central chronic pain in PwMS.
Change in Neuropathic Pain as Recorded on a Visual Analog Scale (VAS).	64 units on a scale Standard Deviation 0

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: 1 week

Population: For this pilot study we only had one subject with active transcranial direct current stimulation.

The neuropathic symptom inventory is a 12-item questionnaire. This is a valid and reliable measure of neuropathic pain in adults. The Neuropathic Pain Symptoms Inventory (NPSI) contains 12 items in 5 subscales. The subscales include superficial and deep spontaneous pain, paroxysmal pain, evoked pain, and dysesthesia/paresthesia. Among the 12 items, 10 are scored using a numerical rating scale (NRS), ranging from 0 to 10, assessing the severity of experienced neuropathic pain within the previous 24 hours. Higher scores of NPSI indicate more severe peripheral neuropathy.10 is the highest score and indicates severe peripheral neuropathy. Minimum score is 0 and the maximum score is 120.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure	Active tDCS With a tDCS Device n=1 Participants Active tDCS using tDCS device (Neuroelectrics Inc., Simi Valley, CA, USA) will deliver a small direct current through two sponge surface electrodes (5cm × 5cm, soaked with 15 mM NaCL). The anodal electrode will be placed over the M1 contralateral to the worst somatic pain area (C3, EEG 10/20 system) and the cathode over the supraorbital area contralateral to the anodal electrode. A constant current of 2 mA intensity will be applied for 20 minutes once a day for 5 consecutive days. Active tDCS using tDCS device: Active tDCS using tDCS device is a noninvasive brain stimulation technique that utilizes low amplitude direct currents applied via scalp electrodes to apply currents to the brain and modulate the level of cortical excitability. tDCS applied over the dorsolateral prefrontal and motor cortex has been reported to be able to decrease pain sensation and to increase pain threshold in healthy subjects and is effective in reducing central chronic pain in PwMS.
Change in Neuropathic Symptom Inventory	68 units on a scale Standard Deviation 0

Adverse Events

Active tDCS With a tDCS Device

Serious events: 0 serious events

Other events: 0 other events

Deaths: 0 deaths

Serious adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Other adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Additional Information

Thorsten Rudroff

University of Iowa

Phone: 17205323701

Email: [email protected]

Results disclosure agreements

Principal investigator is a sponsor employee
Publication restrictions are in place