Exploring the Effects of Spinal Cord Stimulation in Parkinson's Disease.

NCT ID: NCT03526991

Last Updated: 2024-03-15

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

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

10 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2021-08-01

Study Completion Date

2025-06-30

Brief Summary

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Parkinson Disease (PD) patients experience a variety of motor issues such as walking difficulties, loss of balance, and freezing while walking, which impacts their quality of life. Some symptoms, like freezing of gait (FOG), do not respond to medications typically used to treat PD. Current surgical procedures used to alleviate PD symptoms also do not always improve FOG. Since many traditional therapies have failed for the treatment of FOG, researchers have proposed the use of newer treatments. Recent research in animal models and clinical human data using SCS has produced promising results, specifically showing improvement in FOG with the use of SCS in patients with PD.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for the management of freezing of gait (FOG) that does not respond to conventional treatments in subjects with Parkinson's disease (PD). The investigators hypothesize that SCS significantly decreases FOG episodes in patients with PD.

1. Assess the safety, tolerability and preliminary evidence of effectiveness of upper thoracic spinal cord stimulation for freezing of gait in Parkinson's (PD) patients.
2. Explore the effects of two SCS programming paradigms on motor, nonmotor and quality of life measures in PD patients with freezing of gait.

Detailed Description

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Freezing of gait (FOG) is a devastating motor phenomenon which may occur in patients with Parkinson's Disease (PD) and other neurodegenerative disorders. It is characterized by episodes during which patients cannot generate effective forward stepping movements in the absence of motor deficits.

FOG leads to reduced mobility, loss of independence, social embarrassment, and caregiver stress. While most motor features of PD respond robustly to dopaminergic agents and deep brain stimulation (DBS), there are currently no effective treatments for FOG.

Indirect evidence from case reports of PD patients undergoing spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for neuropathic pain, has consistently described a positive effect of SCS on FOG. In addition, two recent reports demonstrated that thoracic SCS improved locomotion and FOG in patients with advanced PD. The promising role of SCS for the treatment of FOG in PD has encouraged us to assemble a multi-disciplinary team for the systematic investigation of the motor effects of SCS on FOG, locomotion and other parkinsonian features.

The current study integrates minimally invasive SCS and the use of robotic technology to determine objective gait parameters. The investigators propose a pilot study for the implantation of SCS to the spinal cord on PD patients with treatment-refractory FOG, including a longitudinal assessment of motor outcomes. Motors assessments will include: PAMSys and LEGSys to characterize gait, ActivePERS motion sensor to monitor ambulation parameters and overall activity at home, participants will also be given electronic tablets for the ActivePERS to collect real time information about falls.

Conditions

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Parkinson Disease

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

CROSSOVER

A total of 10 patients with a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease and treatment refractory freezing of gait will be recruited in this study.
Primary Study Purpose

DEVICE_FEASIBILITY

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Participants

Study Groups

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Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) Tonic stimulation

Tonic stimulation

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Spinal Cord Stimulator (SCS)

Intervention Type DEVICE

The SCS implantation technique consists of inserting epidural leads-containing multiple stimulating electrodes (8). Two leads will be implanted percutaneously into the epidural space.

The implantable pulse generator (IPG) is a neurostimulation system designed to deliver low-intensity electrical impulses. The system is intended to be used with leads and extensions that are compatible with the system. This neurostimulation system is indicated (FDA approved) as an aid in the management of chronic, intractable pain of the trunk and/or limbs. The intended use in this study is considered experimental.

Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) Burst stimulation

Burst stimulation.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Spinal Cord Stimulator (SCS)

Intervention Type DEVICE

The SCS implantation technique consists of inserting epidural leads-containing multiple stimulating electrodes (8). Two leads will be implanted percutaneously into the epidural space.

The implantable pulse generator (IPG) is a neurostimulation system designed to deliver low-intensity electrical impulses. The system is intended to be used with leads and extensions that are compatible with the system. This neurostimulation system is indicated (FDA approved) as an aid in the management of chronic, intractable pain of the trunk and/or limbs. The intended use in this study is considered experimental.

Interventions

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Spinal Cord Stimulator (SCS)

The SCS implantation technique consists of inserting epidural leads-containing multiple stimulating electrodes (8). Two leads will be implanted percutaneously into the epidural space.

The implantable pulse generator (IPG) is a neurostimulation system designed to deliver low-intensity electrical impulses. The system is intended to be used with leads and extensions that are compatible with the system. This neurostimulation system is indicated (FDA approved) as an aid in the management of chronic, intractable pain of the trunk and/or limbs. The intended use in this study is considered experimental.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Other Intervention Names

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Proclaimâ„¢ Implantable Pulse Generator with leads

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Males and females between older than 18 years of age.
* Able to provide informed consent
* Diagnosed with idiopathic PD (meeting at least two of the three United Kingdom (UK) Brain Bank criteria for PD, specifically bradykinesia plus resting tremor or rigidity) whose major complaints is levodopa refractory FOG. Levodopa refractoriness will be defined as lack of subjective improvement on FOG episodes as reported by the patient.
* Documented dopaminergic response
* Optimized PD treatment including dopaminergic medications, and/or deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy
* Presence of at least two self-reported levodopa refractory episodes of FOG per day, not limited to start hesitation
* At least one witnessed freezing event during the screening visit in the 'on' medication state (defined as 45 minutes after a regular dose of Levodopa for the subject being studied)

Exclusion Criteria

Presence of any co-morbid psychiatric illness(es) that would interfere with the completion of the study or pose risk to the patient, as defined below:

* Presence of psychosis
* Depression BDI \>14
* Anxiety BAI \>14

* Presence of an active infection, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, immunosuppression or other medical contraindications to undergoing SCS implantation
* Patients who are currently on anticoagulation treatment or unable to hold off the anticoagulants (including Plavix, Aspirin, Warfarin, etc.) 7 days prior to the SCS procedure.
* Moderate Cognitive Impairment defined by a MoCA \< 23
* Diagnosis of failed back surgery syndrome, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) or intractable low back pain and leg pain.
* Women of childbearing potential will be excluded as from participation due to the limited safety data of thoracic SCS on the fetus.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Nora Vanegas

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Nora Vanegas

Associate Professor of Neurology

Responsibility Role SPONSOR_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Nora Vanegas, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Baylor College of Medicine

Locations

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Columbia University

New York, New York, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Baylor College of Medicine

Houston, Texas, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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United States

Central Contacts

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Nora Vanegas, MD

Role: CONTACT

713-798-2273

Rory Mahabir

Role: CONTACT

713-798-5989

Facility Contacts

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Natasha D Desai

Role: primary

Nora Vanegas

Role: primary

Rory Mahabir

Role: backup

References

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Other Identifiers

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H-49023

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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