Expiratory Muscle Strength Training (EMST) in Neuromuscular Disorders

NCT ID: NCT04009408

Last Updated: 2022-04-21

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

20 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2022-05-31

Study Completion Date

2022-12-01

Brief Summary

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The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of expiratory muscle strength training (EMST) on the swallowing, breathing, oral intake, quality of life and cough function of people with oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD).

Detailed Description

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Outline:

Twenty participants with OPMD, with dysphagia, will be recruited from Neuromuscular clinics within Calgary. The investigators will enrol patients in a parallel group, sham-controlled, randomized clinical trial, with 10 participants in each group (active EMST and sham EMST).

Participants will have baseline measurements of: (i) global swallowing function via modified barium swallow study, (ii) maximum expiratory pressure, (iii) voluntary cough spirometry, (iv) forced vital capacity, (v) functional oral intake, (vi) patient report of self-perceived swallowing impairment (EAT-10 Questionnaire), and (vii) biomarker analyses.

Participants will undergo 5-weeks of EMST (active or sham). All baseline measurements will be repeated after 5-weeks of EMST and 10-weeks post-EMST to measure durability of effect.

Outcomes:

The end-goal of the current research is to obtain preliminary data for the benefit of EMST in a new study population, and direct future studies that may provide evidence for a new standard of care in treating neuromuscular diagnoses.

Conditions

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Oculopharyngeal Muscular Dystrophy Muscular Dystrophies Myopathy; Hereditary

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Parallel group, double blind, sham controlled study
Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

DOUBLE

Participants Outcome Assessors
Participants will not be informed until the end of study whether they received active intervention or sham intervention

Study Groups

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EMST therapy

Participants use the EMST device as per study protocol, set to 50% of the patient's maximal expiratory pressure, as measured by handheld manometer.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Expiratory muscle strength therapy (EMST150, Aspire LLC)

Intervention Type DEVICE

Active therapy calibrated to the participant's maximum expiratory pressure

Sham EMST therapy

Participants use a sham EMST device that has the spring removed as per study protocol, with no significant airflow resistance.

Group Type SHAM_COMPARATOR

Expiratory muscle strength therapy (EMST150, Aspire LLC)

Intervention Type DEVICE

Active therapy calibrated to the participant's maximum expiratory pressure

Interventions

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Expiratory muscle strength therapy (EMST150, Aspire LLC)

Active therapy calibrated to the participant's maximum expiratory pressure

Intervention Type DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Diagnosis of oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD)
* 18 years of age or older
* Must be capable of providing informed consent
* Must be able to undergo respiratory function testing and swallowing studies
* Must have a forced vital capacity (FVC) greater than 60%
* A score of 3 or greater on the Eating Assessment Tool-10 (EAT-10; self-administered, symptom-specific outcome instrument for dysphagia. A score of 3 or greater indicates increased stress around eating)
* A score of 26 or greater on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA; 30-point screening assessment used for detecting cognitive impairment. A score of 26 or greater is considered to be within functional limits.)

Exclusion Criteria

* Severe coronary artery disease
* Acute myocardial infarction
* Moderate to severe hypovolemia
* Acute neurological events
* Unstable cardiac status
* Recent hernia
* Severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
* Uncontrolled reflux issues
* Women who are pregnant, or who suspect they may be pregnant
* Cognitive impairment that would prevent comprehension of instructions and adherence to intervention guidelines (a score of less than 26 points on the MoCA)
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Muscular Dystrophy Canada

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Calgary

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Gerald Pfeffer, MD, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Calgary

Locations

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Neuromuscular Clinic, South Health Campus

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Site Status

Countries

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Canada

References

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Chiara T, Martin AD, Davenport PW, Bolser DC. Expiratory muscle strength training in persons with multiple sclerosis having mild to moderate disability: effect on maximal expiratory pressure, pulmonary function, and maximal voluntary cough. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2006 Apr;87(4):468-73. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2005.12.035.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
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Other Identifiers

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REB18-1121

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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