Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation and Glucose Control in Spinal Cord Injury

NCT ID: NCT07099911

Last Updated: 2025-08-07

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

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

20 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-08-08

Study Completion Date

2027-09-01

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

Overall aim: To identify the impact and acceptability of a novel method of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) for improving glucose control using a dual stable isotope tracer OGTT in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Objective 1:

1. To establish the extent to which an acute bout of NMES improves health-related measures of glucose control, compared to a SHAM control trial.
2. To identify the relative magnitude of effect, compared to non-injured control participants (CON).

Hypotheses:

1. NMES will be more effective at improving glucose control by increasing peripheral glucose uptake, relative to SHAM condition.
2. The effect will be greater in individuals with SCI compared to non-injured control participants.

Objective 2:

To investigate the real-world feasibility of NMES as a therapeutic intervention, participants with SCI will be given instructions for 2-weeks of at-home use. In-depth interviews will be conducted to evaluate acceptability and identify areas that could be adapted to effectively implement NMES in a future trial.

Participants will complete two experimental trials in a randomised crossover fashion separated by 7 days which will consist of either a sham control (SHAM) or an acute bout of NMES during a 3-h oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Following the experimental trial days, participants with SCI will take home a NMES device and will be given instructions for 2-weeks of at-home NMES use (Figure 1) to assess acceptability and feasibility.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Spinal Cord Injury

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

CROSSOVER

Primary Study Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Participants

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

Spinal Cord Injury

Participants will undergo two 3-hour oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs) with dual stable isotope tracers in a randomized crossover design. One OGTT will be paired with an acute bout of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES), and the other with a sham condition (SHAM). After the OGTT sessions, participants will complete a 2-week period of at-home NMES use to assess real-world feasibility and acceptability through interviews.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

NMES

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Acute bout of neuromuscular electrical stimulation during a 3-h OGTT.

Sham (No Treatment)

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Sham stimulation during a 3-h OGTT.

Non-injured Control (CON)

Age- and sex-matched individuals without SCI. Participants will undergo two 3-hour oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs) with dual stable isotope tracers in a randomized crossover design. One OGTT will be paired with an acute bout of NMES, and the other with a sham condition (SHAM). CON will not participate in the at-home NMES phase.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

NMES

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Acute bout of neuromuscular electrical stimulation during a 3-h OGTT.

Sham (No Treatment)

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Sham stimulation during a 3-h OGTT.

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

NMES

Acute bout of neuromuscular electrical stimulation during a 3-h OGTT.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Sham (No Treatment)

Sham stimulation during a 3-h OGTT.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

We are asking all individuals who meet our study criteria if they would like to take part. We are looking for both males and females who meet all the criteria on this list for either SCI or non-injured individuals:

Individuals with SCI:

* \>1-year postinjury.
* 18 years of age or above
* American Spinal Cord Injury Impairment Scale A-C.
* Level of Injury, Cervical 5-Lumbar 2.
* Have capacity to provide informed consent.

Non-injured individuals:

• 18 years of age or above

Exclusion Criteria

* Has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, or actively taking a pharmaceutical to address elevated blood glucose.
* Unable to understand explanations and/or provide informed consent.
* If you cannot tolerate the NMES intervention
* Is pregnant or planning to become pregnant during the study duration

SCI only:

* Recently trained with electrical stimulation (\< 6 months)
* Recent history of lower limb fractures
* Peripheral nerve injury to lower extremities
* Unresolved pressure ulcers
* Known lower motor neuron injury.
* If the research team cannot induce visible or palpable contractions of the quadricep muscle with NMES
* If they cannot tolerate the NMES intervention
* Has previously experienced uncontrolled autonomic dysreflexia
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

University of Birmingham

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Bath

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Jennifer Maher

PhD Programme for Health

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

Department for Health, University of Bath

Bath, United Kingdom, United Kingdom

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

United Kingdom

Central Contacts

Reach out to these primary contacts for questions about participation or study logistics.

Rebecca A Young

Role: CONTACT

+44 (0)1225 388388

Facility Contacts

Find local site contact details for specific facilities participating in the trial.

Rebecca R A YOUNG

Role: primary

+44 (0) 1225 388388

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

SBF009\1017

Identifier Type: OTHER_GRANT

Identifier Source: secondary_id

346844

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

More Related Trials

Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.

Patient Self-managed BCI-FES
NCT03257982 COMPLETED NA