Pairing Intermittent Hypoxia and Transcutaneous Electrical Spinal Cord Stimulation to Promote Arm Use After Cervical SCI

Spinal Cord Injuries Clinical Trial

Official title:

Combinatorial Treatment of Acute Intermittent Hypoxia and Transcutaneous Electrical Spinal Cord Stimulation to Improve Hand Function in People With Cervical Spinal Cord Injury

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Terminated

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT04854057
• Other study ID #: 2020P003328
• Status: Terminated
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: March 3, 2021
• Est. completion date: October 22, 2021

Study information

• Verified date: January 2024
• Source: Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this study is to test the efficacy of mild breathing bouts of low oxygen (intermittent hypoxia) combined with transcutaneous electrical spinal cord stimulation on restoring hand function in persons with chronic incomplete spinal cord injury.

Description:

The goal of this study is to determine the effectiveness of repeatedly breathing mild bouts of low oxygen for brief periods (termed acute intermittent hypoxia (AIH)) combined with non-invasive transcutaneous electrical spinal cord stimulation (TESS) on restoring hand function in persons with chronic incomplete SCI. The fundamental hypothesis guiding this proposal is that daily AIH+TESS engage excitatory and inhibitory pathways, which converge on a common plasticity-promoting cascade that induces greater recovery of hand function than either one alone. Both treatments appear to enhance motor function in persons with cervical SCI. Despite their independent effects on promoting functional benefits, it is not yet know if they may promote greater functional benefits when combined. To be effective as a long-term rehabilitation strategy, it is essential to determine the efficacy of combined protocols of recurring AIH+TESS.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Terminated
• Enrollment: 3
• Est. completion date: October 22, 2021
• Est. primary completion date: October 22, 2021
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years to 65 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• 18 to 65 years old
• medically stable with medical clearance from physician to participate
• SCI at or below C3 and at or above C7
• non-progressive etiology of spinal injury
• American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) C-D at initial screen
• at least 1 year post-injury (chronic)
• difficulty independently performing hand functions in activities of daily living

Exclusion Criteria:

• dependence on ventilation support
• implanted stimulator (e.g. diaphragm pacing by phrenic nerve stimulation, vagus nerve stimulator, pacemaker, cochlear implant, epidural stimulator, baclofen pump, etc.)
• spinal cord injury related complications including unhealed pressure sore, severe neuropathic or chronic pain syndrome, history of frequent autonomic dysreflexia, infection (e.g. urinary tract), cardiovascular disease (e.g. deep vein thrombosis), pulmonary disease, heterotopic ossification in the upper extremities, severe osteoporosis, unhealed fracture, contracture of the upper extremity joints
• received botulinum toxin injections in upper extremity muscles in the prior 6 months
• history of tendon or nerve transfer surgery in the upper extremity
• history of additional neurologic disease, such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, peripheral neuropathy (diabetic polyneuropathy, entrapment neuropathy, etc.) or peripheral nerve injury in the upper extremity
• history of concomitant diseases that would prevent full participation in intensive exercise therapy, such as uncontrolled hypertension, rheumatic diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, etc.), pulmonary disease, active cancer, chronic contagious disease, etc.
• anticoagulation medication
• pregnancy
• history of allergic reaction or any skin reaction to use of adhesive electrodes

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Hypoxia
• Spinal Cord Injuries

Intervention

Other:
• AIH - Intermittent Hypoxia - hypoxia air mixture
Participants will breathe intermittent low oxygen via air generators. The generators will fill reservoir bags attached to a non-rebreathing face mask. Oxygen concentration will be continuously monitored to ensure delivery of fraction of inspired oxygen (FIO2)=0.10±0.02 (hypoxia). Participants will receive treatment 4 times per week.
• SHAM - Intermittent Room Air - room air mixture
Participants will breathe intermittent room air via air generators. The generators will fill reservoir bags attached to a non-rebreathing face mask. Oxygen concentration will be continuously monitored to ensure delivery of fraction of inspired oxygen (FIO2)=0.21±0.02 (normoxia). Participants will receive treatment 4 times per week.

Device:
• TESS - Transcutaneous Electrical Spinal Cord Stimulation + Functional Task Practice
Participants will receive transcutaneous electrical stimulation to the cervical spinal cord using the TESCoN device developed by SpineX, Inc. Training will consist of progressive functional task practice for upper extremity motor training. A total of 24 treatment sessions, which will last 45 minutes per session, will be completed in 3 weeks (4 days/week) per crossover arm.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital	Cambridge	Massachusetts

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

References & Publications (4)

Gad P, Lee S, Terrafranca N, Zhong H, Turner A, Gerasimenko Y, Edgerton VR. Non-Invasive Activation of Cervical Spinal Networks after Severe Paralysis. J Neurotrauma. 2018 Sep 15;35(18):2145-2158. doi: 10.1089/neu.2017.5461. — View Citation

Hoffman L, Field-Fote E. Effects of practice combined with somatosensory or motor stimulation on hand function in persons with spinal cord injury. Top Spinal Cord Inj Rehabil. 2013 Fall;19(4):288-99. doi: 10.1310/sci1904-288. — View Citation

Inanici F, Samejima S, Gad P, Edgerton VR, Hofstetter CP, Moritz CT. Transcutaneous Electrical Spinal Stimulation Promotes Long-Term Recovery of Upper Extremity Function in Chronic Tetraplegia. IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng. 2018 Jun;26(6):1272-1278. doi: 10.1109/TNSRE.2018.2834339. — View Citation

Trumbower RD, Hayes HB, Mitchell GS, Wolf SL, Stahl VA. Effects of acute intermittent hypoxia on hand use after spinal cord trauma: A preliminary study. Neurology. 2017 Oct 31;89(18):1904-1907. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000004596. Epub 2017 Sep 29. — View Citation

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Change in Upper Extremity Function	Change compared to baseline in upper extremity function performance metrics after treatment assessed using the Graded Redefined Assessment of Strength, Sensation and Prehension test (GRASSP v2). Range: -188 to 188. Higher values represent a better outcome.	Once each intervention week (days 5, 10, and 15), and once at follow-up (week 8)
Primary	Change in Upper Extremity Strength - Cylindrical Grip - Less Impaired Hand	Change in upper extremity strength compared to baseline assessed using dynamometers to measure grip forces.	Once each intervention week (days 5, 10, and 15), and once at followup (week 8)
Primary	Change in Upper Extremity Strength - Cylindrical Grip - More Impaired Hand	Change in upper extremity strength compared to baseline assessed using dynamometers to measure grip forces.	Once each intervention week (days 5, 10, and 15), and once at followup (week 8)

External Links

•   INSPIRE Lab - dedicated to inspire persons with paralysis to move again