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Spinal Cord InjuryNCT02427230

Treatment of Urinary Incontinence in Women With Spinal Cord Injury

A study testing Pelvic floor muscle training and vaginal electrical stimulator (CefarPeristim Pro) in people with Spinal Cord Injury and Urinary Incontinence, run by Glostrup University Hospital, Copenhagen at 1 site in Denmark.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) and intravaginal neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) are effective in reducing urinary incontinence and improving quality of life in women with spinal cord injury (SCI). Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 75 years, women only
Conditions the study is for
Spinal Cord Injury, Urinary Incontinence
What is being tested?
Pelvic floor muscle training and vaginal electrical stimulator (CefarPeristim Pro)
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
27 participants
Where
1 siteDenmark
Study dates
May 2015to Mar 2017
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 75 years
  • Women only
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Incomplete SCI graded C, D og E on ASIA Impairment Scale, sustained minimum 3 months ago
  • urinary incontinence, corresponding to a total ICIQ-UI-SF score ≥ 8

Who cannot join

  • Regular treatment with botox bladder injections or < 1 year since last botox injection
  • Lack of urodynamic investigation after the SCI
  • Pregnancy
  • Pacemaker
  • Lack of ability to contract the pelvic floor muscles during objective clinical examination

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Denmark1 site
  • Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Herlev University Hospital

    Herlev, 2730

Other trials in Denmark

About this study

Official title: The Effect of Pelvic Floor Muscle Training and Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation on Urinary Incontinence and Quality of Life in Women With Spinal Cord Injury

The purpose of this study is to determine whether pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) and intravaginal neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) are effective in reducing urinary incontinence and improving quality of life in women with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Read the detailed description

SCI patients often experience neurogenic bladder dysfunction with neurogenic detrusor overactivity or areflexic bladder. Due to this, 40-50 % of the SCI population suffers from urinary incontinence, which often reduces the patient's quality of life.

In order to manage the neurogenic bladder dysfunction, SCI patients use specialized bladder emptying methods, most frequently clean intermittent catheterization. To reduce the symptoms of neurogenic detrusor overactivity and urinary incontinence in patients with a SCI, medical anticholinergic therapy can be assessed, but the effect is sparse and many adverse effects have been reported. Injection of Botulinum-A toxin in the bladder has shown great potential in minimizing the symptoms of neurogenic detrusor overactivity and urinary incontinence, though it is an expensive and invasive method that needs to be repeated due to its temporary effect.

PFMT and NMES of the pelvic muscles are non-invasive and cheap treatments without side effects and several studies have demonstrated the positive effect of intravaginal NMES and/or PFMT on urinary incontinence in able-bodied women as well as women with neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis.

Despite the fact that NMES of weak or paralyzed striated muscles has been used for decades in patients suffering from SCI, to our knowledge, no study has previously investigated the effect of PFMT and intravaginal NMES in women with SCI.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of PFMT and intravaginal NMES on Urinary Incontinence and Quality of Life in women with SCI. In particular, we will investigate the potential additional effect of intravaginal NMES, when NMES is conducted in combination with PFMT.

This study is designed as a randomized clinical trial, investigating the effect of PFMT alone and in combination with intravaginal NMES. We will include 40 female patients with an incomplete SCI and urinary incontinence. After physiotherapeutic guidance, the patients perform PFMT or PFMT + NMES daily at home for 12 weeks with follow-up evaluations every fourth week.

Being tested
Pelvic floor muscle training, vaginal electrical stimulator (CefarPeristim Pro)
Keywords
Pelvic Floor Muscle Training, Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation, Urinary Incontinence, Spinal Cord Injury
Medical subject headings
Spinal Cord Injuries, Urinary Incontinence

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Pelvic floor muscle trainingBehavioural

    Also called Group 1

    The intervention in group 1 consists of three private lessons in PFMT conducted by a physiotherapist every 4th week.

    At each consultation the physiotherapist will use manual palpation of the pelvic floor muscles and Electromyography Biofeedback (EMG). Patients will be instructed to carry out three series of approximately 10 near-maximal pelvic floor muscle contractions held for approximately 6-8 seconds daily during 12 weeks.

  • Pelvic floor muscle trainingBehavioural

    Also called Group 2

    The intervention in group 2 consist of three private lessons in PFMT and intravaginal NMES conducted by a physiotherapist every 4th week.

    At each consultation the physiotherapist will use manual palpation of the pelvic floor muscles and Electromyography Biofeedback (EMG). Patients will be instructed to carry out three series of approximately 10 near-maximal pelvic floor muscle contractions held for approximately 6-8 seconds daily during 12 weeks.

    Additionally, patients will be instructed on how to use intravaginal NMES and each patient receives a vaginal electrical stimulator (CefarPeristim Pro). The NMES settings consist of two different frequencies, 40 Hz and 10 Hz, and patients are instructed to use both settings daily for maximum 30 minutes during 12 weeks.

  • vaginal electrical stimulator (CefarPeristim Pro)Drug

    electrical stimulation

Study groups in NCT02427230
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT)Active comparatorPelvic floor muscle training daily during 12 weeks.
Receives: Behavioral: Pelvic floor muscle training
PFMT and electrical stimulationActive comparatorPelvic floor muscle training and intravaginal neuromuscular electrical stimulation daily during 12 weeks.
Receives: Behavioral: Pelvic floor muscle training; Drug: vaginal electrical stimulator (CefarPeristim Pro)

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire, Urinary Incontinence, Short Form (ICIQ-UI-SF)

    Measured: up to week 24

Secondary outcomes (6)
  1. International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire, Overactive Bladder (ICIQ-AOB)

    Measured: up to week 24

  2. Urethral Pressure Reflectometry (UPR) parameters

    UPR is a novel method of measuring the pressure and cross-sectional area in the female urethra

    Measured: up to week 24

  3. 3 days voiding diary

    Measured: 3 days

  4. 24 hour pad test

    Measured: 24 hour

  5. International Spinal Cord Injury Quality of Life Basic Data Set

    Measured: up to week 24

  6. Patient Global Index of Improvement scale (PGI-I)

    Measured: up to week 24

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted27 Apr 2015 (estimated)
  2. Study startMay 2015
  3. Primary completionMar 2017
  4. Study completionMar 2017

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Investigator
Enrolment
27 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT02427230
Sponsor's protocol ID
H-2-2014-113
Other IDs
20.941
Status last verified
Aug 2017
First submitted
22 Apr 2015
Last updated
22 Aug 2017
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No

Publications

  • Hansen RB, Biering-Sorensen F, Kristensen JK. Urinary incontinence in spinal cord injured individuals 10-45 years after injury. Spinal Cord. 2010 Jan;48(1):27-33. doi: 10.1038/sc.2009.46. Epub 2009 Jun 2.

    PubMed 19488052
  • Jerez-Roig J, Souza DL, Espelt A, Costa-Marin M, Belda-Molina AM. Pelvic floor electrostimulation in women with urinary incontinence and/or overactive bladder syndrome: a systematic review. Actas Urol Esp. 2013 Jul-Aug;37(7):429-44. doi: 10.1016/j.acuro.2012.08.003. Epub 2012 Dec 13. English, Spanish.

    PubMed 23246103
  • McClurg D, Ashe RG, Marshall K, Lowe-Strong AS. Comparison of pelvic floor muscle training, electromyography biofeedback, and neuromuscular electrical stimulation for bladder dysfunction in people with multiple sclerosis: a randomized pilot study. Neurourol Urodyn. 2006;25(4):337-48. doi: 10.1002/nau.20209.

    PubMed 16637070
  • McClurg D, Ashe RG, Lowe-Strong AS. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation and the treatment of lower urinary tract dysfunction in multiple sclerosis--a double blind, placebo controlled, randomised clinical trial. Neurourol Urodyn. 2008;27(3):231-7. doi: 10.1002/nau.20486.

    PubMed 17705160
  • Bo K, Talseth T, Holme I. Single blind, randomised controlled trial of pelvic floor exercises, electrical stimulation, vaginal cones, and no treatment in management of genuine stress incontinence in women. BMJ. 1999 Feb 20;318(7182):487-93. doi: 10.1136/bmj.318.7182.487.

    PubMed 10024253
  • Klarskov N, Lose G. Urethral pressure reflectometry; a novel technique for simultaneous recording of pressure and cross-sectional area in the female urethra. Neurourol Urodyn. 2007;26(2):254-61. doi: 10.1002/nau.20283.

    PubMed 17016844

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Pelvic floor muscle training and vaginal electrical stimulator (CefarPeristim Pro) in people with Spinal Cord Injury and Urinary Incontinence, run by Glostrup University Hospital, Copenhagen at 1 site in Denmark.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 22 Aug 2017. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Denmark. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire, Urinary Incontinence, Short Form (ICIQ-UI-SF) (time frame: up to week 24). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT02427230, which also lists 6 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 22 Aug 2017; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 8 Nov 2026.

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