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StrokeNCT03268798

Unilateral Wrist Extension Training After Stroke

A study testing Unilateral wrist extension training in people with Stroke, run by University of Victoria.

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

Following stroke, muscle weakness and impaired motor function are expressed in both the more (MA; paretic) and less affected (LA; non-paretic) sides. Although the efficacy of resistance training is well recognized, training the MA limb directly may be initially difficult due to muscular weakness. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Any age
Conditions the study is for
Stroke
What is being tested?
Unilateral wrist extension training
Type of treatment
Medical device
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
24 participants
Where
No sites listed yet
Study dates
Mar 2015to 1 Jul 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 Any age
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child, Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Over 6 months post-stroke;
  • One side of arm shows muscle weakness
  • Pass the screening test of Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire
  • Pass the screening test for dementia
  • Free from dementia (score < 24 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment) and any other contradiction for TMS test

Who cannot join

  • Had medication affecting muscle tone within the past 3 months
  • Wear a pacemaker

About this study

Following stroke, muscle weakness and impaired motor function are expressed in both the more (MA; paretic) and less affected (LA; non-paretic) sides. Although the efficacy of resistance training is well recognized, training the MA limb directly may be initially difficult due to muscular weakness. "Cross-education" is training one side of the body increases strength in the untrained and opposite side. This concept can be applied in strength training when training the more affected sides cannot be initiated. Recently, our lab found six weeks of dorsiflexion resistance training in the LA leg improved the strength of both trained and untrained legs of chronic stroke participants.

The current project explored if cross-education exists in the upper limb in chronic stroke participants and if there are related changes in cortical and spinal cord plasticity. We hypothesized that unilateral strength in the less affected arm could enhance wrist extension strength bilaterally with related neural adoption and improved clinical function.

Read the detailed description

Stroke produces muscle weakness seen on both more (paretic, MA) and less affected (non-paretic, LA) sides. "Cross-education" is training one side of the body increases strength or motor skill in the same muscles on the untrained side. This can be applied to enhance muscle strength in the MA side and we found that 6 weeks of dorsiflexion resistance training with the LA leg improved strength bilaterally in chronic stroke. To explore if cross-education occurs also in the upper limb after stroke, participants will complete a 5-week unilateral wrist extension training.

Twenty four participants will be recruited, 12 from Rehabilitation Neuroscience laboratory at University of Victoria, 12 from Brain Behaviour Laboratory at University of British Columbia. Before and after training, maximal voluntary contraction wrist extension force was measured with a 6-axis load cell using Cartesian coordinates (Fz = extension). Electromyography of extensor and flexor carpi radialis, biceps and triceps brachii were recorded. Fugl-Meyer and partial Wolf Motor Function Test were performed by the same physical therapist at each location. Reciprocal inhibition from wrist flexors to extensors, cutaneous reflexes evoked by median and superficial radial nerve stimulation were assessed in those at UVIC. Cortical silent period, short-interval intracortical inhibition, intracortical facilitation and transcallosal inhibition from transcranial magnetic stimulation were measured in participants at UBC.

Conditions
Stroke
Being tested
Unilateral wrist extension training
Keywords
stroke, strength training, rehabilitation
Medical subject headings
Stroke

What participants receive

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

  • Unilateral wrist extension trainingDevice

    Participants will join a five-week training protocol with 3 sessions per week. During each session, 5 sets 5 maximal wrist extension training will be performed on participants less affected side.

Study groups in NCT03268798
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Wrist extension trainingExperimentalNot described
Receives: Device: Unilateral wrist extension training

What is being measured

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

  1. Changes in wrist extension force

    To test if training could improve wrist extension strength, maximal wrist extension force were measured in both arms during the 3 baseline pretests, 1 post-test. There was a week in between each baseline tests, post-test will be performed within one week after the training finished. To test if the force changes maintained after training, follow-up test was performed 5 weeks after training finished.

    Measured: Week1-3: baselines were measured once per week for three times; Week 4-8: training(no measurement was taken); Week 9: post-test; Week 13: follow-up test

Secondary outcomes (7)
  1. Changes in the modulation of spinal-mediated muscle reflexes

    To test if training could induce neural adaptation at spinal level, spinal-mediated muscle reflexes include reciprocal inhibition and cutaneous reflexes in the wrist extensor muscle were measured. Muscle reflex amplitudes were compared before and after training. There was no follow-up test for this measurement

    Measured: Week1-3: baselines were measured once per week for three times; Week 4-8: training(no measurement was taken); Week 9: post-test;

  2. Neural adaptation in the corticospinal pathway

    To test if training could induced neural adaptation at corticospinal level, cortical silent period, short-interval intracortical inhibition, intracortical facilitation and transcallosal from transcranial magnetic stimulation were measured in wrist extensor muscle. Changes in the muscle reflex amplitudes and cortical silent period duration were compared before and after training. There was no follow-up test for this measurement.

    Measured: Week1-3: baselines were measured once per week for three times; Week 4-8: training(no measurement was taken); Week 9: post-test;

  3. Upper limb impairment assessments

    Fugl-Meyer test score were assessed by licensed physiotherapists. Scores were compared before and after training. There was no follow-up test for this measurement.

    Measured: Week1-3: baselines were measured once per week for three times; Week 4-8: training(no measurement was taken); Week 9: post-test;

  4. Upper limb function assessments

    Wolf Motor Function Test were assessed by licensed physiotherapists. Scores were compared before and after training.

    Measured: Week1-3: baselines were measured once per week for three times; Week 4-8: training (no measurement was taken); Week 9: post-test; Week 13: follow-up test

  5. Ten-meter walking test

    Walking speed was compared before and after training. There was no follow-up test for this measurement

    Measured: Week1-3: baselines were measured once per week for three times; Week 4-8: training (no measurement was taken); Week 9: post-test;

  6. Six-minute walking test

    Walking distance was compared before and after training. There was no follow-up test for this measurement

    Measured: Week1-3: baselines were measured once per week for three times; Week 4-8: training(no measurement was taken); Week 9: post-test;

  7. Timed up and go

    Walking speed was compared before and after training. There was no follow-up test for this measurement.

    Measured: Week1-3: baselines were measured once per week for three times; Week 4-8: training(no measurement was taken); Week 9: post-test;

Timeline

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

  1. First posted31 Aug 2017
  2. Study startMar 2015
  3. Primary completion1 Jul 2017
  4. Study completion1 Jul 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
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
24 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT03268798
Sponsor's protocol ID
D015017-2011-2015
Status last verified
Aug 2017
First submitted
24 Aug 2017
Last updated
31 Aug 2017
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Unilateral wrist extension training in people with Stroke, run by University of Victoria.

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 5 inclusion and 2 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 31 Aug 2017. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

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?

Changes in wrist extension force (time frame: Week1-3: baselines were measured once per week for three times; Week 4-8: training(no measurement was taken); Week 9: post-test; Week 13: follow-up test). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
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 31 Aug 2017.

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