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Post-Stroke Optimization of Walking Using Explosive Resistance

Post-Stroke Optimization of Walking Using Explosive Resistance: Concurrent Effects on Depression (POWER-D Trial)

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03826771
Acronym
POWER-D
Enrollment
48
Registered
2019-02-01
Start date
2019-02-06
Completion date
2024-05-12
Last updated
2025-04-24

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Depression, Stroke

Keywords

stroke, rehabilitation, depression, exercise

Brief summary

The investigators will study the effects of a 12 week strength training program on individuals who have had a stroke and are depressed to see if this type of exercise training helps treat depression and improves walking function. Our goal is to use the information collected in this study to help design treatments for people who have had a stroke that will help with many of the common consequences of stroke, including depression, muscle weakness and slow walking. Progress toward overcoming some of these issues would be incredibly valuable to any person who has had a stroke and their families.

Detailed description

Depression is the most common neuropsychiatric manifestation following stroke and current treatments are largely ineffective. Depression has both direct and indirect effects on response to rehabilitation, thus subjects with post-stroke depression (PSD) are routinely excluded from clinical trials and treatment options are extremely limited. The investigators propose to determine the impact of a novel, high-intensity resistance training program, Post-stroke Optimization of Walking using Explosive Resistance (POWER) training, on post-stroke depressive symptoms. Further, the investiators will determine if depression limits training-induced improvements in muscular and locomotor function. This project is based on the premise that depression negatively affects the potential for neuroplastic changes to occur in response to treatment such that rehabilitation may not produce the same adaptations that it does in non-depressed individuals. The investigators propose that effective treatment for PSD would result in a virtuous cycle where reducing depression enhances neuroplastic changes, thereby facilitating functional gains. That is, effectively treating depression will make the individual better able to recover from stroke. Furthermore, in addition to its beneficial effects on depression, POWER training is known to improve post-stroke walking, thus providing an attractive option for treating depression as well as an established vehicle to study the effects of PSD on response to rehabilitation. The experiments proposed as part of this project are designed to address critical questions related to 1) the effects of POWER training on depressive symptoms; 2) the potential for PSD to limit improvements following training; and 3) the interaction between improvements in depression and increases in walking function. Successful completion of this project will provide a foundation for larger scale trials to determine dosing parameters as well as establish therapeutic effectiveness of POWER training on post-stroke depression as well as identify the mechanisms that may be responsible for the changes that occur in response to treatment.

Interventions

BEHAVIORALPower training

high-intensity lower extremity resistance training

BEHAVIORALStretching

upper and lower body range of motion exercises

Sponsors

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
CollaboratorNIH
Medical University of South Carolina
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
50 Years to 70 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* age 50-70 * stroke within the past 6 to 60 months * residual paresis in the lower extremity (Fugl-Meyer LE motor score \<34) * ability to walk without assistance and without an AFO during testing and training at speeds ranging from 0.2-0.8 m/s * no antidepressant medications or no change in doses of psychotropic medication for at least 4 weeks prior to the study (6 weeks if newly initiated medication) * HRSD question #9 regarding suicide \<2; and 7) provision of informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

* Unable to ambulate at least 150 feet prior to stroke, or experienced intermittent claudication while walking * history of congestive heart failure, unstable cardiac arrhythmias, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, severe aortic stenosis, angina or dyspnea at rest or during ADL's * History of COPD or oxygen dependence * Preexisting neurological disorders, dementia or previous stroke * History of major head trauma * Legal blindness or severe visual impairment * history of psychosis or other Axis I disorder that is primary * Life expectancy \<1 yr. * Severe arthritis or other problems that limit passive ROM * History of DVT or pulmonary embolism within 6 months * Uncontrolled diabetes with recent weight loss, diabetic coma, or frequent insulin reactions * Severe hypertension with systolic \>200 mmHg and diastolic \>110 mmHg at rest * attempt of suicide in the last 2 years or at suicidal risk assessed by SCID interview * History of seizures or currently prescribed anti-seizure medications * Current enrollment in a clinical trial to enhance motor recovery * Pregnancy

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change in Mean Score of Depression as Assessed by the Hamilton Rating Scale for DepressionVisit 1 through visit 24 (up to 12 weeks)The HAM-D is a clinician-rated scale with scores based on clinical interview and family report. It addresses both somatic and psychological symptoms of depression. Items are rated on either a 5-point scale (0 to 4) or 3-point scale (0 to 2), where higher scores represent increasing severity of depression. The scores of the 17 items are summed to obtain a total score (minimum score: 0, maximum score: 52).

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change in Self Selected Walking SpeedVisit 1 through visit 24 (up to 12 weeks)Subjects will walk on a 14-ft. long gait mat (GaitRite) to measure self-selected and fastest comfortable walking speed and other spatiotemporal parameters of walking. Subjects will be permitted a practice trial, and then be asked to complete three trials at each speed. For all trials, subjects will wear their own shoes and be asked to walk without an assistive device or ankle-foot orthosis.

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
POWER Training - Depressed
high velocity strength training in depressed individuals Power training: high-intensity lower extremity resistance training
19
Stretching
Upper and lower body range of motion exercises Stretching: upper and lower body range of motion exercises
12
POWER Training - Non-Depressed
high velocity strength training in non-depressed individuals Power training: high-intensity lower extremity resistance training
17
Total48

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicPOWER Training - DepressedStretchingPOWER Training - Non-DepressedTotal
Age, Categorical
<=18 years
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
3 Participants4 Participants9 Participants16 Participants
Age, Categorical
Between 18 and 65 years
16 Participants8 Participants8 Participants32 Participants
Age, Continuous51.37 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 10.82
57.83 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 12.25
62.59 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 9.8
56.96 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 11.7
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
1 Participants0 Participants0 Participants1 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
6 Participants7 Participants5 Participants18 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
12 Participants5 Participants12 Participants29 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
10 Participants8 Participants4 Participants22 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
9 Participants4 Participants13 Participants26 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
EG002
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
0 / 190 / 120 / 17
other
Total, other adverse events
2 / 190 / 121 / 17
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 190 / 120 / 17

Outcome results

Primary

Change in Mean Score of Depression as Assessed by the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression

The HAM-D is a clinician-rated scale with scores based on clinical interview and family report. It addresses both somatic and psychological symptoms of depression. Items are rated on either a 5-point scale (0 to 4) or 3-point scale (0 to 2), where higher scores represent increasing severity of depression. The scores of the 17 items are summed to obtain a total score (minimum score: 0, maximum score: 52).

Time frame: Visit 1 through visit 24 (up to 12 weeks)

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
POWER Training - DepressedChange in Mean Score of Depression as Assessed by the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression5.20 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 4.31
StretchingChange in Mean Score of Depression as Assessed by the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression2.17 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 4.72
POWER Training - Non-DepressedChange in Mean Score of Depression as Assessed by the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression0.14 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 2.83
Secondary

Change in Self Selected Walking Speed

Subjects will walk on a 14-ft. long gait mat (GaitRite) to measure self-selected and fastest comfortable walking speed and other spatiotemporal parameters of walking. Subjects will be permitted a practice trial, and then be asked to complete three trials at each speed. For all trials, subjects will wear their own shoes and be asked to walk without an assistive device or ankle-foot orthosis.

Time frame: Visit 1 through visit 24 (up to 12 weeks)

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
POWER Training - DepressedChange in Self Selected Walking Speed0.08 meters per secondStandard Deviation 0.02
StretchingChange in Self Selected Walking Speed0.06 meters per secondStandard Deviation 0.02
POWER Training - Non-DepressedChange in Self Selected Walking Speed0.21 meters per secondStandard Deviation 0.06

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026