Complex Regional Pain Syndromes
Conditions
Keywords
complex regional pain syndrome, transcranial magnetic stimulation, ischemic stroke
Brief summary
The aim of our study is to investigate transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) as a treatment option in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, disseminate it to a broader patient population, and simultaneously demonstrate its applicability in the treatment of complex regional pain syndrome using a novel frequency matching.
Detailed description
After ischemic stroke in the subacute to chronic period, 45 patients developing complex regional pain syndrome in the upper extremity will be divided into three groups: those receiving combined rTMS with conventional rehabilitation (occupational therapy and transcutaneous electrical stimulation for pain), those receiving sham rTMS with conventional rehabilitation, and those undergoing only conventional rehabilitation. The TMS group is planned to include 15 patients, the sham group 15 patients, and the group included in the conventional rehabilitation program only will also consist of 15 patients.
Interventions
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation method that modulates the cortical excitability of the targeted motor area. While single-pulse TMS is generally used to explore the functioning of the brain, repetitive TMS is employed to induce lasting changes in brain activity. High-frequency rTMS leads to an increase in excitability in the motor cortex, whereas low-frequency application results in inhibition of motor cortical excitability. Theta-burst stimulation (TBS) is a form of rTMS that can be delivered continuously (cTBS) or intermittently (iTBS), thus modulating the excitability of corticospinal neurons beneath the stimulation area to either decrease or increase. rTMS is a growing research area in pain management, proven to be a safe and well-tolerated method. Studies have shown that rTMS applied to the motor cortex is a promising treatment method for chronic pain
DEVICESham transcranial magnetic stimulation
Patients in the control group will receive sham transcranial magnetic stimulation with sham coil for 35 minutes a day, 5 sessions in total, together with conventional rehabilitation.
Patients will receive 5 minutes of continuous ultrasound (1MHz, 2W/cm2, 1:4)), followed by a 20-minute contrast bath, and 15 minutes of TENS (frequency: 100 Hz; pulse duration: 50-100 ms; and amplitude adjusted to avoid discomfort or muscle contraction to the patient).
Sponsors
Ankara City Hospital Bilkent
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 80 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Clinical diagnosis of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Diagnosis of ischemic stroke
Exclusion criteria
Epilepsy Pregnancy Cardiac Pacemaker, Brain pacemaker, Cochlear Implants
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Visual Analog Scale (VAS) | Before the treatment, At the end of the treatment (1 week), Four weeks after the treatment | A 10 cm Visual Analog Scale (VAS) has been used to objectively assess widespread body pain in patients. Participants use this scale to determine the intensity of their pain. While 0 represents no pain, 10 indicates the most severe pain experienced by the individual. |
| Brunnstrom's Hemiplegia Recovery Staging | Before the treatment, At the end of the treatment (1 week), Four weeks after the treatment | According to Brunnstrom, the stages of recovery in patients developing paralysis due to stroke progress as follows: Stage 1, where muscles are completely flaccid; Stage 2, the emergence of muscle synergies; Stage 3, the peak of involuntary movements; Stage 4, a decrease in involuntary movements and the initiation of voluntary movements; Stage 5, the appearance of more coordinated movements; Stage 6, the disappearance of spasms and the observation of fine joint movements, approaching near-complete recovery; Stage 7, where all functions return to normal. |
| Stroke Specific Quality of Life Scale (SS-QoL) | Before the treatment, At the end of the treatment (1 week), Four weeks after the treatment | The SS-QoL is an instrument specifically used to assess health-related QoL among individuals who experienced stroke. It has 49 items in 12 domains, varying from 49 to 245 points, with responses varying from 1 to 5 points. Higher values indicate better health-related QoL. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Fugl Meyer Upper Extremity Assessment | Before treatment (initial), at the end, four weeks after treatment | It assesses the upper extremity in three parts: shoulder-elbow-forearm (upper part of the arm), wrist, and hand, allowing for the evaluation of reflex activity, synergy patterns, and voluntary movement. The maximum score for the upper part of the arm is 36 points. Wrist assessment is scored out of 10 points, evaluating stability at different angles, joint range of motion, and complex movements. The maximum total score for upper extremity assessment using the Fugl-Meyer Assessment Scale is 66 points. |
Countries
Turkey (Türkiye)
Contacts
Primary ContactHüma Bölük Şenlikçi Associate Professor
Backup ContactÖzlem Yücealp Ali Medical Doctor
Outcome results
None listed