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NCT03826030: TRANSPORT 2

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Post-stroke Motor Recovery

Completed Phase 2 Results posted Last updated 22 August 2025
What this trial tests

Phase 2 trial testing Sham in Stroke, Ischemic in 129 participants. Completed in 19 September 2024.

Timeline
1 September 2019
Primary endpoint
19 September 2024
19 September 2024

Quick facts

Lead sponsorDuke University
PhasePhase 2
StatusCompleted
Study typeINTERVENTIONAL
Allocationrandomized
Designparallel
Maskingtriple
Primary purposetreatment
Enrollment129
Start date1 September 2019
Primary completion19 September 2024
Estimated completion19 September 2024
Sites14 locations across United States

Drugs / interventions tested

Conditions studied

Sponsor

Duke University

Who can join

Adults 18 to 80, any sex, with Stroke, Ischemic or Motor Activity. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Results — posted to ClinicalTrials.gov

Per-arm endpoint measurements with 95% confidence intervals where reported. Source: trial results section.

Mean Change in FM-UE From Baseline Primary · Day 15

The Fugl-Meyer Upper-Extremity (FM-UE) is a measure of motor impairment (0 to 66 points, with higher points indicating less impairment). FM-UE scale consists of a 33-item assessment which provides a global assessment of UE motor impairment. A rater provides an ordinal rating (2=near normal ability/response, 1=partial ability, 0=unable to perform/no response). The FM-UE scale is a proven scale with excellent intra-rater reliability (0.99), inter-rater reliability (0.99), test-retest reliability (0.94 -0.99), and internal consistency (0.97). FM-UE scale was assessed both by site raters (who were

GroupValue95% CI
Sham tDCS + mCIMT4.913.00 – 6.82
2 mA tDCS + mCIMT3.872.00 – 5.74
4 mA + mCIMT5.533.64 – 7.42
Mean Change in WMFT Time Score From Baseline Secondary · Day 15

The Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) is a measure of functional motor activity that quantifies upper extremity (UE) motor ability through timed and functional tasks. The WMFT Time Score the median of 15 timed arm movements and hand dexterity tasks, each to be completed in 120s. If a task could not be completed in 120s, a score of 121s was assigned. A lower WMFT Time Score is better.

GroupValue95% CI
Sham tDCS + mCIMT-8.67-15.50 – -1.84
2 mA tDCS + mCIMT-1.65-8.76 – 5.46
4 mA + mCIMT-10.37-18.64 – -2.11
Mean Change in SIS Hand Subscale From Baseline Secondary · Day 15

The Stroke Impact Scale (SIS) has 8 subscales which ask questions regarding a patient's physical limitations, memory and thinking, emotions and mood, ability to communicate, daily activities, mobility at home and in the community, use of hand most affected by stroke, and ability to participate in meaningful life activities. Each subscale item is rated on a scale from 5-1 (5= None of the time, 4=a little of the time, 3=Some of the time, 2=Most of the time, 1=All of the time). The domain/subscale scores, including the SIS Hand Subscale, range from 0 (worst) to 100 (best).

GroupValue95% CI
Sham tDCS + mCIMT25.2419.13 – 31.36
2 mA tDCS + mCIMT13.608.01 – 19.20
4 mA + mCIMT21.5115.77 – 27.25

Adverse events — posted to ClinicalTrials.gov

Time frame: Up to 105 days after randomization. Reporting threshold: 0%. Adverse-event reports describe events observed during the trial — not all are caused by the drug.

Sham tDCS + mCIMT
Serious: 2/43 (5%)
Deaths: 0/43
2 mA tDCS + mCIMT
Serious: 0/43 (0%)
Deaths: 0/43
4 mA + mCIMT
Serious: 5/43 (12%)
Deaths: 0/43

Serious adverse events (8 terms)

ReactionSystemSham tDCS + mCIMT2 mA tDCS + mCIMT4 mA + mCIMT
Cardiac failure acuteCardiac disorders
Myocardial infarctionCardiac disorders
Abdominal discomfortGastrointestinal disorders
FallInjury, poisoning and procedural complications
HypoglycaemiaMetabolism and nutrition disorders
Carotid artery stenosisNervous system disorders
Ischaemic strokeNervous system disorders
Vaginal haemorrhageReproductive system and breast disorders
Other adverse events (2 terms — click to expand)

ReactionSystemSham tDCS + mCIMT2 mA tDCS + mCIMT4 mA + mCIMT
FatigueGeneral disorders
FallInjury, poisoning and procedural complications

Most-reported serious reactions: Cardiac failure acute, Myocardial infarction, Abdominal discomfort, Fall, Hypoglycaemia, Carotid artery stenosis, Ischaemic stroke, Vaginal haemorrhage.

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03826030 adverse events section.

Sponsor's own description

This research study is to find out if brain stimulation at different dosage level combined with an efficacy-proven rehabilitation therapy can improve arm function. The stimulation technique is called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). The treatment uses direct currents to stimulate specific parts of the brain affected by stroke. The adjunctive rehabilitation therapy is called "modified Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy" (mCIMT). During this therapy the subject will wear a mitt on the hand of the arm that was not affected by a stroke and force to use the weak arm. The study will test 3 different doses of brain stimulation in combination with mCIMT to find out the most promising one.

Publications & conference data

8 peer-reviewed publications reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

  1. Modulation of neural co-firing to enhance network transmission and improve motor function after stroke.
    Ganguly K, Khanna P, Morecraft RJ, Lin DJ. · · 2022 · cited 36× · PMID 35926452 · DOI 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.06.024
  2. Safety and efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation in addition to constraint-induced movement therapy for post-stroke motor recovery (TRANSPORT2): a phase 2, multicentre, randomised, sham-controlled triple-blind trial.
    Schlaug G, Cassarly C, Feld JA, Wolf SL, et al · · 2025 · cited 18× · PMID 40157380 · DOI 10.1016/s1474-4422(25)00044-4
  3. Advances in Stroke Neurorehabilitation.
    Gunduz ME, Bucak B, Keser Z. · · 2023 · cited 16× · PMID 37959200 · DOI 10.3390/jcm12216734
  4. Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Chronic Stroke: Is Neuroimaging the Answer to the Next Leap Forward?
    Salazar CA, Feng W, Bonilha L, Kautz S, et al · · 2023 · cited 9× · PMID 37048684 · DOI 10.3390/jcm12072601
  5. Evolution and Future of Stroke Trials.
    Broderick JP, Mistry EA. · · 2024 · cited 7× · PMID 38328974 · DOI 10.1161/strokeaha.123.044265
  6. Optimal Randomization Designs for Large Multicenter Clinical Trials: From the National Institutes of Health Stroke Trials Network Funded by National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Experience.
    Zhao W, Yeatts SD, Broderick JP, Selim MH, et al · · 2023 · cited 6× · PMID 37078281 · DOI 10.1161/strokeaha.122.040743
  7. Neuromodulation technologies improve functional recovery after brain injury: From bench to bedside.
    Liu M, Meng Y, Ouyang S, Zhai M, et al · · 2026 · cited 4× · PMID 39851132 · DOI 10.4103/nrr.nrr-d-24-00652
  8. Remotely Supervised Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Post-Stroke Recovery: A Scoping Review.
    Kocahasan M, Stockbridge MD, Stilling J, Utianski RL, et al · · 2025 · cited 1× · PMID 40282918 · DOI 10.3390/medicina61040627

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