NCT03870048

tDCS to Lower Neuropathic Pain and Fatigue in People With Multiple Sclerosis

Completed NA Results posted Last updated 25 August 2022

What this trial tests

NA trial testing transcranial direct current stimulation in Multiple Sclerosis in 6 participants. Completed in 30 March 2020.

Timeline

15 April 2019

Primary endpoint
30 March 2020

30 March 2020

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	University of Iowa
Phase	NA
Status	Completed
Study type	INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation	na
Design	single group
Masking	none
Primary purpose	treatment
Enrollment	6
Start date	15 April 2019
Primary completion	30 March 2020
Estimated completion	30 March 2020
Sites	1 location across United States

Drugs / interventions tested

• transcranial direct current stimulation

Conditions studied

• Multiple Sclerosis — all drugs for Multiple Sclerosis →

Sponsor

University of Iowa

Who can join

Adults 18 to 70, any sex, with Multiple Sclerosis. 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.

Neuropathic Pain Questionnaire (NPQ) Contains 12 Items. Primary · 2 Months

The participant is asked to use items to rate their pain as it usually feels. They have to indicate a number which represents their pain on each scale. For example, if someone has no burning pain, the person would rate the first item "0". If the person has the worst burning pain imaginable, he/she would rate it "100". If neither of those fits his/her pain because it is in between, the participant has to choose a number which fits his/her pain.

Group	Value	95% CI
tDCS Effects on Pain and Fatigue	21.3	± 19.5
Sham Effects on Pain and Fatigue	10.3	± 13.5

Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) Contains Nine Statements That Attempt to Explore Severity of Fatigue Symptoms. Secondary · 2 Months

The FSS questionnaire The participant has to read each statement and circle a number from 1 to 7, depending on how appropriate they felt the statement applied to them over the preceding week. A low value indicates that the statement is not very appropriate whereas a high value indicates agreement (1 disagree, 7 agree).

Group	Value	95% CI
tDCS Effects on Pain and Fatigue	4	± 2
Sham Effects on Pain and Fatigue	6	± 1

Sponsor's own description

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on neuropathic pain and fatigue in people with MS. The investigators will conduct tDCS or sham on 5 consecutive days. They will evaluate pain and fatigue with specific questionnaires and measure fatigability with an isokinetic device.

The research question is whether tDCS can lessen neuropathic pain and increase fatigue resistance in people with MS. It is hypothesized, that less neuropathic pain and increased fatigue resistance after the tDCS sessions.

Publications & conference data

No peer-reviewed publications indexed yet for this trial. Completed trials usually publish results within 12-18 months.