Back to resultsVR-treadmill Combined Intervention for Enhancing Mobility and Cognitive Function in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis
Primary Purpose
Multiple Sclerosis
Status
Completed
Phase
Not Applicable
Locations
International
Study Type
Interventional
Intervention
Treadmill training with Virtual Reality
Treadmill training
Sponsored by
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Multiple Sclerosis focused on measuring Virtual Reality, Treadmill, Multiple Sclerosis
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
Patients will be included if:
- They are between 18-65 years of age.
- They have a confirmed diagnosis of relapsing remitting MS.
- They have a score between 2 and 6 on the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS)
- They are free from dementia as determined using the Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE>=24)
- They can walk on the treadmill without partial body weight support harness for 5 minutes at their preferred walking speed; this is set as the smallest bout length at the start of training.
- They have no history of epileptic seizures.
- They have no MS exacerbation within the preceding 4 weeks, as determined by interview and medical notes review.
- They have stable MS disease treatments (e.g., last intake of steroids occurred at least 50 days before the enrolment, MS-specific drugs stable from at least 3 months, symptomatic drugs stable from at least 1 month before the enrolment).
- They have adequate hearing (as evaluated by the whisper test and adequate vision capabilities (as measured using a Snellen chart, 6.20 cut-off).
- They are willing to commit to treadmill training program week and participate in all of the assessments.
- They provide informed written consent and are willing to be randomized to any of the 2 study arms.
Exclusion Criteria:
Patients will be excluded if:
- They cannot follow safety or training instructions.
- They have another neurological disorder, unstable cardiovascular disease, diabetes, lower limb arthritis, acute lower back or lower extremity pain, peripheral neuropathy, rheumatic or severe orthopaedic problems that may interfere with walking, or have diagnosed psychiatric problems.
- They are pregnant.
- They are undergoing any experimental drug or other kind of therapy.
- Their medication regime is likely to change during the course of the study.
- They are already participating in an intensive exercise program. The use of walking aids will not exclude participation.
Sites / Locations
- Motor Control Research Lab at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Arm Type
Experimental
Active Comparator
Arm Label
Treadmill training with virtual reality
Treadmill training alone
Arm Description
The TT+VR patients (i.e., the experimental arm) will receive 18 sessions (3 times per week x 6 weeks) of training that will consist of walking on a treadmill while wearing a safety harness (without body weight support, recall Figure 1), and while being provided with feedback from the system.
TT alone will receive conventional treadmill training with no feedback from the system. They will train with a safety harness 18 sessions (3 times per week x 6 weeks).
Outcomes
Primary Outcome Measures
Immediate change in gait speed
Gait speed will be assessed under usual and dual task conditions and while negotiating physical obstacles, using a sensorized 7 meter carpet (PKMAS) and wearable body fixed sensors. These measures will be compared to baseline performance
Number of correct answers in the oral version of the Symbol Digit Modalities Test
The SDMT measures sustained attention and cognitive processing speed, is responsive to change and intervention in MS, can be administered in a relatively short period of time (< 5 minutes), is largely resistant to practice effects, is valid and reliable in MS, and has been used in many clinical trials in MS. The SDMT involves matching numbers to corresponding symbols for 90 seconds and is a main component of the brief international cognitive assessment for MS (BICAMS). The number of correctly matched symbols is considered the outcome score. This test measures attention and visual spatial processing, and it is likely that the SDMT will change in response to the TT+VR, and not in response to TT. Indeed, SDMT has been associated with cognitive motor interference in patients with MS.
Secondary Outcome Measures
The 25 feet walk test (25FWT)
The T25-FW is a quantitative mobility and leg function performance test based on a timed 25-walk. It is the first component of the MSFC to be administered at each visit. The patient is directed to one end of a clearly marked 25-foot course and is instructed to walk 25 feet as quickly as possible, but safely. The time is calculated from the initiation of the instruction to start and ends when the patient has reached the 25-foot mark. The task is immediately administered again by having the patient walk back the same distance. Patients may use assistive devices when doing this task.
Full Information
NCT ID
NCT02427997
First Posted
March 15, 2015
Last Updated
April 7, 2022
Sponsor
Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center
1. Study Identification
Unique Protocol Identification Number
NCT02427997
Brief Title
VR-treadmill Combined Intervention for Enhancing Mobility and Cognitive Function in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis
Official Title
Virtual Reality-treadmill Combined Intervention for Enhancing Mobility and Cognitive Function in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis
Study Type
Interventional
2. Study Status
Record Verification Date
April 2022
Overall Recruitment Status
Completed
Study Start Date
June 2015 (Actual)
Primary Completion Date
March 31, 2022 (Actual)
Study Completion Date
March 31, 2022 (Actual)
3. Sponsor/Collaborators
Responsible Party, by Official Title
Sponsor
Name of the Sponsor
Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center
4. Oversight
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product
No
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product
No
Data Monitoring Committee
No
5. Study Description
Brief Summary
A prospective, randomized controlled single-blind trial will test the hypotheses that a 6- week intervention that combines treadmill training (TT) with virtual reality (VR) significantly improves real-life, functional mobility and cognitive abilities, keys to health-related quality of life in patients with MS.
Detailed Description
A prospective, single blinded,randomized controlled trial with 6 month follow-up will be employed to investigate the effects of treadmill training augmented with virtual reality on patients with MS. The study will include 200 participants. Participants will be randomized to either the intervention or active comparator. The intervention group will receive 18 sessions of Treadmill Training with Virtual Reality (TT+VR) and the active control comparison will receive 18 training sessions of treadmill training alone (TT) without the VR simulation All interventions will be delivered by therapists trained in the standard protocols. All subjects will be trained 3 times a week for 6 weeks, each session will last approximately 45 minutes.Training progression will be based on increasing both motor and cognitive challenges, individualized to the participant's level of performance.
6. Conditions and Keywords
Primary Disease or Condition Being Studied in the Trial, or the Focus of the Study
Multiple Sclerosis
Keywords
Virtual Reality, Treadmill, Multiple Sclerosis
7. Study Design
Primary Purpose
Treatment
Study Phase
Not Applicable
Interventional Study Model
Parallel Assignment
Masking
Outcomes Assessor
Allocation
Randomized
Enrollment
139 (Actual)
8. Arms, Groups, and Interventions
Arm Title
Treadmill training with virtual reality
Arm Type
Experimental
Arm Description
The TT+VR patients (i.e., the experimental arm) will receive 18 sessions (3 times per week x 6 weeks) of training that will consist of walking on a treadmill while wearing a safety harness (without body weight support, recall Figure 1), and while being provided with feedback from the system.
Arm Title
Treadmill training alone
Arm Type
Active Comparator
Arm Description
TT alone will receive conventional treadmill training with no feedback from the system. They will train with a safety harness 18 sessions (3 times per week x 6 weeks).
Intervention Type
Behavioral
Intervention Name(s)
Treadmill training with Virtual Reality
Other Intervention Name(s)
TT+VR
Intervention Description
VR is defined in general as a "high-end-computer interface that involves real time simulation and interactions through multiple sensorial channels". The VR system to be used requires subjects to negotiate virtual obstacles while walking on a treadmill, in a safe environment. This dual task activity has large cognitive components such as information processing, planning, and attention while allowing for training in a more stimulating and enriching environment that includes both cognitive and motor components.
Intervention Type
Behavioral
Intervention Name(s)
Treadmill training
Other Intervention Name(s)
TT
Intervention Description
The participants will walk on the treadmill, their gait speed over-ground will be measured at the beginning of each week of training. Progression will include increasing the duration of each of the walking bouts and increasing walking speed.
Primary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Immediate change in gait speed
Description
Gait speed will be assessed under usual and dual task conditions and while negotiating physical obstacles, using a sensorized 7 meter carpet (PKMAS) and wearable body fixed sensors. These measures will be compared to baseline performance
Time Frame
One week post intervention
Title
Number of correct answers in the oral version of the Symbol Digit Modalities Test
Description
The SDMT measures sustained attention and cognitive processing speed, is responsive to change and intervention in MS, can be administered in a relatively short period of time (< 5 minutes), is largely resistant to practice effects, is valid and reliable in MS, and has been used in many clinical trials in MS. The SDMT involves matching numbers to corresponding symbols for 90 seconds and is a main component of the brief international cognitive assessment for MS (BICAMS). The number of correctly matched symbols is considered the outcome score. This test measures attention and visual spatial processing, and it is likely that the SDMT will change in response to the TT+VR, and not in response to TT. Indeed, SDMT has been associated with cognitive motor interference in patients with MS.
Time Frame
One week post intervention
Secondary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
The 25 feet walk test (25FWT)
Description
The T25-FW is a quantitative mobility and leg function performance test based on a timed 25-walk. It is the first component of the MSFC to be administered at each visit. The patient is directed to one end of a clearly marked 25-foot course and is instructed to walk 25 feet as quickly as possible, but safely. The time is calculated from the initiation of the instruction to start and ends when the patient has reached the 25-foot mark. The task is immediately administered again by having the patient walk back the same distance. Patients may use assistive devices when doing this task.
Time Frame
One week post intervention
10. Eligibility
Sex
All
Minimum Age & Unit of Time
18 Years
Maximum Age & Unit of Time
65 Years
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
Patients will be included if:
They are between 18-65 years of age.
They have a confirmed diagnosis of relapsing remitting MS.
They have a score between 2 and 6 on the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS)
They are free from dementia as determined using the Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE>=24)
They can walk on the treadmill without partial body weight support harness for 5 minutes at their preferred walking speed; this is set as the smallest bout length at the start of training.
They have no history of epileptic seizures.
They have no MS exacerbation within the preceding 4 weeks, as determined by interview and medical notes review.
They have stable MS disease treatments (e.g., last intake of steroids occurred at least 50 days before the enrolment, MS-specific drugs stable from at least 3 months, symptomatic drugs stable from at least 1 month before the enrolment).
They have adequate hearing (as evaluated by the whisper test and adequate vision capabilities (as measured using a Snellen chart, 6.20 cut-off).
They are willing to commit to treadmill training program week and participate in all of the assessments.
They provide informed written consent and are willing to be randomized to any of the 2 study arms.
Exclusion Criteria:
Patients will be excluded if:
They cannot follow safety or training instructions.
They have another neurological disorder, unstable cardiovascular disease, diabetes, lower limb arthritis, acute lower back or lower extremity pain, peripheral neuropathy, rheumatic or severe orthopaedic problems that may interfere with walking, or have diagnosed psychiatric problems.
They are pregnant.
They are undergoing any experimental drug or other kind of therapy.
Their medication regime is likely to change during the course of the study.
They are already participating in an intensive exercise program. The use of walking aids will not exclude participation.
Overall Study Officials:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Arnon Karni, MD
Organizational Affiliation
TASMC
Official's Role
Principal Investigator
Facility Information:
Facility Name
Motor Control Research Lab at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
City
Urbana
State/Province
Illinois
ZIP/Postal Code
61801
Country
United States
Facility Name
Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center
City
Tel Aviv
ZIP/Postal Code
6423906
Country
Israel
12. IPD Sharing Statement
Citations:
PubMed Identifier
36357586
Citation
Galperin I, Mirelman A, Schmitz-Hubsch T, Hsieh KL, Regev K, Karni A, Brozgol M, Cornejo Thumm P, Lynch SG, Paul F, Devos H, Sosnoff J, Hausdorff JM. Treadmill training with virtual reality to enhance gait and cognitive function among people with multiple sclerosis: a randomized controlled trial. J Neurol. 2023 Mar;270(3):1388-1401. doi: 10.1007/s00415-022-11469-1. Epub 2022 Nov 11.
Results Reference
derived
Learn more about this trial
VR-treadmill Combined Intervention for Enhancing Mobility and Cognitive Function in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis
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