Effect of Sham Anti-inflammatory Diet on Inflammation After Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal Cord Injury, Inflammation
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Spinal Cord Injury
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Signed informed consent obtained prior to any study-related activities
- A spinal cord injury at least 6 months duration, nonprogressive for at least 6 months
- Dosing of other pain medications (NSAIDs, opioids, non-opioid analgesics, anti-epileptic drugs, antidepressants) should be stable for at least 1 month prior to study entry.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Current infection of any kind.
- Presence of other neurologic conditions, medical conditions or pain that could confound the assessment of neuropathic pain after SCI
- Currently enrolled in another clinical trial
- Any other significant disease or disorder which, in the opinion of the investigator, may either put the patient at risk because of participation in the study, may influence the result of the study, or affect the patient's ability to participate in the study
- Following a physical examination, the patient has any abnormalities that, in the opinion of the investigator would prevent the patient from safe participation in the study
Sites / Locations
- Parkwood Institute
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Sham Comparator
No Intervention
Placebo Diet
Non-dieting Control
Participants on the placebo diet will be given a meal plan and recipes by the study dietitian. The dietitian will assist in developing a diet that is isocaloric to the anti-inflammatory diet and healthy (for the sake of the participants' well-being, and to blind participants), while allowing many foods that are (counterintuitively) pro-inflammatory (e.g. whole wheat bread, white beans, oats, soy, eggplant, raspberries, pumpkin seeds, popcorn, etc). There are many counter-intuitive restrictions in the anti-inflammatory diet that we will be using (banned foods include white beans, soy, eggplant, oats, raspberries, strawberries, prunes, walnuts, cashews, soy milk. Allowed foods include maple syrup, honey, lean beef, lamb, brown rice, feta cheese, butter). Therefore, even fairly astute and educated participants may have trouble discerning which diet they are consuming (anti-inflammatory or placebo).
Those in the non-dieting control condition will not be asked to alter their diet in any way.