Active clinical trials for "Muscular Dystrophies"

The purpose of this study was to study the effect of stem cell therapy on Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy patients.

Patients with underlying neuromuscular disorder (NMD) often suffer from weakness in the inspiratory and expiratory muscles. Consequently they do not have the strength to generate the minimum flow of 160 to 300 liters/minute for an efficient cough function. The restricted cough function allows secretion to accumulate, which in turn causes narrowing of the airway lumen and makes ventilation of the neuromuscular patient even more difficult. The patient's susceptibility to infection increases again and the vicious circle repeats itself. Severe secretion retention may even lead to ventilator failure. Effective secretion and cough management instead reduces the risk for stay in hospital. Therefore, secretion and cough management is a mandatory part of the therapeutic concept for treating patients with neuromuscular disease. The therapeutic efficacy of the Lung Insufflation Assist Maneuver(LIA) integrated in the ventilator VENTIlogic LS-plus manufactured by Weinmann GmbH+Co KG was studied in a pilot study carried out by the Dep. for Pediatric Pulmonology and Sleep Medicine at the University Hospital of Essen/Germany in cooperation with Research & Development at Weinmann GmbH &Co KG, Germany . The objective of the pilot study was to examine the therapeutic efficacy of LIAM as a cough support function in patients with neuromuscular disease and indications for mechanical ventilation. We hypothesized that i) a certain insufflation maneuver pressure may be optimal to achieve the highest individual peak cough flow and ii) that this pressure is below the pressure needed to achieve the maximum insufflation capacity. We define the lowest insufflation capacity at which the best individual PCF can be achieved as optimum insufflation capacity (OIC). The study was performed using two different techniques in order to demonstrate that findings are not dependent on maneuver details but are rather based on effects of maneuver pressure. The protocol was limited to techniques which do not require breath stacking: i) insufflation with an Intermittend Positive Pressure (IPPB) device and ii) with the VENTIlogic LS using LIAM.

The purpose of this study was to study the effect of stem cell therapy on the course of the disease in patients with Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy.

Muscular dystrophy is a group of disorders that are characterized by progressive muscle weakening and loss of muscle mass, caused by defects in muscle proteins. Muscular dystrophy is almost always inherited disorders, and so far, no curative treatments exist. Previous studies have shown that endurance training significantly improves fitness and self-assessed muscle function in a variety of muscular dystrophies. In this study, we wish to investigate whether patients with Bethlem myopathy (a specific form of muscular dystrophy) also benefit from endurance training. The study consists of two test days, a 10-week training period and five blood tests. Patients will be required to train, three times per week, for 10 weeks, on a bike ergometer with a specific training intensity, under pulse rate monitoring. The training period will be flanked by two test days, where we will determine, and compare the patients' muscle strength and fitness level, from before to after the training program. The patients conditioning level will be determined from a 15 minute cycle ergometer test and patients will undergo three functional tests to determine their functional muscle strength. We will as a safety measure analyze blood tests before, during and after the training program for the muscle enzyme creatine kinase (an indicator of muscle damage) and through adverse effects as reported by patients during weekly telephone-consultations with the Principal investigator. We anticipate, that Bethlem myopathy patients will have a similar rise in fitness level and functional muscle strength, as that seen in patients with other forms of muscular dystrophy, who undertake a similar training program.

The proposed clinical trial study of rAAVrh74.MCK.GALGT2 for duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients that will involve direct intramuscular injection to the extensor digitorum brevis muscle (EDB).

The Synchron Motor Neuroprosthesis (MNP) is intended to be used in subjects with severe motor impairment, unresponsive to medical or rehabilitative therapy and a persistent functioning motor cortex. The purpose of this research is to evaluate safety and feasibility. The MNP is a type of implantable brain computer interface which bypasses dysfunctional motor neurons. The device is designed to restore the transmission of neural signal from the cerebral cortex utilized for neuromuscular control of digital devices, resulting in a successful execution of non-mechanical digital commands.

Pandemic period could affect the disabled children's rehabilitation and follow-up negatively because of preventive measures and this could create adverse results on their parents. In this research, it is aimed to determine the positive and negative effects of pandemic on parents and disabled children and to provide an insight for future solutions.

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive inherited disease that affects the muscles and causes functional limitations to varying degrees. It is vital to start physiotherapy follow-ups immediately after diagnosis. Patients with DMD are among the most vulnerable groups who have problems in accessing physiotherapy services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of the telerehabilitation program developed to protect the physical health of patients with DMD and not to interrupt their follow-up.

The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the safety of a 0.9 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) and 0.45 mg/kg daily dose of deflazacort with a comparable natural history control group after 52 weeks of treatment in males with DMD aged greater than or equal to (>=) 2 to lesser than (<) 5 years. The study will comprise of 2 periods (Period 1: 52-week safety and pharmacokinetics [PK], and Period 2: 52-week extension). Participants will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to one of 2 treatment arms: 0.9 mg/kg deflazacort, and 0.45 mg/kg of deflazacort. A historic control group (which should match the study population as closely as possible) will be used as a comparator to characterize the safety and tolerability of deflazacort.

Whole-body vibration therapy (WBVT) is a novel, non-pharmacological intervention aimed at improving muscle strength and endurance as well as bone density. It holds promise for children with neuromuscular disorders such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) since muscle weakness results not only from muscle breakdown but also physical inactivity and muscle disuse atrophy. Weak DMD patients may increasingly limit their physical activity due to fear of falling or loss of independence (e.g. difficulty rising to stand without assistance). Prolonging the length of time boys with DMD are ambulatory is important for delaying complications of this disease (lung hypoventilation, scoliosis) as well as maintaining bone health. We propose to conduct a pilot study of WBVT in young boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The primary outcome will be to document safety and feasibility of WBVT in this patient population. The secondary outcomes will evaluate changes in muscle strength and endurance. Bone health will also be examined as part of routine clinical care. The study will include 20 ambulatory boys with DMD; patients will be randomized (1:1 allocation) into 2 groups: WBVT treatment or no WBVT treatment (controls). Treatment groups will consist of 10 boys undergoing daily WBVT in an 8-week, open-label trial.