Active clinical trials for "Muscle Weakness"

The purpose of this study is to determine whether Hizentra is a safe and effective treatment for people with myasthenia gravis (MG).

The purpose of this study is to determine if eculizumab is safe and effective for the treatment of refractory generalized Myasthenia Gravis.

The inspiratory muscle training (IMT) is a feasible and safe strategy for patients and athletes, your goal is to recondition the respiratory muscles, providing optimization of lung capacity, either for high performance sport as to support metabolic wear caused by illness. It is generally agreed the positive impact of the application of a TMI Protocol on maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), this benefit encourages individuals sick since weaning from mechanical ventilation (MV), to the optimization of physical performance in cardiac and / or pulmonary rehabilitation. The TMI is based on the principles: the burden imposed on the muscle; the specificity of training; the reversibility of the gain and muscle atrophy.

Conventional rehabilitation after total hip arthroplasty (THA) does not seem to restore muscular strength or walking speed. Three-5 years after surgery patients are still not fully rehabilitated. This study evaluates the effects of maximal strength training on the muscular strength in leg press and abduction in patients undergoing THA. Aim of the study is to increase the patients physical function through evidence-based rehabilitation in clinical practice, with gradually less supervision.

To determine, in a double blind trial, the effects of creatine supplementation during 12 weeks on muscle mass and function of community living older women subjected to resistance training. Material and methods: Fifty healthy older women will be selected for the study. All participants will be subjected to a progressive resistance training program using elastic bands and weights, consisting in three sessions per week lasting 1 hour. Participant will be randomly allocated in a double blind fashion, to receive creatine 5 g per day or an identical placebo. The training and supplementation period will last 12 weeks. At baseline and at the end of the study, body composition will be measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry, rectus femoris cross sectional height and surface will be measured by ultrasound, quadriceps strength will be measured in a quadriceps table and 12 minutes' walk will be assessed. The main outcome measure will be quadriceps cross sectional height. Expected results: We expect that creatine supplementation will increase rectus femoris height over and above the effect of resistance training.

This study is divided for development in two complementary work packages justified by the need to incorporate new strategies to optimize rehabilitation outcomes in stroke patients. The general objectives are: 1) to determine the prevalence of respiratory muscle dysfunction in stroke patients; 2) to identify the existence of a potential amino acid marker of increased risk of muscle dysfunction after suffering a stroke; 3) to evaluate the effectiveness of incorporating the respiratory muscle training as an innovative adjuvant therapy in stroke rehabilitation program that may decrease the incidence of morbidity and mortality in the medium and long term; and 4) to quantify the potential impact of respiratory muscle training on the costs of care for stroke patients.

Veterans are admitted to Veterans Health Administration (VA) Nursing Homes (NH) because impairment in their ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL) overwhelms their support system (family/friends) in the community. The etiologies of this impairment are, in part, due to chronic disease, deconditioning, and immobility. Yet, after admission, NH residents frequently have decreased levels of daily activity compared with their preadmission activity. Our preliminary observations suggest that dependent, frail residents improve in function in response to exercise in a NH setting.

Can participants enhance gluteus maximus recruitment during a single-leg squat test following a neuromuscular training program?

The investigators will determine if administration of HMB (hydroxymethylbutyrate) or EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) will increase diaphragm and limb muscle strength for patients on breathing machines in an intensive care unit. The investigators will first measure the strength of the diaphragm and a limb muscle (the quadriceps)using magnetic stimulators to activate these muscles. Muscle size will be measured by using an ultrasound to measure diaphragm thickness and quadriceps thickness. The investigators will also perform a vastus lateralis muscle biopsy. Patients will then be randomized to receive either placebo (saline 30 ml every 12 hours via the GI tract, EPA (1000 mg given every 12 hours via the GI tract), HMB (1500 mg given every 12 hours via the GI tract), or the combination of EPA (1000 mg given every 12 hours via the GI tract) and HMB (1500 mg given every 12 hours via the GI tract). Drugs will be given for 10 days; at the end of this time (on day 11), strength measurements, ultrasound muscle size measurements, and the vastus lateralis biopsy will be repeated. On day 21 an additional followup set of diaphragm and quadriceps strength and size measurements will be made (the biopsy will not be repeated for this last set of measurements). Patients will be followed clinically and patient outcomes (mortality, duration of mechanical ventilation after study entry) will be recorded.

The purpose of this study is to termine if a different attentional focus would alter the motor control in cervical muscles during the cranio-cervical test.