Active clinical trials for "Neuromuscular Diseases"

The aim of this study is to improve knowledge of natural history and methods of monitoring the evolution of Glycogen storage disease type III regarding the muscle and to study the prospective approach of large series of patients, and using the same protocol for the follow up of the children and adults.

A retrospective study with the patients having a positioning consultation at hospital, between 2009 and 2014. In every neuromuscular disorder, the investigators describe the population seen in consultation, the aim of consultation, the postural problem observed in wheelchair, pain when sitting in wheelchair, and pressure ulcer.

Motor Function Measure (MFM) is a validated tool assessing the motor function of neuromuscular patients constituted of 32 items. Despite standardized Motor Function Measure (MFM) training sessions, there is still an inter-individual variability in the items' scoring procedure, depending for example on the subjectivity of the therapist. Among the 32 items of the MFM, 3 currently require the use of a paper, and could be automated by using a digital tablet. It is the item 18 where the patient traces the edge of a Compact Disc, item 19 requiring to draw loops inside a frame and item 22 requiring to place a finger on each standardized cases. The reproducibility of these 3 items could be improved with the use of a digital tablet and the development of a software allowing to computerize the scoring procedure. The second interest is to implement directly the MFM data in the MFM base. The hypothesis is that the difference of scoring of these 3 items between digital tablet versus paper completion is enough low to use indifferently each completion in patients with a neuromuscular disease.

Previous studies showed modifications of muscle oxygenation parameters in muscular dystrophies du to an impairment or an absence of dystrophin. Our study aim at assessing muscle oxygenation during effort in different neuromuscular diseases (muscular dystrophies related and not related to dystrophin, non dystrophic myopathies and motor neuron diseases) compared to a group of healthy controls. Patients and controls are invited to perform an inframaximal , standardized effort of the knee extensors by the mean of an isokinetic dynamometer. Muscle oxygenation parameters are assessed through a Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) Device. In patients affected by dystrophin related myopathies, a muscle biopsy will be performed in order to analyse mitochondrial oxygenation parameters and mitochondrial phenotype. Our Hypothesis is that muscle oxygenation is impaired in dystrophin related muscular dystrophies compared to other neuromuscular diseases and healthy controls because of lack of muscle capillary vessels dilatation during effort and impairment of mitochondrial function.

The primary objective of this study is to assess stiffness, muscle tone, relaxation periods and elasticity of various muscles in patients with dystrophic or non-dystrophic myotonia. The secondary objectives are (1) to provide reference values for stiffness, muscle tone, relaxation periods and elasticity of various muscles in patients with dystrophic or non-dystrophic myotonia; to provide reference values for stiffness, muscle tone, relaxation periods and elasticity of various muscles in patients with non-myotonic neuromuscular disorders, (3) assess correlations between to compare result values for stiffness, muscle tone, relaxation periods and elasticity with clinical muscle function tests, measured by clinical evaluation (MRC-scale) and the 6-minute walk test; (4) assess correlations between subcutaneous fat and muscle thickness and echogenicity, measured by muscle ultrasound and result values for stiffness, muscle tone, relaxation periods and elasticity.

Inside of studies that report an upper airway function impaired, the upper limb strength has been demonstrated to be determinant in breath, speech and swallow performance. Nevertheless, no previous studies in neuromuscular disease have explored the relation between general disability and upper airway function. There is a suspicion of upper airway which is associated with physical deterioration, however the extent to which if feeds back has not been explored.

The Motor Function Measure (MFM) is a functional rating scale consisting of 32 items assessing motor functional abilities in a person with neuromuscular disease. By exploring the potential of digital technologies applied to MFM, for each item completion we want to create digital animations containing different playful and informative scenarios. This digital evolution aims to standardize assessment on the therapist's side, but also to improve acceptance of scale and patient participation. Despite the modification of the MFM completion by digital animation, the study hypothesis is that the metrological qualities of the scale are retained. Through the MFM-Play pilot study, the objective is to test 5 items of the MFM-Play scale before carrying out a validation study of the total MFM-Play.

Respiratory failure is the main death cause in muscular diseases. Non-invasive and volitional measures of inspiratory muscles strength include the nasal pressure with an occluded nostril and the maximal inspiratory pressure (PImax).Unfortunately, volitional maneuvers depend of patient effort. The mean of this reseach is to validate a non-invasive and non-volitional technique to evaluate diaphragm strength at muscular diseases patients.The methdology consist to compar PImax measure to nerves magnetical stimulation maneuvers measure.

This study aims to identify clinical symptoms and outcomes, as well as response to anti-viral treatment in children living in Geneva, with influenza A/ H1N1 infection during the current pandemic.

There is a great need for the development of sensitive outcomes that allow experimental drugs to be tested in human subjects more efficiently. If we could more precisely measure whether an experimental drug slows the progression of ALS or other neuromuscular diseases, this would allow more drugs to be tested quicker and at less expense. We have developed a new device that accurately measures isometric strength called: Accurate Test of Limb Isometric Strength (ATLIS). This device was designed to be portable, quick, and easy to use, while generating accurate and reliable, interval level data. This study will enable us to test the reliability and validity of ATLIS.