Active clinical trials for "Spinal Cord Injuries"

Pain affects up to 30% of the general population. In particular, neuropathic pain (NeP) is caused by lesion or desease affecting peripheral or central somatosensory pathways and affects 7% of the adult population. Despite the availability of evidence based pharmacological and surgical treatment for NeP, about 50% of patients remais symptomatic despite best medical treatment. Some neuropathic pain syndromes are specially refractory. In particular, central NeP is caused by disease or lesion to central structures involves in somatosensory integration of nociceptive information is non-responsive to drugs usually employed in other NeP syndromes. Classical neuromodulatory techniques such as conventional repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation aiming at the motor of prefrontal cortices are ineffective to relieve pain in this population. Recently new technology advances have made possible non-invasive stimulation of deeper cortical targets. Some of them are activelly involved in the integration of the perception of pain, such as the anterior cingulate cortex or the posterior insula. The aim this study is to treat 90 patients with central pain (post stroke pain, spinal cord lesions after trauma or demyelinizating diseases) under best medical pharmacological treatment in three different conditions: AAC (n= 30 with the H-Coil), Superior Posterior Insula (SPI) n=30 cooled double cone coil double cool coil, and sham(n=30). Each patients will undergo daily stimulation for a week, then weekly stimulations for 3 months (total of 17 sessions). The main study outcome is pain relief at the last stimulation week (visual-analogic scale). Secondary end-points are changes in the McGill Pain Questionnaire, Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory, DN4 questionnaire, SF -36, brief pain inventory and cognitive assessment including the trail making test A and B, Strrop color interference test, and subscalles from the CERAD. All patients will undergo quantitative sensory test and measurements of cortical excitability over M1 before and after to treatment.

Purpose: To explore the use of L-Carnitine, a pharmaceutical product, for the treatment of fatigue in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). Hypothesis: Similar to previous research in disabled and aging populations, the investigators hypothesize that treatment with L-Carnitine will result in a significant improvement of clinical fatigue in spinal cord injury clients, effecting a decrease on the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) of 0.5 points or more. The investigators expect to see an effect after approximately three weeks of treatment. As secondary outcomes, the investigators expect to see positive changes in the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D)and Visual Analogue Fatigue (VAS-F) and Visual Analogue Pain (VAS-P) scores, due to a combination of previously demonstrated effects of L-Carnitine directly on pain and depression, and the effects of the potential decrease in fatigue.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) usually affects young people and causes severe bowel and bladder dysfunction. Recently, the concept of a surgically created somato-sensory reflex arch for bladder dysfunction in SCI has been introduced. The concept is promising, not just for bladder but also for bowel dysfunction. However, well designed studies need to be performed before recommending the procedure to a large number of patients worldwide. In this study the investigators perform multidisciplinary studies providing necessary information about the clinical outcome of the somato-sensory reflex arch in adult SCI patients. The hypothesis is as follows: Somato-sensory reflex arch increases colorectal transport between defecations Somato-sensory reflex arch improves colorectal emptying at defecation

The trial is to investigate the safety and efficacy of oral lithium, intraspinal umbilical cord blood mononuclear cell transplant, and the combination in the treatment of acute and subacute spinal cord injury

The purpose of this study is to see the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on the pain associated with spinal cord injury. This study is part of the Spaulding-Harvard Model System. The investigators hypothesize that there will be a decrease in pain levels with active stimulation, when compared to sham stimulation, using a 3 week stimulation schedule- 1 week of stimulation (5 consecutive days) followed by 2 weeks of stimulation (10 consecutive days) after a 3-month follow up visit. The subject will also have follow ups at 2, 4 and 8 weeks after the second course of stimulation. If a subject receives sham during the experiment, he/she may enroll in an open-label portion of the study and receive 10 days of active stimulation.

Vitamin D aids in the body's ability to absorb calcium, it is a vital component in bone formation and break down. Reduced levels of vitamin D can indicate a vitamin deficiency and may depress serum calcium levels. The following is a list of common causes of vitamin D deficiency: lack of dairy products, alcohol usage, elderly, lack of exposure to sunlight, individuals with reduced mobility, GI malabsorption problems, dark complexion, severe liver damage, and renal failure. Many of these factors can be found in individuals with spinal cord injury. SCI results in disuse bone loss after acute injury, which continues with duration of injury. The goal of this study is to determine the effects of vitamin D and calcium supplements on calcium metabolism and vitamin D deficiency in individuals undergoing functional electrical stimulation (FES) stand retraining (SRT).

The ATLET study will assess the effect of manual or robotic body-weight supported locomotor training of patients with stable motor incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI) on gait and overall ADL function as well as on estimated health care costs.

The primary purpose of this study is to determine the effect of administration of the oral beta-2 adrenergic agonist, albuterol, on respiratory muscle strength in individuals with cervical (neck) and high thoracic (upper back) spinal cord injury and to compare findings with those obtained in a demographically matched group that will receive placebo. Participation in this study will involve 12 weeks of pharmacological intervention during which participants will be randomized to receive either oral albuterol 4mg twice daily or placebo. All investigators and study participants will be blinded to randomization by our research pharmacy. Participation in the study will require study subjects to come to our lab for the total of 2 visits (at baseline and after week 12), during which a series of tests will be performed to assess their respiratory muscle strength and pulmonary function.

Investigate efficacy and safety of Vardenafil in patients with spinal cord injury

To demonstrate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of sildenafil administered orally, as required, approximately 1 hour prior to sexual activity to men with erectile dysfunction (ED) associated with spinal cord injury (SCI), as well as its effects on the quality of life (QoL) of these patients.