NCT02549859

Brief Summary

Our recent study (Xie et al, Neurology 2015; 84: 415-420) found that bilateral STN DBS of 60Hz, compared to the traditional 130Hz, decreased the aspiration frequency and swallowing difficulty, freezing of gait (FOG), and other axial symptoms and parkinsonism in Parkinson patients with FOG refractory to 130Hz and medications. The benefit of 60Hz stimulation persisted during the 6-week study period, but with worsening tremor in one patient. However, it remains unknown whether the benefit of 60Hz would persist on prolonged stimulation period, and whether there is carry-over effect across different conditions. Hence, the investigators would like to test the hypothesis that the 60Hz stimulation, compared to 130Hz might have persistent benefit over an extended period in reducing the swallowing dysfunction, FOG, and other axial symptoms in these PD patients even after correcting the potential carry-over effect.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
11

participants targeted

Target at below P25 for not_applicable

Timeline
Completed

Started Aug 2015

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Start

First participant enrolled

August 1, 2015

Completed
1 month until next milestone

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

August 31, 2015

Completed
15 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

September 15, 2015

Completed
1.6 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

May 1, 2017

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

May 1, 2017

Completed
3.4 years until next milestone

Results Posted

Study results publicly available

October 1, 2020

Completed
Last Updated

October 29, 2020

Status Verified

October 1, 2020

Enrollment Period

1.8 years

First QC Date

August 31, 2015

Results QC Date

May 28, 2020

Last Update Submit

October 5, 2020

Conditions

Keywords

DBSLow frequency stimulationDysphagiaFreezing of gait

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (10)

  • Frequency of Aspiration Events on Videofluoroscopic Swallow Study at Visit 1

    A speech pathologist used the Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PAS) to rate swallows captured by a radiologist during VFSS recording. PAS is an 8-point interval scale: a score of 0 indicates no penetration or aspiration \& a score of 6-8 indicates aspiration of increasing severity. For the purpose of this study, aspiration was dichotomized to "0" if PAS score was under 6 or "1" if PAS score was between 6-8. Frequency of aspiration events was calculated by adding number of aspiration events in VFSS under various liquid \& food textures. The maximum aspiration frequency was 12 if aspiration occurred on every texture after 2 trials. Lower aspiration frequency means better swallowing function.

    Immediately following treatment for at least 30 minutes

  • Perceived Swallowing Difficulty on Swallowing Disturbance Questionnaire at Visit 1

    The Swallowing Disturbance Questionnaire contains 15 items. Each item has 4-points ranging from 0 (absence of symptoms) to 3 (severe or very frequent). Total score ranges from 0-45, with higher scores corresponding to more severe swallowing disturbance.

    Immediately following treatment for at least 30 minutes

  • Freezing of Gait Questionnaire at Visit 1

    The Freezing of Gait (FOG) Questionnaire contains 6 items to evaluate the severity of FOG in patients with Parkinson's disease. Each item has 5 points ranging from 0 (absence of symptoms) to 4 (severe). Total score ranges from 0-24, with higher scores corresponding to more severe FOG.

    Immediately following treatment for at least 30 minutes

  • Stand-Walk-Sit Freezing of Gait Spells at Visit 1

    The Stand-Walk-Sit (SWS) Test assesses freezing of gait (FOG) spells observed when standing up, walking 7 meters, and returning to a seated position. The greater the number of FOG spells counted, the worse the FOG symptoms.

    Immediately following treatment for at least 30 minutes

  • Stand-Walk-Sit Time at Visit 1

    Stand-Walk-Sit (SWS) Time measures the total time taken to complete the SWS test of standing up, walking 7 meters, and returning to a sitting position. The longer time (in seconds) it took to complete the SWS test, the worse the FOG symptoms.

    Immediately following treatment for at least 30 minutes

  • Frequency of Aspiration Events on Videofluoroscopic Swallow Study at Visit 2

    A speech pathologist used the Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PAS) to rate swallows captured by a radiologist during VFSS recording. PAS is an 8-point interval scale: a score of 0 indicates no penetration or aspiration \& a score of 6-8 indicates aspiration of increasing severity. For the purpose of this study, aspiration was dichotomized to "0" if PAS score was under 6 or "1" if PAS score was between 6-8. Frequency of aspiration events was calculated by adding number of aspiration events in VFSS under various liquid \& food textures. The maximum aspiration frequency was 12 if aspiration occurred on every texture after 2 trials. Lower aspiration frequency means better swallowing function.

    Immediately following treatment for at least 30 minutes

  • Perceived Swallowing Difficulty on Swallowing Disturbance Questionnaire at Visit 2

    The Swallowing Disturbance Questionnaire contains 15 items. Each item has 4-points ranging from 0 (absence of symptoms) to 3 (severe or very frequent). Total score ranges from 0-45, with higher scores corresponding to more severe swallowing disturbance.

    Immediately following treatment for at least 30 minutes

  • Freezing of Gait Questionnaire at Visit 2

    The Freezing of Gait (FOG) Questionnaire contains 6 items to evaluate the severity of FOG in patients with Parkinson's disease. Each item has 5 points ranging from 0 (absence of symptoms) to 4 (severe). Total score ranges from 0-24, with higher scores corresponding to more severe FOG.

    Immediately following treatment for at least 30 minutes

  • Stand-Walk-Sit Freezing of Gait Spells at Visit 2

    The Stand-Walk-Sit (SWS) Test assesses freezing of gait (FOG) spells observed when standing up, walking 7 meters, and returning to a seated position. The greater the number of FOG spells counted, the worse the FOG symptoms.

    Immediately following treatment for at least 30 minutes

  • Stand-Walk-Sit Time at Visit 2

    Stand-Walk-Sit (SWS) Time measures the total time taken to complete the SWS test of standing up, walking 7 meters, and returning to a sitting position. The longer time (in seconds) it took to complete the SWS test, the worse the FOG symptoms.

    Immediately following treatment for at least 30 minutes

Secondary Outcomes (10)

  • Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale-III Total Score at Visit 1

    Immediately following treatment for at least 30 minutes

  • Axial Subscore of Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale-III at Visit 1

    Immediately following treatment for at least 30 minutes

  • Bradykinesia Subscore of Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale-III at Visit 1

    Immediately following treatment for at least 30 minutes

  • Rigidity Subscore of Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale-III at Visit 1

    Immediately following treatment for at least 30 minutes

  • Tremor Subscore of Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale-III at Visit 1

    Immediately following treatment for at least 30 minutes

  • +5 more secondary outcomes

Study Arms (1)

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)

EXPERIMENTAL

All patients were treated and assessed under three conditions (60 Hz DBS, 130 Hz DBS and no DBS) at Visit 1 (V1), were then treated with 60 Hz DBS for at least 6 months (14.5 months on average), and were finally reassessed during a second visit (V2) under the same three conditions as V1. The order of treatment/assessment under the three conditions was randomized at each visit.

Device: Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) at 60 HzDevice: Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) at 130 HzDevice: Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Off (Sham)

Interventions

Bilateral subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation at 60 Hz

Also known as: Low Frequency Stimulation (LFS)
Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)

Bilateral subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation at 130 Hz

Also known as: High Frequency Stimulation (HFS)
Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Off (Sham)

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)

Eligibility Criteria

Age45 Years - 75 Years
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • PD patients with bilateral STN DBS placement and FOG at 130Hz even at usual medication "on" state.

You may not qualify if:

  • Known history of recent aspiration pneumonia

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

University of Chicago, Department of Neurology

Chicago, Illinois, 60637, United States

Location

Related Publications (2)

  • Xie T, Vigil J, MacCracken E, Gasparaitis A, Young J, Kang W, Bernard J, Warnke P, Kang UJ. Low-frequency stimulation of STN-DBS reduces aspiration and freezing of gait in patients with PD. Neurology. 2015 Jan 27;84(4):415-20. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000001184. Epub 2014 Dec 24.

  • Xie T, Bloom L, Padmanaban M, Bertacchi B, Kang W, MacCracken E, Dachman A, Vigil J, Satzer D, Zadikoff C, Markopoulou K, Warnke P, Kang UJ. Long-term effect of low frequency stimulation of STN on dysphagia, freezing of gait and other motor symptoms in PD. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2018 Sep;89(9):989-994. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2018-318060. Epub 2018 Apr 13.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Parkinson DiseaseDeglutition Disorders

Interventions

Deep Brain Stimulation

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Parkinsonian DisordersBasal Ganglia DiseasesBrain DiseasesCentral Nervous System DiseasesNervous System DiseasesMovement DisordersSynucleinopathiesNeurodegenerative DiseasesEsophageal DiseasesGastrointestinal DiseasesDigestive System DiseasesPharyngeal DiseasesOtorhinolaryngologic Diseases

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Electric Stimulation TherapyTherapeuticsSurgical Procedures, Operative

Limitations and Caveats

It is only tested on PD patients with FOG refractory to the 130Hz of bilateral STN DBS at usual medication "on" state, with limited participants.

Results Point of Contact

Title
Ms. Lani Leong, Research Coordinator
Organization
University of Chicago

Study Officials

  • Tao Xie, MD PhD

    Department of Neurology, University of Chicago

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

PI is Sponsor Employee
No
Restrictive Agreement
No

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
NA
Masking
NONE
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
SINGLE GROUP
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

August 31, 2015

First Posted

September 15, 2015

Study Start

August 1, 2015

Primary Completion

May 1, 2017

Study Completion

May 1, 2017

Last Updated

October 29, 2020

Results First Posted

October 1, 2020

Record last verified: 2020-10

Locations