NCT03681613

Brief Summary

The aim of this study is to investigate if exercise therapy comprising the NEMEX program in combination with a CNS-targeted treatment using GMI and SDT is superior to exercise therapy alone in improving self-reported pain, function, quality of life and objective measures related to hyperexcitability of the CNS (e.g. central sensitization) in people with KOA.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

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

Enrollment
121

participants targeted

Target at P50-P75 for not_applicable

Timeline
Completed

Started Jan 2019

Longer than P75 for not_applicable

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

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

September 18, 2018

Completed
6 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

September 24, 2018

Completed
4 months until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

January 7, 2019

Completed
3.6 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

August 30, 2022

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

August 30, 2022

Completed
Last Updated

July 23, 2024

Status Verified

June 1, 2023

Enrollment Period

3.6 years

First QC Date

September 18, 2018

Last Update Submit

July 19, 2024

Conditions

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • The Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score subscales (KOOS4)

    The primary outcome is the between-group difference in change in the mean score on four Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) subscales, covering pain, symptoms, activities of daily living, and quality of life (KOOS4). The four patient-relevant subscales of KOOS are scored separately: Pain (9 items); Symptoms (7 items); ADL Function (17 items); Quality of Life (4 items). A Likert scale is used and all items have five possible answer options scored from 0 (No Problems) to 4 (Extreme Problems) and each of the four scores is calculated as the sum of the items included. Scores are transformed to a 0-100 scale, with zero representing extreme knee problems and 100 representing no knee problems as common in orthopaedic assessment scales and generic measures. Scores between 0 and 100 represent the percentage of total possible score achieved.

    baseline, post-intervention (after 12 weeks) and 6 and 12 months after initiating the treatment

Secondary Outcomes (14)

  • The Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS)

    baseline, post-intervention (after 12 weeks) and 6 and 12 months after initiating the treatment

  • Pain intensity: NRS

    baseline, post-intervention (after 12 weeks) and 6 and 12 months after initiating the treatment

  • Sensitivity to physical activity

    baseline, post-intervention (after 12 weeks) and 6 and 12 months after initiating the treatment

  • General health

    baseline, post-intervention (after 12 weeks) and 6 and 12 months after initiating the treatment

  • Cortical representation

    baseline, post-intervention (after 12 weeks) and 6 and 12 months after initiating the treatment

  • +9 more secondary outcomes

Study Arms (2)

Exercise Therapy With CNS Treatment

EXPERIMENTAL

NEMEX program combined with a CNS-focused protocol

Other: NEMEX program combined with a CNS-focused protocol

Exercise Therapy alone

EXPERIMENTAL

NEMEX program alone

Other: NEMEX program

Interventions

The NEMEX program will consist of 12-weeks of individualized and supervised exercise sessions applied twice weekly (n=24 sessions). Each exercise session will last approximately 60minutes and include three parts: warming up, a circuit program and cooling down. The CNS-targeted treatment will consist of 12-week individualized and supervised sessions applied once weekly. Each training session will last approximately 30 minutes and include three parts, which are further explained below: 1) discussion of the participant's knee pain experience from a pain neuroscience perspective, 2) graded SDT and 3) GMI training.

Also known as: Graded Motor Imagery, Sensory Discrimination Training, NEMEX program
Exercise Therapy With CNS Treatment

The NEMEX program will consist of 12-weeks of individualized and supervised exercise sessions applied twice weekly (n=24 sessions). Each exercise session will last approximately 60minutes and include three parts: warming up, a circuit program and cooling down.

Exercise Therapy alone

Eligibility Criteria

Age41 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Patients with symptomatic and radiographically-confirmed tibiofemoral KOA (e.g. Kellgren-Lawrence ≥2, scored by an orthopaedic surgeon, not scheduled for total knee replacement \[decision among other factors based on pain, function and radiographic severity.
  • Diagnosis of KOA according to the EULAR classification criteria: adults aged \>40 years with usage-related knee pain, only short-lived (\<30min) morning stiffness, functional limitation (based on yes/no to the following question: Is your functional level reduced as compared to before your knee symptoms first started?) and one or more typical examination findings (crepitus, restricted movement, bony enlargement). The presence of this cluster correctly diagnosed 99% of cases with KOA.

You may not qualify if:

  • Less than mild functional limitations (a score above 75 on a 0-100 worst to best scale in the Spanish version of the self-report questionnaire Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS)4 defined as the average score for the subscale scores for pain, symptoms, activities of daily living (ADL) and quality of life (QOL).
  • Previous knee replacement or any other lower limb surgery in the affected knee within the previous 3 months.
  • Fracture of the affected extremity within the previous 6 months.
  • Initiation of opioid analgesia or any form of injection (i.e. corticosteroid, hyaluronic acid, platelet-rich plasma) for knee pain within the previous 30 days.
  • Physical impairments unrelated to the knee that would prevent safe participation in exercise.
  • Any comorbidity that prevents from participating in the interventions (e.g.uncontrolled hypertension, moderate to high risk for cardiac complications)
  • Any skin or medical condition preventing tactile stimulation on the knee.
  • Inability to comprehend and complete study assessments or comply with study instructions (e.g. illiteracy, cognitive or visual impairments).
  • Inability to a priori attend or complete the proposed course of intervention and follow-up schedule.

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

University of Valencia

Valencia, 46010, Spain

Location

Related Publications (36)

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MeSH Terms

Conditions

Osteoarthritis

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

ArthritisJoint DiseasesMusculoskeletal DiseasesRheumatic Diseases

Study Officials

  • Enrique Lluch GirbĂ©s, PhD

    University of Valencia

    STUDY DIRECTOR
  • Søren Thorgaard Skou, PhD

    University of Southern Denmark

    STUDY CHAIR
  • Javier Peral PĂ©rez, PhD student

    University of AlcalĂ¡

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
DOUBLE
Who Masked
PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
PhD Professor

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

September 18, 2018

First Posted

September 24, 2018

Study Start

January 7, 2019

Primary Completion

August 30, 2022

Study Completion

August 30, 2022

Last Updated

July 23, 2024

Record last verified: 2023-06

Locations