Sheffield Adaptive Patterned Electrical Stimulation (SHAPES) Therapy for Post Stroke Arm spasticity: study protocol for a 3-arm, a partially blinded, randomised controlled trial

Abstract Introduction Post stroke elbow spasticity (PSES) affects over a third of individuals following stroke and negatively impacts on functional recovery, comfort and quality of life. Drug therapies have limited efficacy and unwanted side effects, botulinum toxin, although effective, is costly, a...

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Main Authors: Ali Ali, Avril D. McCarthy, Mark Reeves, Jamie Healey, Louise Moody, Adewale Adebajo, Tim Good, Simon Dixon, Kathleen Baster, Wendy Tindale, Krishnan Padmakumari Sivaraman Nair
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2024-11-01
Series:BMC Neurology
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12883-024-03635-x
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author Ali Ali
Avril D. McCarthy
Mark Reeves
Jamie Healey
Louise Moody
Adewale Adebajo
Tim Good
Simon Dixon
Kathleen Baster
Wendy Tindale
Krishnan Padmakumari Sivaraman Nair
author_facet Ali Ali
Avril D. McCarthy
Mark Reeves
Jamie Healey
Louise Moody
Adewale Adebajo
Tim Good
Simon Dixon
Kathleen Baster
Wendy Tindale
Krishnan Padmakumari Sivaraman Nair
author_sort Ali Ali
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Introduction Post stroke elbow spasticity (PSES) affects over a third of individuals following stroke and negatively impacts on functional recovery, comfort and quality of life. Drug therapies have limited efficacy and unwanted side effects, botulinum toxin, although effective, is costly, and conventional electrical stimulation therapies are limited long term by habituation. We aim to investigate the efficacy of Sheffield Adaptive Patterned Electrical Stimulation (SHAPES), that delivers temporally and spatially varying pattern of electrical stimulation, against transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TENS) and standard care at reducing PSES. Methods and design Overall, 297 people with PSES will be randomised (1:1:1) to one of 3 arms: Standard care (no electrical stimulation), TENS (conventional patterned electrical stimulation) or SHAPES (adaptive patterned electrical stimulation). Both SHAPES and TENS are delivered using a specially designed electrical stimulation sleeve used for 60 min each day for 6-weeks. Outcome measures are completed at baseline, end of treatment (EOT 6 weeks) and then 6-weeks, 12-weeks and 24-weeks after the end of treatment. Efficacy will be determined based on the proportion of participants experiencing meaningful improvement (18%) in the 7-day Numerical Rating Scale (NRS-S) for PSES, compared between both intervention arms and standard care, and between the two intervention groups. Measures of arm motor function (Action Research Arm Test, MRC scale), and quality of life (SQoL-6D, EQ-5D) will also be measured along with a parallel health economic evaluation. Discussion The results of the SHAPES trial will inform management of elbow spasticity after stroke. The SHAPES intervention is a low cost, self-administered intervention for the management of spasticity that can be used repeatedly, and if found to be more effective than TENS or control has the potential to be widely implemented in the UK NHS healthcare setting. Furthermore, despite the wide use of TENS in the management of spasticity, this study will provide critically required evidence regarding its efficacy. The trial has been registered with the ISRCTN registry (ISRCTN26060261).
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spelling doaj-art-a01f45dc2d4646d2954192880d5d0cae2025-08-20T02:50:04ZengBMCBMC Neurology1471-23772024-11-012411910.1186/s12883-024-03635-xSheffield Adaptive Patterned Electrical Stimulation (SHAPES) Therapy for Post Stroke Arm spasticity: study protocol for a 3-arm, a partially blinded, randomised controlled trialAli Ali0Avril D. McCarthy1Mark Reeves2Jamie Healey3Louise Moody4Adewale Adebajo5Tim Good6Simon Dixon7Kathleen Baster8Wendy Tindale9Krishnan Padmakumari Sivaraman Nair10Sheffield Institute of Translational Neurosciences, University of SheffieldClinical Engineering, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustClinical Engineering, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustClinical Engineering, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustUniversity of CoventryDepartment of Rheumatology, Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, BarnsleySchool of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health, The University of SheffieldSchool of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health, The University of SheffieldSchool of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health, The University of SheffieldClinical Engineering, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustDepartment of Neurosciences, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustAbstract Introduction Post stroke elbow spasticity (PSES) affects over a third of individuals following stroke and negatively impacts on functional recovery, comfort and quality of life. Drug therapies have limited efficacy and unwanted side effects, botulinum toxin, although effective, is costly, and conventional electrical stimulation therapies are limited long term by habituation. We aim to investigate the efficacy of Sheffield Adaptive Patterned Electrical Stimulation (SHAPES), that delivers temporally and spatially varying pattern of electrical stimulation, against transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TENS) and standard care at reducing PSES. Methods and design Overall, 297 people with PSES will be randomised (1:1:1) to one of 3 arms: Standard care (no electrical stimulation), TENS (conventional patterned electrical stimulation) or SHAPES (adaptive patterned electrical stimulation). Both SHAPES and TENS are delivered using a specially designed electrical stimulation sleeve used for 60 min each day for 6-weeks. Outcome measures are completed at baseline, end of treatment (EOT 6 weeks) and then 6-weeks, 12-weeks and 24-weeks after the end of treatment. Efficacy will be determined based on the proportion of participants experiencing meaningful improvement (18%) in the 7-day Numerical Rating Scale (NRS-S) for PSES, compared between both intervention arms and standard care, and between the two intervention groups. Measures of arm motor function (Action Research Arm Test, MRC scale), and quality of life (SQoL-6D, EQ-5D) will also be measured along with a parallel health economic evaluation. Discussion The results of the SHAPES trial will inform management of elbow spasticity after stroke. The SHAPES intervention is a low cost, self-administered intervention for the management of spasticity that can be used repeatedly, and if found to be more effective than TENS or control has the potential to be widely implemented in the UK NHS healthcare setting. Furthermore, despite the wide use of TENS in the management of spasticity, this study will provide critically required evidence regarding its efficacy. The trial has been registered with the ISRCTN registry (ISRCTN26060261).https://doi.org/10.1186/s12883-024-03635-xStrokeSpasticityElectrical stimulationTENSSHAPESRCT
spellingShingle Ali Ali
Avril D. McCarthy
Mark Reeves
Jamie Healey
Louise Moody
Adewale Adebajo
Tim Good
Simon Dixon
Kathleen Baster
Wendy Tindale
Krishnan Padmakumari Sivaraman Nair
Sheffield Adaptive Patterned Electrical Stimulation (SHAPES) Therapy for Post Stroke Arm spasticity: study protocol for a 3-arm, a partially blinded, randomised controlled trial
BMC Neurology
Stroke
Spasticity
Electrical stimulation
TENS
SHAPES
RCT
title Sheffield Adaptive Patterned Electrical Stimulation (SHAPES) Therapy for Post Stroke Arm spasticity: study protocol for a 3-arm, a partially blinded, randomised controlled trial
title_full Sheffield Adaptive Patterned Electrical Stimulation (SHAPES) Therapy for Post Stroke Arm spasticity: study protocol for a 3-arm, a partially blinded, randomised controlled trial
title_fullStr Sheffield Adaptive Patterned Electrical Stimulation (SHAPES) Therapy for Post Stroke Arm spasticity: study protocol for a 3-arm, a partially blinded, randomised controlled trial
title_full_unstemmed Sheffield Adaptive Patterned Electrical Stimulation (SHAPES) Therapy for Post Stroke Arm spasticity: study protocol for a 3-arm, a partially blinded, randomised controlled trial
title_short Sheffield Adaptive Patterned Electrical Stimulation (SHAPES) Therapy for Post Stroke Arm spasticity: study protocol for a 3-arm, a partially blinded, randomised controlled trial
title_sort sheffield adaptive patterned electrical stimulation shapes therapy for post stroke arm spasticity study protocol for a 3 arm a partially blinded randomised controlled trial
topic Stroke
Spasticity
Electrical stimulation
TENS
SHAPES
RCT
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12883-024-03635-x
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