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CompletedNCT00565201Botox/RehabUpdated Aug 13, 2013

Evaluation of BOTOX® With Rehabilitation Therapy for the Treatment of Wrist and Hand Spasticity in Post-Stroke Patients

An Early Phase 1 interventional study of Botox and rehab and Placebo and rehab in Stroke, sponsored by Emory University. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 70 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2013-08-13.

Sponsored by Emory University · Early Phase 1, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Early Phase 1
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
25
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 70 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The present study is designed to determine the safety and effectiveness of injections of BOTOX® in spastic muscles of the arm and hand compared with injections of saline (which would do nothing) when combined with rehabilitation therapy for the improvement of active function tasks in post-stroke patients. Injections will be targeted to reduce common spasticity patterns of the arm and hand which include: bent elbow, palm down forearm, bent wrist, thumb-in-palm, clenched fist, and other hand deformities. This will be done only at Emory University. Neither the doctor injecting the drug nor the subject receiving the drug will know if they are getting BOTOX® or saline. Which type of injection the subject receives will be completely randomized (like flipping a coin). All subjects will have rehabilitation therapy after their injections. Subjects will be assessed at a total of 5 scheduled visits (qualification (Week 1), Injection (Week 2), Evaluations on Weeks 8, 10, and 14. All subjects will receive rehabilitation therapy immediately after their injections for 1 hour a day, 3-5 times a week, for 4 weeks. The results from this project will provide valuable data on the ability of BOTOX® and physical rehabilitation to provide effective treatment to spastic muscles of the arm and hand after stroke. This project has the potential to increase the availability of effective rehabilitation techniques to patients with stroke.

Read the detailed description

After a stroke, patients commonly experience tightness in their affected arm from wrist and hand muscle overactivity called spasticity. Spasticity is difficult to manage with only one type of treatment. Usual treatments of spasticity are not very effective and may produce unwanted side effects. Untreated spasticity may result in muscular problems and decrease a patient's general ability to function and thus affect his/her quality of life.

BOTOX®, a botulinum toxin type A produced from Clostridium botulinum, blocks certain chemicals that cause spasticity. With appropriate injections of BOTOX® in the correct muscle, it can change the tightness in the muscle temporarily. Published reports indicate that several hundred adult patients with arm and/or leg spasticity of various causes (e.g., poststroke, multiple sclerosis and traumatic brain injury) have benefited from injections of BOTOX® in the spastic muscle. The efficacy of BOTOX® in patients with post-stroke spasticity in their arms and hands has been demonstrated in seven phase 2 placebo-controlled studies and two phase 3 studies.

The present study is designed to determine the safety and effectiveness of injections of BOTOX® in spastic muscles of the arm and hand compared with injections of saline (which would do nothing) when combined with rehabilitation therapy for the improvement of active function tasks in post-stroke patients. Injections will be targeted to reduce common spasticity patterns of the arm and hand which include: bent elbow, palm down forearm, bent wrist, thumb-in-palm, clenched fist, and other hand deformities. This will be done only at Emory University. Neither the doctor injecting the drug nor the subject receiving the drug will know if they are getting BOTOX® or saline. Which type of injection the subject receives will be completely randomized (like flipping a coin). All subjects will have rehabilitation therapy after their injections. Subjects will be assessed at a total of 5 scheduled visits (qualification (Week 1), Injection (Week 2), Evaluations on Weeks 8, 10, and 14. All subjects will receive rehabilitation therapy immediately after their injections for 1 hour a day, 3-5 times a week, for 4 weeks. The results from this project will provide valuable data on the ability of BOTOX® and physical rehabilitation to provide effective treatment to spastic muscles of the arm and hand after stroke. This project has the potential to increase the availability of effective rehabilitation techniques to patients with stroke.

02

Conditions studied

  • Stroke

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Keywords

  • Stroke, Cerebrovascular accident, Spasticity, Arm, Hand
03

In context

Stroke

7,283 studies on the registry are indexed under Stroke; 2,013 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 25 is below the median of 50 across 5,366 interventional studies indexed under Stroke.

Browse Stroke studies →

Lead sponsor

Emory University is the lead sponsor of 1,385 studies on the registry; 235 are open to participants now.

Of its 229 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 174 (76%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 70 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

  • Male or female, 18 to 70 years of age
  • Written informed consent
  • Written Authorization for Use and Release of Health and Research Study Information has been obtained
  • Medically stable condition in the investigator's opinion
  • History of stroke (hemorrhagic or ischemic) that resulted in a unilateral, upper-limb focal spasticity pattern of the wrist and fingers
  • EMG evidence of volitionary activiation of wrist and finger extensor and flexor muscles
  • Active range of motion (to be repeated 3 times by the patient): The ability to initiate wrist extension of at least 10 degrees from a fully flexed position with the forearm supported and stabilized in a pronated position. Active shoulder flexion and abduction to 45 degrees and no less than -30 degrees of elbow extension.
  • Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) >24
  • If on an anti-spasticity medication regiment at the time of qualification, the dose regimen must have been stable 1 month prior to study enrollment
  • Ability to follow study instructions and likely to complete all required visits

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Time since neurological event resulting in upper limb spasticity less than 3 months or greater than 24 months
  • Previous therapy with BOTOX® or any other botulinum toxin serotype for any condition within the last 12 months
  • Phenol or alcohol block in the study limb within 6 months of study enrollment visit
  • History (within 3 months of qualification) of or planned (during study period) casting of the study limb
  • Current treatment with an intrathecal baclofen pump
  • In the opinion of the investigator, profound atrophy of the muscles in the study limb that are targeted for injection
  • Previous surgical intervention in the study limb, except for routine orthopedic repair for bone fractures, in the last 6 months
  • Presence of fixed contracture of the study limb impairing functional activity
  • Clinically significant inflammation or condition in the study limb that, in the investigator's opinion, could limit joint movement (other than stroke or spasticity)
  • Clinically significant spasticity or contracture of the elbow (defined as an Ashworth score >3) or shoulder in the study limb, in the investigator's opinion would limit sue of the wrist and fingers
  • Changes in oral spasticity medications within 30 days of enrollment (dose of anti-spasticity medications should remain the same during the study)
  • Anticipated use of oral coagulants during the study
  • Known allergy or sensitivity to the study medication or its components
  • Infection or dermatological condition at anticipated injection sites
  • Current participation in another clinical study or within 1 month of the enrollment visit
  • Females who are pregnant, nursing, or planning a pregnancy during the study, or females of childbearing potential, not using a reliable means of contraception
  • Anticipated use during the study of concurrent therapies for treatment of upper motor neuron syndrome (eg, acupuncture)
  • Any medical condition that may put the patient at increased risk with exposure to BOTOX including diagnosed myasthenia gravis, Eaton-Lambert Syndrome, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or any other disorder that might interfere with neuromuscular function
  • Patient has a condition or is in a situation which in investigator's opinion may put the patient significant risk, may confound the study results, or may interfere significantly with patient's participation in the study
05

Study design

Phase
Early Phase 1
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Triple (Participant, Care provider, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
25 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Botox and Rehab

    Patients will receive BOTOX® (100 to 360 U) injected into the any of the following muscles: 30-100U in the Flex. Dig. Sublimes (3 sites), 30-100U in the flex. Carpi Rad. (3 sites), 30- 100 U flex Carpi Ulnaris (3 sites), 30-100 U in the flex Dig Superficiali ( 3 sites), 25U Prontator Teres (1 site), 25 U Brachioradialis (1 site). Physical Rehabilitation: One hour session divided into 3 categories of treatment - 1.) Pre-functional/modalities for a general guideline of treatment; 2.)Repetitive task practice and strengthening; 3.)Functional activities - ADL and IADLs.

    Drug: Botox and rehab

  • Placebo comparator
    Placebo and Rehab

    Patients will placebo saline (100 to 360 U) injected into any of the following muscles: 30-100U in the Flex. Dig. Sublimes (3 sites), 30-100U in the flex. Carpi Rad. (3 sites), 30- 100 U flex Carpi Ulnaris (3 sites), 30-100 U in the flex Dig Superficiali ( 3 sites), 25U Prontator Teres (1 site), 25 U Brachioradialis (1 site) followed by Physical Rehabilitation: One hour session divided into 3 categories of treatment - 1.) Pre-functional/modalities for a general guideline of treatment; 2.)Repetitive task practice and strengthening; 3.)Functional activities - ADL and IADLs.

    Drug: Placebo and rehab

Interventions

  • DrugBotox and rehab

    Patients will BOTOX® (100 to 360 U) injected into any of the following muscles: 30-100U in the Flex. Dig. Sublimes (3 sites), 30-100U in the flex. Carpi Rad. (3 sites), 30- 100 U flex Carpi Ulnaris (3 sites), 30-100 U in the flex Dig Superficiali ( 3 sites), 25U Prontator Teres (1 site), 25 U Brachioradialis (1 site) followed by Physical Rehabilitation: One hour session divided into 3 categories of treatment - 1.) Pre-functional/modalities for a general guideline of treatment; 2.)Repetitive task practice and strengthening; 3.)Functional activities - ADL and IADLs.

  • DrugPlacebo and rehab

    Patients will receive placebo saline (100 to 360 U) injected into any of the following muscles: 30-100U in the Flex. Dig. Sublimes (3 sites), 30-100U in the flex. Carpi Rad. (3 sites), 30- 100 U flex Carpi Ulnaris (3 sites), 30-100 U in the flex Dig Superficiali ( 3 sites), 25U Prontator Teres (1 site), 25 U Brachioradialis (1 site) followed by Physical Rehabilitation: One hour session divided into 3 categories of treatment - 1.) Pre-functional/modalities for a general guideline of treatment; 2.)Repetitive task practice and strengthening; 3.)Functional activities - ADL and IADLs.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Wolf Motor Function Test

    Time frame: Baseline, Pre-therapy, Post-therapy, and 1 month after therapy

  2. Arm Motor Ability Test

    Time frame: Baseline, Pre-therapy, Post-therapy, and 1 month after therapy

Secondary outcomes

  1. Stroke Impact Scale

    Time frame: Baseline, Pre-therapy, Post-therapy, and 1 month after therapy

  2. Modified Ashworth Scale

    Time frame: Baseline, Pre-therapy, Post-therapy, and 1 month after therapy

  3. Upper Extremity range of motion measurements

    Time frame: Baseline, Pre-therapy, Post-therapy, and 1 month after therapy

  4. Caregiver questionnaire

    Time frame: Baseline, Pre-therapy, Post-therapy, and 1 month after therapy

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Emory University
    Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Aug 13, 2013, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00565201
Lead sponsor
Emory University
Collaborators
Allergan
Responsible party
Steven L. Wolf (Professor, Emory University) — Principal investigator
First posted
Nov 29, 2007
Start date
Oct 2007
Primary completion
Dec 2009
Completion
Dec 2011
Last update
Aug 13, 2013

Study contacts

Steven L Wolf, PhD, PT
principal investigator · Emory University
Byron Milton, MD
principal investigator · Emory University

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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