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CompletedNCT01875042ETRELKAUpdated Apr 12, 2016

Effect of Transcutaneous Electrostimulation (TENS) on Pain and Physical Function in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis

An interventional study of TENS and Sham TENS in Osteoarthritis, Knee, sponsored by Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern. Completed at 1 site in Switzerland. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2016-04-12.

Sponsored by Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
220
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The proposed study is a multi-center, randomized, double blind (patient and assessor), sham controlled clinical trial using a parallel 2 group design recruiting 220 patients of at least 18 years of age. The investigators will include patients presenting with clinically and radiologically diagnosed knee OA according to the criteria of the American College of Rheumatology, who experienced knee pain lasting for at least six months, and were diagnosed with radiographic severity of ≥ 2 on the Kellgren-Lawrence grading system or had one or more of the following signs and symptoms in the knee; restricted range of motion, pain in motion, crepitations, morning stiffness. Patients will be randomly allocated to receive TENS or sham TENS for 3 weeks.

Read the detailed description

Background

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common arthritic condition, which is one of the leading causes of disability in adults. Currently, no treatment can stop or reverse the progressive joint degeneration caused by OA. Most clinical interventions aim to improve pain and physical function. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is widely used in the management of knee OA to relieve osteoarthritic pain and facilitate the performance of therapeutic activities in order to maintain or improve physical function. Although its use is widespread, the available evidence is of questionable quality. An adequately sized and well conducted randomized controlled trial (RCT) investigating the effectiveness and safety of TENS as treatment modality for knee OA is warranted to assist clinicians and policy makers to make decisions that are based on high-quality evidence, ultimately optimizing delivery of health-care in knee OA.

Objective

To determine TENS safety and effectiveness on pain and physical function compared to sham TENS in patients with knee OA.

Methods

Multi-center, randomized, double blind (patient and assessor), sham controlled clinical trial using a parallel 2 group design. Patients will be randomly allocated to receive TENS or sham TENS for 3 weeks. Informed consent of eligible patients will be obtained prior to randomization. Patients will be assigned on a 1:1 basis to the TENS or sham TENS group. Randomization will be centralized using randomization software and an electronic randomization form, generated by the trial coordinating centre (CTU Bern). Patients will be randomized once demographic data and selection criteria are completed by the recruiting physician in an electronic form. Randomization will be stratified according to treatment centre, TENS naivety and clinical severity.

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Conditions studied

  • Osteoarthritis, Knee
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In context

Osteoarthritis, Knee

3,391 studies on the registry are indexed under Osteoarthritis, Knee; 628 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 220 is above the median of 69 across 2,808 interventional studies indexed under Osteoarthritis, Knee.

Browse Osteoarthritis, Knee studies →

Lead sponsor

Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern is the lead sponsor of 737 studies on the registry; 178 are open to participants now.

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

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Men and women of at least 18 years of age
  • Clinical or radiological diagnosis of knee OA according to the criteria of the American College of Rheumatology
  • Knee pain lasting for six months or longer
  • Radiographic evidence of at least one osteophyte at the tibiofemoral joint (Kellgren-Lawrence grade ≥ 2) or one or more of the following signs and symptoms in the knee; restricted range of motion, pain in motion, crepitations, morning stiffness
  • Written informed consent

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria

  • Patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis or other musculoskeletal diseases affecting lower extremities
  • Relevant effusion in the index knee
  • Known current or remittent cancer
  • Carry cardiac pacemaker or defibrillator in situ
  • Knee surgery in previous 6 months
  • Received treatment with arthrocentesis
  • Intra-articular injection of steroids in previous 3 months
  • Inability to understand instructions or to give informed consent
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Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Double (Participant, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
220 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    TENS

    Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation

    Device: TENS

  • Sham comparator
    Sham TENS

    Sham Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation

    Device: Sham TENS

Interventions

  • DeviceTENS

    Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation

  • DeviceSham TENS

    Sham Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation

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What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. WOMAC pain subscale

    Time frame: End of treatment (at 3 weeks)

Secondary outcomes

  1. WOMAC global subscale

    Time frame: Baseline, end of treatment (at 3 weeks), 3-month follow-up

  2. WOMAC physical function subscale

    Time frame: Baseline, end of treatment (at 3 weeks), 3-month follow-up

  3. Overall pain measured on VAS

    Time frame: Baseline, end of treatment (at 3 weeks), 3-month follow-up

  4. Hospital anxiety and depression scale

    Time frame: Baseline, end of treatment (at 3 weeks), 3-month follow-up

  5. Aberdeen measure of participation

    Time frame: Baseline, end of treatment (at 3 weeks), 3-month follow-up

  6. Mean analgesic intake per patient

    Time frame: Baseline, end of treatment (at 3 weeks), 3-month follow-up

  7. Number of drop-outs because of adverse events

    Time frame: End of treatment (at 3 weeks), 3-month follow-up

  8. Number of patients experiencing local adverse events

    Time frame: End of treatment (at 3 weeks), 3-month follow-up

  9. Number of patients experiencing any side effects

    Time frame: End of treatment (at 3 weeks), 3-month follow-up

  10. Number of patients experiencing serious side effects

    Time frame: End of treatment (at 3 weeks), 3-month follow-up

  11. Number of drop-outs

    Time frame: End of treatment (at 3 weeks), 3-month follow-up

  12. WOMAC pain subscale

    Time frame: Baseline, third treatment session, 3-month follow-up

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Study locations

1 site
  • Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), University of Bern
    Bern, Canton of Bern 3012, Switzerland
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References and documents

Publications

  • Reichenbach S, Juni P, Hincapie CA, Schneider C, Meli DN, Schurch R, Streit S, Lucas C, Mebes C, Rutjes AWS, da Costa BR. Effect of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on knee pain and physical function in patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis: the ETRELKA randomized clinical trial. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2022 Mar;30(3):426-435. doi: 10.1016/j.joca.2021.10.015. Epub 2021 Nov 23. PubMed 34826572 ↗
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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Apr 12, 2016, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT01875042
Collaborators
Arco Foundation
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jun 11, 2013
Start date
Dec 2012
Primary completion
Nov 2014
Completion
Jan 2015
Last update
Apr 12, 2016

Study contacts

Stephan Reichenbach, MD
principal investigator · Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), University of Bern
Peter Jüni, Prof.
study director · Applied Health Research Centre (AHRC), Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, Department of Medicine and Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Canada

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Apr 2016. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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