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CompletedNCT05633225Updated Nov 7, 2023

Central Sensitization and Physical Activity in Adolescents With HSD/hEDS

An observational study in Joint Hypermobility Syndrome and Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, sponsored by Vastra Gotaland Region. Completed at 2 sites in Sweden. Open to participants aged 13 Years to 17 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2023-11-07.

Sponsored by Vastra Gotaland Region · Observational

Study type
Observational
Model
Case-control
Time perspective
Cross-sectional
Enrollment
100
Ages
13 Years to 17 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder and hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (HSD/hEDS) is under-recognized and poorly understood and its management is therefore not clear.

The goal of this study is to better understand pain and its impact on function in the daily activities of adolescents with Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder and/or hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.

This study will explore the presence of the pain sensitivity status after physical exercise as well as movement behaviour in adolescents with HSD/hEDS compared to a healthy control group.

Read the detailed description

All participants will be asked not to undertake physical exercise at least 48 hours before the measurements, and to refrain from consuming caffeine, alcohol or nicotine. For ethical reasons, the patients are allowed to take non-opioid pain medicine as described in the first step of the World Health Organization analgesic ladder (COX-inhibitors and paracetamol), however the patients will be asked to abstain from these medications during the 24 hours period before the measurements.

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Conditions studied

  • Joint Hypermobility Syndrome
  • Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

Keywords

  • Pain
  • Hypermobility
  • Physical activity
  • Central sensitization
  • Fatigue
  • Ehlers Danlos Syndrome
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In context

Joint Instability

147 studies on the registry are indexed under Joint Instability; 22 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 100 is above the median of 58 across 66 observational studies indexed under Joint Instability.

Browse Joint Instability studies →

Lead sponsor

Vastra Gotaland Region is the lead sponsor of 267 studies on the registry; 107 are open to participants now.

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

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
13 Years to 17 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

Adolecents diagnosed with HSD/hEDS, at Children's Primary Health Care Clinics in Gothenburg and Southern Bohuslän, and at Queen Silvia Children's Hospital and Skaraborgs hospital Skövde will be asked to participate. In addition, a control group of healthy pain free adolecents, matched for sex, age will be recruited from different schools in the region, throw hospital stuff and social media.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria for the HSD/hEDS group:

  • Able to read and understand Swedish
  • Diagnosed with HSD or hEDS

Exclusion criteria for the HSD/hEDS group:

  • Pregnancy and one year postpartum.
  • Other syndromes with hypermobility such as the Marfan syndrome, Osteogenesis Imperfecta or other types of EDS.
  • Co-morbidity with neurological disorders

Inclusion criteria for the control group:

  • Able to read and understand Swedish
  • Healthy
  • Pain free at time of investigation (Numerical Rating Scale score \<3/10).

Exclusion criteria for the control group:

  • Pregnancy and one year postpartum.
  • Past or present signs of rheumatic, neurologic, musculoskeletal, metabolic diseases.
  • Chronic pain.
05

Study design

Observational model
Case-control
Time perspective
Cross-sectional
Enrollment
100 participants (actual)
Patient registry
No

Groups and cohorts

  • Patient-group

    Ninety adolescents, 13-17 years of age Diagnosed with Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder or hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome.

    Other: Submax exercise test on a bicycle ergometer

  • Control-group

    Ninety adolescents, 13-17 years of age. Participants have to be pain free at time of investigation (NRS score \<3/10)

    Other: Submax exercise test on a bicycle ergometer

Interventions

  • OtherSubmax exercise test on a bicycle ergometer

    To achieve exertion and not exhaustion, cycling will be stopped at 75% of the expected maximum heart rate (maximum heart rate of 220 beats per minute minus age) as a target value. If the participant then indicated that they do not feel strained, the cycling will continue until the participant experienced an effort on Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale scale of 15 (hard).

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What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Pressure Pain thresholds, primary and secondary hyperalgesia

    A hand-held pressure algometer (Wagner Instruments, FPX 25) will be used to assess pressure pain thresholds (PPT). The 1 cm2 rubber tip of the algometer will be positioned at an angle of 90 degrees in relation to the body part evaluated and pressure will be applied at a rate of 1 kg/s. PPT measurements will be carried out on the lower back in the supine position, on the tibialis anterior in the prone position, on the trapezius and deltoid while sitting. The participants will be instructed to say "stop" as soon as the sensation of a pressure changes to an uncomfortable feeling. The pressure algometer will be removed immediately and the recorded value will be noted. This procedure will be repeated time three times at each test location (30 seconds between each measurement). Average value of the last two measurements is used as the baseline. The order of the PPT measurement points will be randomized for each group.

    Time frame: Baseline, pre-intervention

  2. Change of Pressure Pain thresholds, exercise-induced hyperalgesia

    Exercise-induced hyperalgesia will be measured by repeating the pressure pain thresholds (PPT) measures at the trapezius muscle and the tibialis anterior muscle (as described above) immediately after the performance of an submax exercise test on a bicycle ergometer The order of the PPT measurement points in the exercise-induced hyperalgesia measurements will be randomized for each group.

    Time frame: Immediately after the intervention

Secondary outcomes

  1. Numerical rating scale

    Average pain intensity will be measured using a 0-10 numerical rating scale (NRS) , with 0 = "no pain" and 10 = "worst possible pain" as the endpoint.

    Time frame: Baseline, pre-intervention and immediately after the intervention

  2. Heart rate

    Peak heart rate immediately after a cycling test (heartbeat/min) will be recorded.

    Time frame: Immediately after the intervention

  3. Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale

    The subjective perceived effort of physical activity is measured with Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale (Borg's RPE scale). Borg´s RPE measures physical activity intensity. Perceived exertion of how hard the individual feels the body is working. The individual experienced physical sensations during physical activity (increased heart rate, increased breathing or breathing rate, increased sweating and muscle fatigue) The scale goes from 6 "No effort at all" to 20 "Maximum effort" .

    Time frame: Immediately after the intervention

  4. Medical examination

    Medical examination according to the 2017 criteria for Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder or HSD/hEDS (hEDS Diagnostic Checklist). Include assessment of joint mobility according to the Beighton scale (described below), physical examination of the diagnostic criteria for hEDS, family history of hEDS, and presence of musculoskeletal pain and joint dislocations.

    Time frame: Baseline, pre-intervention

  5. Beighton scale

    The Beighton scale assesses 9 joints for hypermobility. Hyperextension in elbow joint bilaterally \>10 degrees, hyperextension in knee joint bilaterally \> 10 degrees, hyperextension of the fifth finger bilaterally \> 90 degrees, ability to move the thumb towards the forearm bilaterally and trunk flexion in standing (palm completely on the surface). A total of 9 points is possible, generally hypermobility is achieved at 6 points for children and adolescence.

    Time frame: Baseline, pre-intervention

  6. Demographics child

    Back ground data like age, sex ,onset, diagnosis, date of diagnosis, HSD/hED, family history of hypermobility, pain, physical activity habits, the impact of pain on school attendance, and other chronic diseases will be collected through a questionnaire. The questionnaire consists of 14 questions, of which 11 are multiple-choice questions, two with numerical rating scale answer options and one pain drawing.

    Time frame: Baseline, pre-intervention

  7. Demographics caregiver

    Back ground data of the caregiver concerning education, type of employment and marital status, family history of pain, the caregiver's experience of the child's pain and physical activity level will be collected through a questionnaire. The questionnaire consists of 16 questions, of which 15 are multiple-choice questions, and one pain drawing.

    Time frame: Baseline, pre-intervention

  8. Functional Disability Inventory

    Functional Disability Inventory (FDI) is a self-report inventory consisting of 15 items that are graded on a five-point scale, ranging from 0 to 4 ("No Trouble" to "Impossible"). The FDI assessed difficulties with the performance of daily activities in home, school, recreational, and social domains. Participants are asked to rate how much difficulty they had completing various tasks, "in the past few days". The sum of answers creates a total score (range 0-60) with higher scores indicating greater pain-related disability. The FDI was created for use in children and adolescents 8-17 years old with recurrent abdominal pain.

    Time frame: Immediately after the intervention

  9. Frequency of Participation Questionnaire

    Participation will be measured using the Frequency of Participation Questionnaire (FPQ). The question is developed to measure the child's participation in all areas of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. FPQ consists of 14 questions about participation in everyday activities such as school and leisure. Participants indicate how often an activity is carried out. Grading from 0 ("never") to 5 ("a few times per week").

    Time frame: Immediately after the intervention

  10. Multidimensional Fatigue Scale

    Fatigue will be measured with the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) Multidimensional Fatigue Scale. PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale is a self-assessment form that consists of 18 statements that are graded on a five-point scale, from 0 "never a problem" to 4 "almost always a problem". The PedsQL scale consists of three subscales: General Fatigue, Sleep/Rest Fatigue, and Cognitive Fatigue. The Child/Adolescents questionnaire includes ages, 5-7, 8-12 and 13-18. Items are reversed scored and linearly transformed to a 0-100 scale, so that higher scores indicate better outcome. To reverse score, the 0-4 scale items will be transformed to 0-100 as follows: 0=100, 1=75, 2=50, 3=25, 4=0.

    Time frame: Immediately after the intervention

  11. Pain Catastrophizing scale

    Catastrophizing will be measured with the child version of the Pain Catastrophizing scale (PCS-C). The PCS-C is a self-assessment form that consists of 13 statements that are graded on a five-point scale, from 0 "not at all" to 4 "very much". The total score is 52 points where higher scores indicate higher catastrophizing thoughts. In agreement with previous study using PCS - C to investigate movement loss in children and their parents shared the result on PCS-C in this study into low (0-14 points), between.(15-25 points) and high (26-52) estimated disaster thoughts.

    Time frame: Immediately after the intervention

  12. Hospital anxiety and depression scale

    Anxiety and depression will be measured with the Hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS). HADS is a self-assessment form developed to measure anxiety and depression in patients in somatic care. HADS consists of 14 statements with seven statements for each subscale: HADS anxiety and HADS depression that are graded on a four-point scale from 0 to 3 points. The participant should decide how often he or she has known in the last week, for example "as if something terrible will happen" or whether he or she "appreciates the same things as before". The scores from the seven different statements per sub-scale are combined and can amount to a maximum of 21 points per sub-scale. 0-7 points: Does not speak for anxiety/depression, 8-10 points: The score may be an indication of an anxiety or depression condition in the person, 11 points or more: Demonstrate a likely depression or anxiety of clinical significance.

    Time frame: Immediately after the intervention

  13. Physical activity

    Physical activity was measured with Axivity AX3 triaxial accelerometer (Axivity Ltd, UK). The participants were instructed to wear it attached to the right thigh with medical tape for seven days.

    Time frame: Continuous measurement over seven days, immediately after the intervention

  14. Diary

    Participants will record planned physical activity and the time when they go to bed and get up parallel to the activity measurement.

    Time frame: Continuous measurement over seven days, immediately after the intervention

07

Study locations

2 sites
  • Sahlgrenska University Hospital
    Gothenburg, Region Västra Götaland 416 85, Sweden
  • Skaraborgs Hospital Skövde
    Skövde, Region Västra Götaland 54142, Sweden
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Castori M, Tinkle B, Levy H, Grahame R, Malfait F, Hakim A. A framework for the classification of joint hypermobility and related conditions. Am J Med Genet C Semin Med Genet. 2017 Mar;175(1):148-157. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.c.31539. Epub 2017 Feb 1. PubMed 28145606 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No — There is not a plan to make IPD available.

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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Nov 7, 2023, 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
NCT05633225
Lead sponsor
Vastra Gotaland Region
Collaborators
Göteborg University
Responsible party
Elke Schubert Hjalmarsson (RPT, Head of the occupational therapy and physiotherapy unit for children, Vastra Gotaland Region) — Principal investigator
First posted
Dec 1, 2022
Start date
Nov 25, 2022
Primary completion
Jun 30, 2023
Completion
Oct 31, 2023
Last update
Nov 7, 2023

Study contacts

Mari Lundberg, Professor
study director · University of Gothenborg

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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