An interventional study of Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and Sham rTMS in Postpolio Syndrome, sponsored by Ege University. Completed at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Open to participants aged 25 Years to 65 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-10.
Sponsored by Ege University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
This randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial evaluated the effects of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the primary motor cortex on walking capacity, fatigue, post-polio-related symptoms, and health-related quality of life in participants with post-polio syndrome.
27 studies on the registry are indexed under Postpoliomyelitis Syndrome; 4 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 28 is below the median of 40 across 19 interventional studies indexed under Postpoliomyelitis Syndrome.
Browse Postpoliomyelitis Syndrome studies →Ege University is the lead sponsor of 365 studies on the registry; 46 are open to participants now.
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Inclusion Criteria:-Having been diagnosed with PPS (postpolio syndrome) -Having not received TMS treatment before
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Exclusion Criteria:-History of epilepsy
Sham stimulation followed the same treatment schedule as active rTMS, with the coil reversed and the device operated at minimum output, providing auditory input without effective cortical stimulation. Ten sessions were administered over 2 weeks. All participants received an individualized home exercise program based on limb involvement and muscle strength. Resistive exercise was limited to muscle groups graded at least 3/5 on manual muscle testing and was prescribed according to energy-conservation principles.
Drug: Sham rTMS · Behavioral: Individualized home exercise program
Active rTMS was delivered using a Magstim Rapid2 stimulator and a figure-of-eight D70 coil (Magstim Company Ltd, Whitland, United Kingdom). The target was the lower-extremity representation of the primary motor cortex near the vertex. Stimulation was delivered at 80% of resting motor threshold, at 1 Hz for 20 minutes (1200 pulses per session), over 10 sessions in 2 weeks. All participants received an individualized home exercise program based on limb involvement and muscle strength. Resistive exercise was limited to muscle groups graded at least 3/5 on manual muscle testing and was prescribed according to energy-conservation principles.
Device: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) · Behavioral: Individualized home exercise program
Active rTMS was delivered using a Magstim Rapid2 stimulator and a figure-of-eight D70 coil. Stimulation was applied over the lower-extremity representation of the primary motor cortex near the vertex at 1 Hz and 80% of the resting motor threshold for 20 minutes (1200 pulses per session), for 10 sessions over 2 weeks.
Sham stimulation followed the same schedule as active rTMS, with the coil reversed and the device operated at minimum output, providing auditory input without effective cortical stimulation. Ten sessions were administered over 2 weeks.
An individualized home exercise program was prescribed based on limb involvement and muscle strength. Resistive exercise was limited to muscle groups graded at least 3/5 on manual muscle testing and was prescribed according to energy-conservation principles.
6 minute walk test (6MWT)
It is a test used to assess the level of functional exercise or functional capacity. The patient is asked to walk, but not run, in a 25 m long corridor at the highest possible speed without stopping. At the end of 6 minutes, the number of metres walked by the patient is recorded. The 6 min walk test is an evaluation criterion used in routine and clinical research to assess functional capacity in many diseases such as heart failure, general arthrosis, multiple sclerosis.
Time frame: Baseline, immediately after treatment, and 3-month follow-up
Polio-Related Problems Scale (PRPS)
The Polio-Related Problems Scale (PRPS) assesses the severity of post-polio-related symptoms and functional problems. Higher scores indicate greater symptom burden and impairment.
Time frame: Baseline, immediately after treatment, and 3-month follow-up
Nottingham health profile (NHP)
It consists of 38 items assessing how severe an impact the respondent thinks their health is having on six dimensions: sleep, physical mobility, energy, pain, emotional reactions, and social isolation. Every item has a different weight, depending on the severity of the symptom. The sum of the weighted scores is 100 for each subdimension. Thus, summing all weighted values of every item, the score between 0 and 100 is obtained for each subdimension. The total score was obtained by summing the scores of six subdimensions, giving the values between 0 and 600. Higher scores indicate a greater level of distress
Time frame: Baseline, immediately after treatment, and 3-month follow-up
Visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain and fatigue
Severity of pain that the participants have had in the past week was evaluated by using visual analogue scale (VAS) on a 10-cm horizontal line where 0-cm represented "no pain" and 10 cm the "worst imaginable pain" Severity of fatigue experienced by the participants in the past week was assessed by using VAS on a 10-cm horizontal line where 0-cm represented "not tired at all" and 10-cm "extremely tired"
Time frame: Baseline, immediately after treatment, and 3-month follow-up
Manual muscle testing (MMT)
Muscle strength of the hip flexors, knee extensors, knee flexors, ankle dorsiflexors, and plantar flexors were measured bilaterally according to the Medical Research Council Scale . A sum score (manual muscle testing \[MMT\] sum) was obtained by adding the scores of all muscle groups tested (max score: 50)
Time frame: Baseline, immediately after treatment, and 3-month follow-up
Fatigue Impact Scale (FIS)
Cognitive, functional and fatigue subscales are available and high scores are associated with poor fatigue level. The scale is scored from 0 to 120 points.
Time frame: Baseline, immediately after treatment, and 3-month follow-up
Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)
The Beck depression test is used to measure how intensely depressed a person is during a 1-week period.21 questions; each question is scored between 0 and 3. The degree of depression is determined according to the total score (0-9: minimal depression, 10-16: mild depression, 17-29: moderate depression, 30-63: severe depression).
Time frame: Baseline, immediately after treatment, and 3-month follow-up
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Ege University