The current study will evaluate the feasibility of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with an existing intensive physiotherapy program for children with ABI within the in/day-patient brain injury program at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, Canada. This feasibility randomized control trial will allocate 30 participants with ABI (age 5 to 18 years) to one of two treatment groups. One group will receive active tDCS prior to four of their existing physiotherapy sessions each week for a total of 16 sessions while the other group will receive sham/placebo tDCS prior to their physiotherapy sessions. Recovery of gross motor function will be compared between groups after the four weeks of tDCS treatment and again after three months to evaluate the short and longer-term impact of tDCS on an existing intensive physiotherapy program. Feasibility will be evaluated by tracking process, resource, and treatment indicators such as eligibility, enrollment, adherence, and tolerance rates.
Objectives The purpose of this study is to test the feasibility of using tDCS as a pre-treatment adjunct to intensive physiotherapy (the 'physio+tDCS' protocol) for children with ABI in the inpatient brain injury program at Holland Bloorview. The primary objectives of our study are to answer the following questions: 1. Is it feasible to implement a 'physio+tDCS' protocol within an existing inpatient ABI rehabilitation program based on participant eligibility, recruitment, tolerance, retention, and adherence to treatment protocol (e.g. session frequency and completion timelines)? 2. What is the effect of using tDCS as an adjunct to intensive physiotherapy on the recovery of gross motor function in children with moderate to severe ABI, as measured by individualized goal achievement and standardized gross motor outcome measures? METHODS Trial design Using a feasibility randomized control trial (RCT) study design, 30 children with moderate to severe ABI, enrolled in intensive brain injury rehabilitation at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, will be randomized to the active or sham (control) tDCS intervention, which will be paired with individualized intensive physiotherapy (i.e., 'physio+tDCS' and 'physio+sham'). Randomization and Blinding Once enrolled in the study, an independent research assistant (RA) will randomly assign each child to the "sham" or "active" tDCS treatment group using a computer randomization web-based program and approach described below. Only the RAs involved in the study will be aware of each participant's treatment group assignment. The participants and the assessing/treating PTs will be blinded to the participant's treatment group. Intervention tDCS Treatment- Depending on treatment group allocation, participants will receive 20 minutes of active tDCS or sham tDCS (provided by a trained RA) immediately prior to four of their physiotherapy sessions each week over 4 weeks for a total of 16 sessions. Children and PTs will be blinded to their tDCS/sham allocation. Two electrodes (5x7cm) in size will be used such that the anodal electrode will be attached to the Cz position on the scalp, to target the lower extremity region of bilateral primary motor cortices, and the cathodal electrode will be attached to the central supraorbital (Fpz) area of the forehead (20). Each tDCS treatment will consist of up to 2.0 mA of stimulation, adjusting for the child's age, head size, and tolerance as required. Participants will be told which treatment group they were allocated to after completing their final assessment (3 months after completing the treatment protocol). Participant symptoms and safety will be tracked before, during, and after each tDCS session. Adverse events reported via a REB-approved standard process to an independent in-house safety monitoring committee (SMC). Physiotherapy Intervention- The physiotherapy treatment paired with the tDCS/sham consists of the typical motor skills-based physiotherapy children receive in the in/day-patient brain injury program at Holland Bloorview. Each 45- minute physiotherapy session promotes motor learning by focusing on functional tasks related to the child's personalized motor goals. Therapists individualize the program by adapting the tasks, instructions, feedback, and the level of challenge based on the child's needs. Outcomes Feasibility- Feasibility of study implementation and tDCS will be evaluated by tracking process, resource, and treatment indicators. A priori feasibility targets are as follows: 20% of children admitted to the program will be eligible for the study, 70% of eligible children will be recruited; 80% of children will tolerate at least 1.0mA for 10 minutes of each tDCS session, 75% of treatment sessions will be completed, 95% of first reassessments will occur, and 80% of follow-up reassessments will occur at 3 months post-treatment. Adherence to the study protocol will be tracked by the number of tDCS and physiotherapy sessions scheduled per week and the number actually completed. Reasons for cancelled sessions or decreased number of sessions booked will be documented. Because tDCS should optimally occur in the half hour prior to physiotherapy, the start time and duration of stimulation will be documented, as well as the start time and duration of each physiotherapy session, on tracking sheets that will be completed by the RA/therapist conducting each tDCS/physiotherapy session. Eligibility data will be tracked across the study's duration to determine the proportion of children in the brain injury program who are eligible for the study, and the number who enrol and reasons for being excluded from the study will be documented. Gross Motor- Baseline assessments will be conducted by a blinded independent PT assessor within four days of beginning the study treatment protocol. The first reassessment will be conducted by the same blinded PT assessor within four days after their last study intervention session. Three months after completion of the study treatment, a second reassessment will take place, involving the same outcome measures. Additional information regarding the participant's physiotherapy services (e.g., frequency, duration, focus of intervention) and amount of daily physical activity (e.g., frequency, duration, intensity, type) since study completion will also be recorded. A priori targets for the co-primary gross motor outcomes are as follows: The active tDCS group should have at least 5 mean points of change more than the sham group on the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) and at least 2.0 mean points of change more than the sham group on the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM).
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
4
20 minutes at 2.0 mA with electrodes positioned at Cz and Fpz (as per 10-20 electrode placement guidelines)
motor skills based physiotherapy intervention (representative of typical goal-focused intervention in the clinical ABI program at Holland Bloorview), 45 minutes in duration
1 minutes at 1.0 mA with electrodes positioned at Cz and Fpz (as per 10-20 electrode placement guidelines) and 19 minutes with unit shut off and electrodes remaining on the scalp
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Gross Motor Function Measure
A standardized physiotherapy assessment (validated for children with ABI) that assesses gross motor function in five dimensions (A- lying \& rolling, B- sitting, C- crawling \& kneeling, D- standing, walking, E-running \& jumping). Each of the 88 items is scored from 0-3.
Time frame: Change from baseline to 1st reassessment (4 weeks) to 2nd reassessment (3 months)
Canadian Occupational Performance Measure
The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure is a standardized outcome measure that allows children and families to set goals and evaluate their performance and satisfaction with each goal on a scale of 1 to 10, where higher ratings mean increased performance and satisfaction. In this study, the goals will be participation-based goals related to gross motor activities.
Time frame: Change from baseline to 1st reassessment (4 weeks) to 2nd reassessment (3 months)
Eligibility Rate
The proportion of eligible participants compared to the number of children admitted for inpatient brain injury rehabilitation. Reported as a percentage.
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of two years
Enrollment Rate
The proportion of eligible participants who enrollment in the study. Reported as a percentage
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of two years
Adherence Rate
The proportion of enrolled participants who complete at least 12 of the 16 transcranial direct current stimulation (followed by physiotherapy) sessions.
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of two years
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Tolerance
The mean dose (measured in milliamperes) of transcranial direct current stimulation each participant receives.
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of two years
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Tolerability Questionnaire
At baseline the participant indicate the most enjoyable and least enjoyable activity they have experienced in the last month. They order these two activities in relation to 7 familiar childhood experiences (e.g., watching TV, going to the dentist, going for a long car ride). At followup, the child is presented with the baseline ordering of these 9 activities and asked to indicate where transcranial direct current stimulation fits in the order (e.g. more enjoyable than going to the dentist but less enjoyable than watching TV).
Time frame: 1st reassessment (after 4-week treatment protocol)
Acquired Brain Injury Challenge Assessment
An 18-item standardized assessment of high level gross motor skills in children and youth with ABI. Each item assesses the child's ability to perform a skill and is scored on a 5-point scale according to time and quality of movement (where '5' indicates normal quality of movement and/or completion within a minimum amount of time while '0' indicates they were unable to complete the item within a maximum period of time and did not meet the criteria for quality).
Time frame: Change from baseline to 1st reassessment (4 weeks) to 2nd reassessment (3 months)
10 metre fastest walk test
Timed walk test over 10m with the participant walking as fast as possible.
Time frame: Change from baseline to 1st reassessment (4 weeks) to 2nd reassessment (3 months)
Goal Attainment Scaling
Participant-specific mobility, balance, and/or gross motor goals created by the treating physiotherapist to target specific activities they will work on in physiotherapy. The child's baseline ability is scored as a '-2'. The physiotherapist sets individualized targets for the child where '-1' indicates they are performing somewhat less than expected, '0' indicates they are performing at the expected level for a given time frame, '+1' indicates they have done somewhat better than expected, and '+2' indicates they have done much better than expected. When the goal is set, the physiotherapist sets '0' (the expected level) based on the timing of the reassessment and what they think the child is clinically capable of accomplishing in that time period.
Time frame: Change from baseline to 1st reassessment (4 weeks) to 2nd reassessment (3 months)
Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (Mobility and Self-Care domains)
Parent-reported computerized questionnaire evaluating their child's function ability. Each item is rated on 4-point scale where '0' indicates the child is unable to do and '4' indicates the activity is easy to do. A higher score indicates higher levels of independence with mobility and self-care.
Time frame: Change from baseline to 1st reassessment (4 weeks) to 2nd reassessment (3 months)
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