The study is a 4-week double-blind, randomized, controlled, parallel design investigation to investigate the impact of intermittent negative pressure on spasticity and pain in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). The investigational device (FlowOx2.0™) is composed of a Pressure Chamber and a Control Unit (and disposable parts). All subjects will receive the same pressure chamber but be randomized to either a Control Unit that generates intermittent negative pressure (INP) of - (minus) 40 mmHg or a Control Unit that generates INP of - 10 mmHg. FlowOx2.0™ generating -40 mmHg is the investigational device, and FlowOx2.0™ generating -10 mmHg, is the comparator device. After the initial 4-week double-blind period, all participants will be offered the -40mmHg control unit to be used during a 6-months optional extension part.
FlowOx2.0™ is a commercially available device for home treatment of peripheral arterial disease. It is designed to be used at home by patients and has been shown to cause rapid changes in blood flow velocity in the treated leg. Recently, individuals with multiple sclerosis have reported a positive impact on their self-perceived spasticity and pain levels. The purpose of this study is to control for potential placebo effects using a comparator device. The study will recruit patients from Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. All subjects will be instructed to treat the most affected leg for 60 minutes per day, preferentially in the evening. The same leg should be treated throughout the study period. The 4-week double-blind part is immediately followed by an optional extension part. This part is an open investigation in which all randomized subjects that have completed the main part are offered to continue for an additional 6 months using the active device (INP pulses of - 40 mmHg).
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
56
Subjects randomized to tretament with the investigational device will receive treatment with -40 mmHg intermittent negative pressure for 60 minutes per day.
Subjects randomized to treatment with the comparator will receive treatment with -10 mmHg intermittent negative pressure for 60 minutes per day.
NeuroCentrum (Centrum för Neurologi)
Stockholm, Sweden
Change in self-reported spasticity using Numeric Rating Scale (NRS)
Numerical Rating Scale The minimum and maximum values: 0, 10 Higher scores mean a worse outcome the last 24 hours. The scale scores spasticity from 0-10, where 0 is no spasticity, and 10 is worst imaginable spasticity. The scoring should be done at roughly the same time of day and not during or immediately after treatment.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Change in self-reported pain using NRS for subjects with a baseline NRS ≥4.
Pain is scored using the NRS which describes the average score of pain over the last 24 hours. The scale scores pain from 0-10, where 0 is no pain, and 10 is worst imaginable pain. The scoring is done each day of the study. The scoring should be done roughly at the same time and not during or immediately after treatment.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Frequency of adverse events
All incidences of adverse events (AEs) and device deficiencies (DDs) will be documented and reported during the clinical investigation. At visits and phone calls, study staff will ask whether the subject has experienced any AEs/DDs since the last call/visit. Staff will also follow-up any previous AEs during visits and calls, i.e., are AEs resolved or still ongoing. The subjects will also be encouraged to call and report between visits and calls.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Change in timed 25-foot walk (T25-FW)
The Timed 25-Foot Walk (T25-FW). The T25-FW is a quantitative mobility and leg function performance test based on a timed 25-Foot Walk. The subject is directed to one end of a clearly marked 25-foot course and is instructed to walk 25 feet as quickly as possible, but safely. The time is calculated from the initiation of the instruction to start and ends when the subject has reached the 25-foot mark. The task is immediately administered again by having the patient walk back the same distance. The "score" is the average of these two walks. Subjects may use assistive devices when doing this task. Staff record the average T25-FW score in seconds.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Change in 2-minute walking tests
The 2-min walk test, should be tested in a hallway free of obstacles. Subject instruction will be: "Cover as much ground as possible over 2 minutes. Walk continuously, if possible, but do not be concerned if you need to slow down or stop to rest. The goal is to feel at the end of the test that more ground could not have been covered in the 2 minutes."
Time frame: 4 weeks
Change in health-related quality of life measured by Multiple sclerosis impact scale (MSIS-29)
The MSIS-29 is a measure of the physical and psychological impact of multiple sclerosis (MS) from the patients' perspective. Twenty-nine (29) questions are responded by the subject by circling the number that best describes the subject's situation (graded 1-5, where 1 is "not at all" and 5 is extremely). It captures the subject's views about the impact of MS on his/her day-to-day life during the past two weeks.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Change in health-related quality of life measured by EQ-5D-5L
The EQ-5D-5L is a self-assessed, health related, quality of life questionnaire. The scale measures quality of life on a 5-component scale including mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression. The EQ-5D-5L essentially consists of 2 pages: the EQ-5D descriptive system and the EQ visual analogue scale (EQ VAS).
Time frame: 4 weeks
Change in Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)
The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) is a 14-item measure designed to assess anxiety and depression symptoms in medical patients, with emphasis on reducing the impact of physical illness on the total score. Items are rated on a 4-point severity scale. The HADS produces two scales, one for anxiety (HADS-A) and one for depression (HADS-D), differentiating the two states.
Time frame: 4 weeks
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