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NCT Number: NCT01567605

Bowel Care and Cardiovascular Function After Spinal Cord Injury

The main goal of this project is to determine the effects of lidocaine lubricant on cardiovascular function during routine bowel care in individuals with spinal cord injury. Bowel care is a common trigger of blood pressure and heart rate changes after spinal cord injury. In this project, we will be measuring blood pressure and heart rate non-invasively during normal bowel routine (which can be performed in the subject's home or at one of the investigators facilities). The measurements will occur twice over a period of 28 days: once using lidocaine lubricant and once using normal (placebo) lubricant. The recording equipment will be attached and subjects will have complete privacy during their bowel routine. The trial will be double-blind, meaning that neither the subject or the Nurse Continence Advisor who assists with testing will know which lubricant is being used for each test.

The use of a lubricant gel containing an anesthetic is the standard of care in many hospital facilities when performing bowel care for individuals with spinal cord injury; however, it is not often used in the home setting. It is thought that using anaesthetic might reduce the cardiovascular effects of bowel care after spinal cord injury. However, it is not known whether this is the case.

The investigators hypothesize that the lidocaine lubricant will alleviate some of the blood pressure and heart rate changes that occur during bowel care.

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Key information

Conditions

Spinal Cord Injury Autonomic Dysreflexia Autonomic Nervous System Diseases Central Nervous System Diseases Nervous System Diseases Spinal Cord Diseases Spinal Cord Injuries Trauma, Nervous System Wounds and Injuries

Age range

19 year–80 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 4

Primary location

Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

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About this study

The primary purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of topical anesthesia on cardiovascular changes triggered by bowel care in people with spinal cord injury.

In people with spinal cord injury, episodes of high blood pressure are common during strong sensory stimuli such as those present during routine bowel care. These episodes of high blood pressure can be dangerous due to the magnitude of blood pressure increase and because they can be accompanied by irregular heart beats. This condition, known as autonomic dysreflexia, is most common in individuals with high-level injuries.

The experience of autonomic dysreflexia can vary widely between individuals: some have goosebumps, sweating, facial flushing or headaches, while others have no symptoms at all, despite their changes in heart rate and blood pressure.

The use of a lubricant gel containing an anesthetic, lidocaine lubricant, is the standard of care in many hospital facilities when performing bowel care for individuals with spinal cord injury; however, it is not often used in the home setting. It is thought that using anaesthetic might reduce the cardiovascular effects of bowel care after spinal cord injury. However, it is not known whether this is the case. We do not yet know the long-term consequences of these short-term elevations in blood pressure during autonomic dysreflexia, but given that they are often associated with discomfort, and have been known to be associated with more severe events such as stroke, it would be beneficial to reduce their occurrence.

Therefore, we will test whether lidocaine lubricant compared to a placebo lubricant improves the symptoms and signs of autonomic dysreflexia during bowel care in people with spinal cord injury.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • traumatic spinal cord injury at least one year ago
  • regular bowel care routine (at least four weeks)

Exclusion criteria

  • cauda equina or conus lesion
  • currently use ventilator
  • colostomy, or do not perform regular bowel care for any reason
  • any skin breakdown (pressure sores)
  • do not speak English
  • are under 19 years old
  • are pregnant or think you might be pregnant
  • medical/psychiatric condition or substance abuse that is likely to affect your ability to complete this study
  • currently using medications containing lidocaine
  • allergy to lidocaine

Treatment and study plan

Lidocaine lubricant

Drug

Subjects using this intervention will receive 30 mL of Lidocaine hydrochloride jelly (2%)

Other names: xylocaine jelly (2%) AstraZeneca

Placebo lubricant

Other

Subjects using this intervention will receive 30 mL of placebo lubricant (no topical anesthetic)

Other names: AMG MedPro lubricating Gel

Primary outcomes

  1. Blood Pressure Change During Bowel Care

    Time frame: Measured continuously during bowel care (approximately one hour) on two occasions within 28 days.

    Beat-to-beat blood pressure will be recorded using a finger blood pressure cuff (Finometer) on two occasions within 28 days, for up to one hour on each occasion.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Duration of Bowel Care Routine

    Time frame: The exact duration of bowel care will be noted on two days within a 28 day period

    The duration of bowel care routine will be recorded on two occasions within 28 days.

  2. Cardiovascular Symptoms During Bowel Care

    Time frame: Measured by questionnaire (approximately 15 minutes) after bowel care on two occasions within 28 days.

    Cardiovascular symptoms will be recorded using a questionnaire on two occasions within 28 days. The questionnaire takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. The symptom score rated 13 measures (from 0-4) based on the frequency of symptoms experiences with a possible score ranging from 0-52. High scores denote more severe symtoms.

  3. Heart Beat Abnormalities During Bowel Care (Number of Participants With Heart Beat Abnormalities)

    Time frame: Measured continuously during bowel care (approximately one hour) on two occasions within 28 days.

    3-lead electrocardiogram will be recorded throughout the duration of bowel care on two occasions within 28 days, for up to one hour on each occasion.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Simon Fraser University

Other

Collaborators

  • University of British Columbia

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2012
Primary completion
2018
Study completion
2018
First posted
Mar 30, 2012
Registry last updated
Feb 8, 2023

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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