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Completed

NCT Number: NCT01658735

Comparison of Electrotherapies for Chronic Low Back Pain

The intent of this project is to execute a high-quality double-blinded randomized controlled clinical trial that compares the H-Wave® device with a commonly used TENS device with a sub-therapeutic electrocurrent device. This study will provide a definable level of evidence for treatment efficacy, and provide a basis for evidence-based recommendation for or against utilization for these two modalities. The results for H-Wave® device, if positive, could significantly impact morbidity by providing a non-invasive, non-pharmacologic treatment for symptomatic relief, and reduce overall disability and health care costs associated with chronic low back pain.

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Key information

Conditions

Non-specific Chronic Low Back Pain

Age range

18 year–65 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

About this study

H-Wave® Device Stimulation (Intervention A) plus usual care, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) (Intervention B) plus usual care, and sham electrotherapy plus usual care (control). Each treatment arm will have identical participants enrolled (n=38 per arm) of with the same number of visits and investigator contact time.

Eligible participants will be allocated through computerized randomization utilizing a stratified permuted-block randomization employing random block sizes. Allocation is concealed. Participants and assessors will be blinded. Participants will not be told what types of electrotherapy devices are being studied, only that there are different types, and that they may be randomized to receive a sham device.

Patients will be instructed on the use of the device they received to perform daily home therapy. Subjects will be assessed at week 1, 4, 8 and 12 for the primary and secondary outcomes measures. Compliance to treatment will be measured through an electronic meter on each of the devices, as well as by patient diary. Patients will be allowed to receive usual care from their own health care provider, with the exception of invasive procedures or surgery. Results will be analyzed by intention to treat methods.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Chronic Low Back Pain of at least 3 months duration
  • ages 18-65
  • Current VAS Pain Rating of 5 on 10 point scale
  • No pain below the knee
  • 75% of pain located in low back or buttock pain rather than lower extremity pain
  • Proficient in English
  • Able to complete and tolerate treatment for the study period.

Exclusion criteria

  • Prior home use of H-Wave Device or TENS.
  • Prior history of spinal fusion or failed spinal surgery syndrome.
  • Laminectomy, laminotomy or discectomy within 12 months of enrollment.
  • Diagnostic or interventional injections or any low back surgeries not mentioned above, including radiofrequency, neuroablation within 6 months of enrollment.
  • Current implanted cardiac demand pacemakers, defibrillators, cardiac pumps, or other implanted electronic devices.
  • Active psychiatric disorders will be excluded (e.g. use of antipsychotic medication, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, uncontrolled depression or anxiety disorder).
  • Patients currently or who become pregnant will be excluded.

Treatment and study plan

H-Wave

Device

Proprietary electrotherapy device using electrical stimulation of unique wave form and energy level that is delivered through transcutaneous electrodes to nerves and soft tissue for analgesic effect.

Other names: H-Wave is the proprietary name of the device. There is only one model currently.

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)

Device

Electrotherapy device that delivers current at different frequency, amplitude, and wave form through cutaneous electrodes placed near body parts with pain for temporary analgesic effect. The study device is installed inside the same housing as the H-Wave Device and Sham Device, so that all appear the same. There are no identifying marks on the case that participants will recognize in order to maintain blinding.

Other names: Chattanooga Intellect TENS Device

SHAM

Device

The sham device is a TENS unit modified to have minimal electrical output. The device is installed in the same housing as the two active arms with equal weight, so that each device in the study appears identical.

Primary outcomes

  1. Change From Baseline in Oswestry Disability Index at 1 Week

    Time frame: 1 week

    Measure of the change in Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) after one week of treatment compared with baseline measure.

    The ODI is a commonly used outcome-measure questionnaire for low back pain. It is a self-administered questionnaire divided into ten sections designed to assess limitations of various activities of daily living. Each section is scored on a 0-5 scale, 5 representing the greatest disability. The index is calculated by dividing the summed score by the total possible score, which is then multiplied by 100 and expressed as a percentage, with a possible range of 0 to 100. Higher scores represent higher reported disability.

  2. Change From Baseline in Oswestry Disability Index at 4 Weeks

    Time frame: Week 4

    Measure of the change in Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) after four weeks of treatment compared with baseline measure.

    The ODI is a commonly used outcome-measure questionnaire for low back pain. It is a self-administered questionnaire divided into ten sections designed to assess limitations of various activities of daily living. Each section is scored on a 0-5 scale, 5 representing the greatest disability. The index is calculated by dividing the summed score by the total possible score, which is then multiplied by 100 and expressed as a percentage, with a possible range of 0 to 100. Higher scores represent higher reported disability.

  3. Change From Baseline in Oswestry Disability Index at 8 Weeks

    Time frame: Week 8

    Measure of the change in Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) after eight weeks of treatment compared with baseline measure.

    The ODI is a commonly used outcome-measure questionnaire for low back pain. It is a self-administered questionnaire divided into ten sections designed to assess limitations of various activities of daily living. Each section is scored on a 0-5 scale, 5 representing the greatest disability. The index is calculated by dividing the summed score by the total possible score, which is then multiplied by 100 and expressed as a percentage, with a possible range of 0 to 100. Higher scores represent higher reported disability.

  4. Change From Baseline in Oswestry Disability Index at 12 Weeks

    Time frame: Week 12

    Measure of the change in Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) after twelve weeks of treatment compared with baseline measure.

    The ODI is a commonly used outcome-measure questionnaire for low back pain. It is a self-administered questionnaire divided into ten sections designed to assess limitations of various activities of daily living. Each section is scored on a 0-5 scale, 5 representing the greatest disability. The index is calculated by dividing the summed score by the total possible score, which is then multiplied by 100 and expressed as a percentage, with a possible range of 0 to 100. Higher scores represent higher reported disability.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change From Baseline in VAS Pain Score at 1 Week

    Time frame: Week 1

    Measure of the change in visual analogue scale (VAS) after one week of treatment compared with baseline VAS measure.

    The VAS is a commonly used continuous scale measure for low back pain. For pain intensity, the scale is anchored by "no pain" (score of 0) and "pain as bad as it could be" or "worst imaginable pain" (score of 10). Higher scores represent higher reported pain.

  2. Change From Baseline in VAS Pain Score at 4 Weeks

    Time frame: Week 4

    Measure of the change in visual analogue scale (VAS) after four weeks of treatment compared with baseline VAS measure.

    The VAS is a commonly used continuous scale measure for low back pain. For pain intensity, the scale is anchored by "no pain" (score of 0) and "pain as bad as it could be" or "worst imaginable pain" (score of 10). Higher scores represent higher reported pain.

  3. Change From Baseline in VAS Pain Score at 8 Weeks

    Time frame: Week 8

    Measure of the change in visual analogue scale (VAS) after eight weeks of treatment compared with baseline VAS measure.

    The VAS is a commonly used continuous scale measure for low back pain. For pain intensity, the scale is anchored by "no pain" (score of 0) and "pain as bad as it could be" or "worst imaginable pain" (score of 10). Higher scores represent higher reported pain.

  4. Change From Baseline in VAS Pain Score at 12 Weeks

    Time frame: Week 12

    Measure of the change in visual analogue scale (VAS) after twelve weeks of treatment compared with baseline VAS measure.

    The VAS is a commonly used continuous scale measure for low back pain. For pain intensity, the scale is anchored by "no pain" (score of 0) and "pain as bad as it could be" or "worst imaginable pain" (score of 10). Higher scores represent higher reported pain.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Utah

Other

Collaborators

  • Electronic Waveform Lab, Inc.

Registry information

Official study title

Electrical Stimulation for Chronic Non-specific Low Back Pain in a Working-Age Population: A 12-Week Double Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial

Important dates

Study start
2012
Primary completion
2013
Study completion
2013
First posted
Aug 7, 2012
Registry last updated
Mar 9, 2015

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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