Dry Needling for Treating Spasticity in Multiple Sclerosis

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The aim of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of dry needling (DN) in the treatment of spasticity in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). [Participants and Methods] participants with MS, with no evidence of a relapse in the last four weeks and with an EDSS (Expanded Disability Sta- tus Scale) greater than 2.5 points (related with pyramidal score) were recruited. DN was performed in lower limbs for 12 consecutive sessions and evaluated with: EDSS (Pyramidal item), Time up and go (TUG), 25 foot, 9hold peg test (9HPT) and the improvement or not in the quality of life (MSQol54) was verified before and after treatment. A follow up visit was carried out to assess improvement.

Official Title
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Dry Needling for Treating Spasticity in Multiple Sclerosis

Conditions
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Multiple Sclerosis

Intervention / Treatment
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* Procedure: Dry needling


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Being a patient diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Being over 18 years of age and less than or equal to 60 years of age. Having a score equal to or greater than 2 in the EDSS. They need to have a measurement in the following functional systems: P (pyramidal) >2, CT (brainstem), gait >2 and sphincter >2. They need to present hypertonia or contractures of the muscles selected for the dry needling, the pain expressed by the patients must be a consequence of spastic processes, have hourly availability to receive therapies and not have needle phobias. Exclusion Criteria: Having a disease associated with multiple sclerosis that is incompatible with dry needling. Being in relapse, or having suffered it in the thirty days prior to starting the treatment. program or taking medications that are contraindicated with the technique applied in the study, (oral anticoagulants.)

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 60 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: dry needling<br>This study has only 1 arm and the control group is their baseline data | Procedure: Dry needling<br>* Only dry needling of the lower limbs will performed in all patients with acupunture needling<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in 9HOLD PEG TEST score | This consists of placing the pegs in the corresponding holes of the 9 holes in the table in the shortest possible time (seconds) | inmediatly before and inmediatly after intervention | 
| Change in 25 foot walk score | patients must walk a distance of 7.25 meters at the fastest and safest speed for them (seconds) | inmediatly before and inmediatly after intervention | 
| Change in Time up and go test score | The participants sit in a chair with their backs supported by the back of the chair and their arms resting on the armrests. The participants are asked to get up from the chair and walk a distance of 3 meters, then the patients turn on themselves (360°), walk back to the chair and sit down again (seconds) | inmediatly before and inmediatly after intervention | 
| Change in Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score | Each item is valued individually and a score is given, which will then outline the patient's total EDSS ranging from 0 to 10, for use in the exploration sessions. All scans were carried out by a blind explorer. | inmediatly before and inmediatly after intervention | 
| Change in Multiple sclerosis Quality of life-54 (MSQol54) score | questionnaire of 54 items measuring the quality of life of the patient. It can be self-administered or hetero-administered and both physical and mental aspects are measured. Within these there are subscales: among them quality of life in general. Two summary scores, physical health and mental health, can be derived from a weighted combination of scale scores. They range from 0 to 100, where 100 is the highest quality of life (both for physical and mental health) | inmediatly before and inmediatly after intervention | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Dry needling, multiple sclerosis, physiotherapy