Clinical trial NCT04170803: Feasibility of Near-infrared Spectroscopy to Measure Cortical Pain Pathway (Brain) Activation During Dry Needling
Official title: Feasibility of Near-infrared Spectroscopy to Measure Cortical Pain Pathway (Brain) Activation During Dry Needling
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: EARLY_PHASE1
Conditions: Shoulder Pain
Chronic Pain
Musculoskeletal Injury
Keywords: Chronic Pain
Musculoskeletal Injury
Functional near-infrared spectroscopy
Structural health monitoring
Dry needling
Lead sponsor: Army-Baylor University Doctoral Program in Physical Therapy
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Brooke Army Medical Center
First posted: 2019-11-20
Enrollment: 18
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 50
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: This study will be a randomized controlled trial. A convenience sample will be recruited from the Army Medical Department Center and School and the Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) Outpatient Physical Therapy Clinic using fliers and word of mouth. A computer-generated table of random numbers will be used to accomplish the group assignment. Thirty participants with shoulder pain will be randomized to receive either true or sham dry needling (Aim #1). An additional 15 participants will be recruited to receive true dry needling (Aim #2). Pre- and post-treatment and 1-week follow-up measurements will be recorded using the MyotonPRO and NIRS, in addition to measures of local hypoalgesia and self-reported pain and disability.
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: The benefit experienced by some patients when treated with dry needling,1 combined with the field-expedient nature of this intervention, make dry needling uniquely suited for the military healthcare environment. An improved understanding of the mechanism by which dry needling exerts its clinical benefits will allow clinicians to adopt more efficacious treatment strategies for Soldiers with chronic musculoskeletal pain. The proposed study will utilize functional near-infrared spectroscopy and structural health monitoring (SHM) to provide insight on the central and peripheral mechanisms of dry needling. Phase 1 will compare the cortical pain pathway response of thirty participants with non-traumatic shoulder pain receiving either true or sham dry needling. An additional 15 participants will be enrolled to receive true dry needling to determine if brain responses may be able to predict clinical improvement (responders versus non-responders) in phase 2. Since chronic pain after musculoskeletal injury is the leading cause of medical discharge from service and a primary source of disability in the U.S. military2,3, improved complementary and alternative treatment strategies have the potential to have a large impact on both military readiness and health care costs within the Armed Forces.

Detailed description: This study supports a line of ongoing investigation aimed at improving the diagnosis, management, and treatment of chronic pain after musculoskeletal injury. Continued progress in this arena requires novel methods to measure central nervous system (brain) mechanism of action and its role in identification of the unique transition of musculoskeletal injury to chronic pain. The purpose of this study is to use near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to measure changes along cortical pain pathways in the brain related to true and sham dry needling treatment.

Specific Aim #1: The investigators will compare the cortical pain pathway response during dry needling treatment to sham dry needling treatment using NIRS in two groups of patients with chronic shoulder pain.

The investigators hypothesize that decreased cortical activity will be seen in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in those treated with true dry needling compared to those treated with sham dry needling.

Specific Aim #2: The investigators will evaluate whether the cortical pain pathway response (imaged using NIRS) during dry needling predicts 1-week improvement in shoulder muscle response, local hypoalgesia, and self-reported pain and disability in the group of patients that received true dry needling treatment. The investigators hypothesize that decreased cortical activity in the DLPFC will be associated with improvements in shoulder muscle response, local hypoalgesia, and self-reported pain and disability in those treated with true dry needling.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

(all of the following) Active duty DoD beneficiary Age 18-50 years old Non-traumatic shoulder pain rated at least 4/10 on the Numeric Pain Rating Scale Right-handed

Exclusion Criteria:

* Anticoagulant medication use Bleeding disorders Shoulder pain referred from cervical spine Full-thickness rotator cuff tears Known pregnancy Inability to lie prone Left- or mixed-handed

Primary outcomes:
measure: Change in Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
timeFrame: Pre-, During intervention (real-time for approximately 3-5 minutes), directly after intervention, 1 week after intervention
measure: Change in Muscle Stiffness using the MyotonPro
timeFrame: Pre-, directly after intervention, and 1 week after intervention
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Movement test
timeFrame: Pre-, directly after intervention, and 1 week after intervention
measure: Change in Pain Pressure Threshold
timeFrame: Pre-, directly after intervention, and 1 week after intervention
measure: The Global Rate of Change Score
timeFrame: directly after intervention and 1 week after intervention
measure: Change in Numerical Pain Rating Scale
timeFrame: Pre-, directly after intervention, and 1 week after intervention
measure: Pain and Shoulder Disability - The Penn Shoulder Score
timeFrame: Pre-,directly after intervention, and 1 week after intervention
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: San Antonio
country: United States
facility: Army Medical Department Center and Schools, Ft Sam Houston
state: Texas
Study officials:
References:
citation: Lincoln AE, Smith GS, Amoroso PJ, Bell NS. The natural history and risk factors of musculoskeletal conditions resulting in disability among US Army personnel. Work. 2002;18(2):99-113.
citation: Koppenhaver SL, Walker MJ, Smith RW, Booker JM, Walkup ID, Su J, Hebert JJ, Flynn T. Baseline Examination Factors Associated With Clinical Improvement After Dry Needling in Individuals With Low Back Pain. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2015 Aug;45(8):604-12. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2015.5801. Epub 2015 Jun 25.
citation: Songer TJ, LaPorte RE. Disabilities due to injury in the military. Am J Prev Med. 2000 Apr;18(3 Suppl):33-40. doi: 10.1016/s0749-3797(00)00107-0.
citation: Belmont PJ Jr, Goodman GP, Waterman B, DeZee K, Burks R, Owens BD. Disease and nonbattle injuries sustained by a U.S. Army Brigade Combat Team during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Mil Med. 2010 Jul;175(7):469-76. doi: 10.7205/milmed-d-10-00041.
citation: Galanter M, Dermatis H, Sampson C. Narcotics anonymous: a comparison of military veterans and non-veterans. J Addict Dis. 2014;33(3):187-95. doi: 10.1080/10550887.2014.950031.
citation: Vanderlip ER, Sullivan MD, Edlund MJ, Martin BC, Fortney J, Austen M, Williams JS, Hudson T. National study of discontinuation of long-term opioid therapy among veterans. Pain. 2014 Dec;155(12):2673-2679. doi: 10.1016/j.pain.2014.09.034. Epub 2014 Sep 30.
citation: Mosher HJ, Krebs EE, Carrel M, Kaboli PJ, Weg MW, Lund BC. Trends in prevalent and incident opioid receipt: an observational study in Veterans Health Administration 2004-2012. J Gen Intern Med. 2015 May;30(5):597-604. doi: 10.1007/s11606-014-3143-z. Epub 2014 Dec 18.
citation: Jonas WB, Schoomaker EB. Pain and opioids in the military: we must do better. JAMA Intern Med. 2014 Aug;174(8):1402-3. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.2114. No abstract available.
citation: Petri RP Jr. Integrative Health and Healing as the New Health Care Paradigm for the Military. Med Acupunct. 2015 Oct 1;27(5):301-308. doi: 10.1089/acu.2014.1068.
citation: Thomas DA, Maslin B, Legler A, Springer E, Asgerally A, Vadivelu N. Role of Alternative Therapies for Chronic Pain Syndromes. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2016 May;20(5):29. doi: 10.1007/s11916-016-0562-z.
citation: Clarke TC, Black LI, Stussman BJ, Barnes PM, Nahin RL. Trends in the use of complementary health approaches among adults: United States, 2002-2012. Natl Health Stat Report. 2015 Feb 10;(79):1-16.
citation: Sherman KJ, Cherkin DC, Eisenberg DM, Erro J, Hrbek A, Deyo RA. The practice of acupuncture: who are the providers and what do they do? Ann Fam Med. 2005 Mar-Apr;3(2):151-8. doi: 10.1370/afm.248.
citation: Cummings TM, White AR. Needling therapies in the management of myofascial trigger point pain: a systematic review. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2001 Jul;82(7):986-92. doi: 10.1053/apmr.2001.24023.
citation: Boyles R, Fowler R, Ramsey D, Burrows E. Effectiveness of trigger point dry needling for multiple body regions: a systematic review. J Man Manip Ther. 2015 Dec;23(5):276-93. doi: 10.1179/2042618615Y.0000000014.
citation: Liu L, Huang QM, Liu QG, Ye G, Bo CZ, Chen MJ, Li P. Effectiveness of dry needling for myofascial trigger points associated with neck and shoulder pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2015 May;96(5):944-55. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2014.12.015. Epub 2015 Jan 7.
citation: Tough EA, White AR, Cummings TM, Richards SH, Campbell JL. Acupuncture and dry needling in the management of myofascial trigger point pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Eur J Pain. 2009 Jan;13(1):3-10. doi: 10.1016/j.ejpain.2008.02.006. Epub 2008 Apr 18.
citation: Zhou K, Ma Y, Brogan MS. Dry needling versus acupuncture: the ongoing debate. Acupunct Med. 2015 Dec;33(6):485-90. doi: 10.1136/acupmed-2015-010911. Epub 2015 Nov 6.
citation: Vulfsons S, Ratmansky M, Kalichman L. Trigger point needling: techniques and outcome. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2012 Oct;16(5):407-12. doi: 10.1007/s11916-012-0279-6.
citation: Hsieh YL, Chou LW, Joe YS, Hong CZ. Spinal cord mechanism involving the remote effects of dry needling on the irritability of myofascial trigger spots in rabbit skeletal muscle. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2011 Jul;92(7):1098-105. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2010.11.018. Epub 2011 May 6.
citation: Koppenhaver SL, Walker MJ, Su J, McGowen JM, Umlauf L, Harris KD, Ross MD. Changes in lumbar multifidus muscle function and nociceptive sensitivity in low back pain patient responders versus non-responders after dry needling treatment. Man Ther. 2015 Dec;20(6):769-76. doi: 10.1016/j.math.2015.03.003. Epub 2015 Mar 13.
citation: Cagnie B, Barbe T, De Ridder E, Van Oosterwijck J, Cools A, Danneels L. The influence of dry needling of the trapezius muscle on muscle blood flow and oxygenation. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2012 Nov-Dec;35(9):685-91. doi: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2012.10.005.
citation: Aird L, Samuel D, Stokes M. Quadriceps muscle tone, elasticity and stiffness in older males: reliability and symmetry using the MyotonPRO. Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2012 Sep-Oct;55(2):e31-9. doi: 10.1016/j.archger.2012.03.005. Epub 2012 Apr 13.
citation: Ylinen J. Pressure algometry. Aust J Physiother. 2007;53(3):207. doi: 10.1016/s0004-9514(07)70032-6. No abstract available.
citation: Leggin BG, Michener LA, Shaffer MA, Brenneman SK, Iannotti JP, Williams GR Jr. The Penn shoulder score: reliability and validity. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2006 Mar;36(3):138-51. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2006.36.3.138.
citation: Takamoto K, Hori E, Urakawa S, Sakai S, Ishikawa A, Kohno S, Ono T, Nishijo H. Cerebral hemodynamic responses induced by specific acupuncture sensations during needling at trigger points: a near-infrared spectroscopic study. Brain Topogr. 2010 Sep;23(3):279-91. doi: 10.1007/s10548-010-0148-8. Epub 2010 May 26.
citation: Huppert TJ. Commentary on the statistical properties of noise and its implication on general linear models in functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Neurophotonics. 2016 Jan;3(1):010401. doi: 10.1117/1.NPh.3.1.010401. Epub 2016 Mar 2.