Conditions: Scleroderma Raynaud's Syndrome
Keywords: Scleroderma, Systemic Raynaud Disease Botulinum Toxins, Type A
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 40
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
This is a randomized, double-blinded, clinical trial assessing the therapeutic efficacy of Botulinum toxin A (Onabotulinumtoxin A) in treating scleroderma-associated Raynaud's syndrome. Each patient will undergo injection with a treatment dose of Botulinum toxin A in one randomly-selected hand, and the contralateral hand will be injected with sterile saline (placebo) to serve as a control.

Study participants at the first study visit will complete study questionnaires, their hands will be assessed clinically for digital ulceration, and their hands will undergo non-invasive laser Doppler imaging to assess blood flow. After this initial assessment, the patients will undergo peri-arterial injection of Botulinum toxin A in one hand, and of sterile saline solution (placebo) in the other, in a randomized, blinded manner.

Patient will report the severity of their Raynaud's symptoms weekly over the four month study period. At one month post-injection, the patient will complete study questionnaires, their hands will be assessed clinically for digital ulceration, and their hands will undergo non-invasive laser Doppler imaging. At four months post-injection, the patient will again complete study questionnaires, their hands will be assessed clinically for digital ulceration, and their hands will undergo non-invasive laser Doppler imaging. In addition, patient will be given the option of one week post-injection visit, at which point the same assessment will be performed.

At the conclusion of the study, unblinding will occur.

Detailed description:

Arms:
arm 1: One hand of each patient will be randomly selected for injection of Botulinum Toxin A (Onabotulinumtoxin A, 20 units/mL).

Injections are performed using a 30 gauge insulin syringe through the dorsal surface in seven locations: adjacent to the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th common digital arteries through the web spaces (10 units each=0.5mL each), and the radial side of the index finger metacarpal head, the ulnar side of the small finger metacarpal head, and each side of the thumb metacarpal head (5 units each= 0.25mL each). Total treatment dose of Botulinum Toxin A will not exceed 50 units per hand. arm 2: One hand of each patient will be randomly selected for injection of sterile saline solution (placebo).

Injections are performed using a 30 gauge insulin syringe through the dorsal surface in seven locations: adjacent to the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th common digital arteries through the web spaces (0.5 mL each), and the radial side of the index finger metacarpal head, the ulnar side of the small finger metacarpal head, and each side of the thumb metacarpal head (0.25 mL each).

Interventions: intervention 1: Onabotulinumtoxin A intervention 2: sterile saline solution
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: None intervention 2: None

Protocol document: