Spinal Cord Stimulation + Respiratory Training for Spinal Cord Injury

Overseen By Andrea Willhite, MS

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Louisville

Disqualifiers: Pulmonary, Cardiovascular, Endocrine, Obesity, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 80

36 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores new methods to help individuals with chronic spinal cord injuries (SCI) improve their breathing. It combines a respiratory training program with spinal cord stimulation, which uses mild electrical pulses to activate parts of the spinal cord related to breathing. Participants will be divided into three groups: one will undergo respiratory training, another will receive spinal cord stimulation, and the third will receive both treatments. Suitable candidates for this trial have had a stable SCI for over a year, experience breathing difficulties, and are not dependent on a ventilator. As an unphased trial, this study provides a unique opportunity to contribute to innovative research that could enhance breathing for SCI patients.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It's best to discuss this with the trial coordinators or your doctor.

What prior data suggests that this spinal cord stimulation and respiratory training method is safe for spinal cord injury patients?

Research has shown that breathing exercises are safe for people with spinal cord injuries. Studies have not identified any harmful effects from these exercises, and patients generally tolerate them well, making them a reliable option.

For transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation, studies also support its safety for people with spinal cord injuries. This method uses small electrical pulses to stimulate the spinal cord through the skin. Research has demonstrated that it can be safely used alongside rehabilitation exercises.

When combined, transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation and breathing exercises also appear safe. Early studies suggest this combination strengthens breathing muscles without causing major side effects.

Overall, existing research indicates that the treatments in this study are safe. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about this trial because it explores combining spinal cord stimulation with respiratory training in new ways for spinal cord injury patients. Unlike standard treatments that often focus on managing symptoms with medications or physical therapy alone, this approach uses transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (scTS) to directly target neural pathways. The scTS is non-invasive and applied through the skin, aiming to improve respiratory function by enhancing neural connectivity. By combining this with respiratory training, the method could potentially lead to better outcomes in breathing and overall quality of life for patients, which is a significant advancement from current options.

What evidence suggests that this trial's treatments could be effective for spinal cord injury?

Research has shown that inspiratory muscle training (IMT), which participants in this trial may receive as part of the Respiratory Training (RT) group, strengthens breathing muscles in people with spinal cord injuries. This improvement allows them to breathe with more force. For transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS), another treatment option in this trial as part of the Spinal Cord Transcutaneous Stimulation (scTS) group, studies have found it may enhance movement and increase upper body strength in these individuals. When combined with breathing exercises, as in the Spinal Cord Transcutaneous Stimulation and Respiratory Training (scTS+RT) group, evidence suggests it can further improve breathing muscle function and strength. This combination might help people with spinal cord injuries breathe more easily. Overall, these treatments have the potential to enhance lung function in those affected. ^{4 6 7 8 9}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Alexander Ovechkin, MD, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of Louisville

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for adults over 18 with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) who have been stable for at least a year and show significant breathing function deficits. It's not suitable for those dependent on ventilators, with major illnesses like heart disease or cancer, obesity, pregnancy, or conditions that could interfere with the training.

Inclusion Criteria

I don't have any major muscle or bone issues, open wounds, or UTIs that could affect my breathing exercises.

Your lung function test shows at least a 15% decrease compared to what is typical for a healthy person.

My spinal cord injury hasn't worsened and I don't need a ventilator. My injury level is above T5 and classified as 'A' or 'B'.

Exclusion Criteria

I have an illness related to HIV/AIDS.

I do not have major esophageal or gastrointestinal issues that would prevent me from undergoing respiratory training or testing.

I have low blood pressure due to another health condition.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2 weeks

Baseline Assessment

Participants undergo baseline assessments before the intervention

2 weeks

Intervention

Participants receive 80 sessions of Respiratory Training, Spinal Cord Transcutaneous Stimulation, or a combination of both

16 weeks

80 sessions

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

16 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Respiratory Training
• Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulator

Trial Overview The study tests if non-invasive spinal cord stimulation combined with respiratory training can improve lung function in SCI patients. Participants are divided into three groups to receive either just the training, just the stimulation, or both together.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Spinal Cord Transcutaneous Stimulation and Respiratory Training (scTS+RT) group Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

Participants will undergo 80 scTS combined with the RT while seated in their own wheelchairs with an approximately 45° head-up tilt. The scTS will be administered using the Neostim/Biostim (Cosyma Inc., Denver CO) and Standard threshold Positive Expiratory Pressure Device (PEP, Respironics Inc., Cedar Grove, NJ) and standard threshold Inspiratory Muscle Trainer (IMT, Respironics Inc., Cedar Grove, NJ) assembled together using a T-shaped connector with a flanged mouthpiece (Airlife 001504) will be used for the RT as described for the Arms 1 and 2.

Group II: Training (RT) group Active Control 1 Intervention

80 scTS sessions will be administered using the Neostim/Biostim (Cosyma Inc., Denver CO) device applying up to five conductive electrodes placed on the skin at the midline over the thoracic levels as cathodes between T1 to T8, and up to four self-adhesive electrodes located symmetrically on the skin over the iliac crests and shoulders as anodes. During the intervention, optimally configured scTS will be delivered based on the measures assessed during mapping sessions. The scTS with 5 mA-sub-motor threshold intensity with optimal frequency and pulse width will be delivered using 5 min on and 5 min off stimulation periods during interventional bouts. Every research participant will be slowly acclimated to stimulation. Blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate will be closely monitored throughout stimulation sessions in the Lab by using beat-to-beat blood pressure, and respiratory kinematics monitoring.

Group III: Spinal Cord Transcutaneous Stimulation (scTS) group Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants will undergo 80 RT sessions using standard threshold Positive Expiratory Pressure Device (PEP, Respironics Inc., Cedar Grove, NJ) and standard threshold Inspiratory Muscle Trainer (IMT, Respironics Inc., Cedar Grove, NJ) assembled together using a T-shaped connector with a flanged mouthpiece (Airlife 001504). Participants will be trained at the Frazier Rehab Institute and remotely to complete eighty 45-minute sessions during 16 weeks. The participants will be instructed to perform inspiratory and expiratory efforts against a pressure threshold load. The training will be initiated with a load equal to 20% of their individual Maximum Inspiratory Pressure (PImax) and Maximum Expiratory Pressure (PEmax) values with progressive increases as tolerated up to 60% of their baseline PImax and PEmax measures. The goal will be to reach the 60% load of PImax and PEmax during the last week of each month of the training.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Louisville

Lead Sponsor

Trials

353

Recruited

76,400+

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

Collaborator

Trials

3,987

Recruited

47,860,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

Lower thoracic spinal cord stimulation (SCS) effectively activates expiratory muscles in individuals with tetraplegia, achieving high peak airflow rates and airway pressures similar to those seen in healthy individuals during a strong cough.

In a clinical trial involving 9 participants, combined stimulation of two electrode leads produced the highest airflow rates (8.6 L/s) and airway pressures (137 cmH2O), demonstrating the potential of SCS to enhance respiratory function in patients with cervical spinal cord injuries.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Lower thoracic spinal cord stimulation to restore cough in patients with spinal cord injury: results of a National Institutes of Health-sponsored clinical trial. Part I: methodology and effectiveness of expiratory muscle activation. DiMarco, AF., Kowalski, KE., Geertman, RT., et al.[2021]

Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) was found to be feasible and safe for seven adult patients with acute complete cervical or thoracic spinal cord injuries, with all planned sessions successfully delivered without any adverse events.

Some participants showed improvements in lung function, with increases in maximal inspiratory pressure for four individuals and forced vital capacity for three, suggesting potential efficacy of IMT in enhancing respiratory function.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Inspiratory muscle training is feasible and safe for patients with acute spinal cord injury. McDonald, T., Stiller, K.[2020]

In a pilot study involving 6 participants with spinal cord injuries, an 8-week community exercise program that included inspiratory muscle training (IMT) led to significant improvements in functional measures such as transfer times and trunk strength.

Participants reported positive impacts from the program, suggesting that combining IMT with community exercise may help reduce respiratory complications and improve overall health outcomes for individuals with spinal cord injuries.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Community exercise for individuals with spinal cord injury with inspiratory muscle training: A pilot study. Leathem, JM., Macht-Sliwinski, M., Boak, S., et al.[2022]

In a randomized controlled trial with 22 cervical spinal cord injury (cSCI) subjects, transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) combined with inspiratory muscle training (IMT) significantly improved respiratory function, including reduced breathlessness and increased thoracic muscle strength.

Subjects receiving tSCS + IMT showed notable enhancements in maximum inspiratory pressure, maximum expiratory pressure, and forced vital capacity, while those who only underwent IMT did not experience significant changes, highlighting the potential of tSCS as an effective adjunct therapy for respiratory rehabilitation in cSCI.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation Improves Respiratory Muscle Strength and Function in Subjects with Cervical Spinal Cord Injury: Original Research. Kumru, H., García-Alén, L., Ros-Alsina, A., et al.[2023]

Lower thoracic spinal cord stimulation (SCS) effectively activates expiratory muscles in dogs, demonstrating significant changes in airway pressure generation, which could help restore effective coughing in patients with spinal cord injuries.

The study showed that SCS can produce substantial positive airway pressures across various lung volumes, indicating its potential as a clinically useful method for improving respiratory function in individuals with paralysis of expiratory muscles.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Electrical activation of the expiratory muscles to restore cough. DiMarco, AF., Romaniuk, JR., Supinski, GS.[2007]

Cervical transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) can effectively activate sensory fibers at lower stimulation intensities when the cathode electrode is positioned at the C7 or T1 vertebra, compared to C6, which may enhance rehabilitation outcomes for upper-limb motor recovery after spinal cord injury.

Using smaller electrode sizes not only lowers the activation threshold for sensory fibers but also optimizes the recruitment of these fibers before α-motor fibers, suggesting a strategic approach to improve hand muscle activation during tSCS therapy.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Optimizing sensory fiber activation during cervical transcutaneous spinal stimulation using different electrode configurations: A computational analysis. de Freitas, RM., Capogrosso, M., Nomura, T., et al.[2022]

Spinal cord injuries often leave some neural pathways intact, which can be targeted for recovery through various non-invasive respiratory treatments, enhancing neuroplasticity and long-term recovery.

The review discusses current and emerging respiratory training strategies, such as strength training and chemical stimulation, that may not only improve respiratory function but also positively impact other networks, like locomotion, after cervical level spinal cord injuries.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Respiratory Training and Plasticity After Cervical Spinal Cord Injury. Randelman, M., Zholudeva, LV., Vinit, S., et al.[2022]

A 4-week expiratory muscle strength training program, using a pressure threshold device, showed up to a 50% improvement in respiratory muscle strength among healthy individuals and those with conditions like multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury.

The training protocol, which involves 15-20 minutes of daily exercises five times a week, is designed to enhance expiratory muscle strength and may also positively impact functional outcomes and brain plasticity.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Respiratory muscle strength training: functional outcomes versus plasticity. Sapienza, CM., Wheeler, K.[2022]

A systematic review of 11 studies involving 212 participants with cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) found that respiratory muscle training (RMT) significantly improved vital capacity and respiratory muscle strength without any reported adverse effects.

RMT showed a statistically significant increase in maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures, indicating its efficacy in enhancing respiratory function for individuals with cervical SCI, although it did not affect forced expiratory volume or dyspnoea.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Respiratory muscle training for cervical spinal cord injury. Berlowitz, DJ., Tamplin, J.[2022]

Citations

1. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK72752/

Respiratory muscle training in persons with spinal cord injury This review aimed to assess the effectiveness of respiratory muscle training on a number of clinical and health outcomes in individuals with spinal cord injury.

2. tandfonline.com tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09638288.2022.2107085

Full article: The effects of inspiratory muscle training on ... Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) significantly improves respiratory muscle strength in adults with spinal cord injuries—irrespective of time since injury, or ...

3. ccforum.biomedcentral.com ccforum.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13054-025-05535-z

a network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials This network meta-analysis (NMA) compared the efficacy of various respiratory training methods in improving respiratory function in patients with spinal cord ...

4. e-arm.org e-arm.org/journal/view.php?number=4404

The Effects of Inspiratory Muscle Training in Individuals With ... Our results showed that IMT may improve MIP, MEP, and VC, but not FEV1, FVC, or QoL, in patients with cervical SCI. Further large-scale studies ...

5. nature.com nature.com/articles/s41394-023-00594-2

Comparison of two inspiratory muscle training protocols in ... Our findings support both methods of IMT as the change in PI max and inspiratory work were similar between groups.

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10452666/

Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation Improves ... Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation improves respiratory muscle strength and function in subjects with cervical spinal cord injury.

7. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1094715925000078

Safety and Effectiveness of Multisite Transcutaneous ... Evaluate the preliminary safety and efficacy of multi-site transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) combined with activity-based therapy (ABT) in ...

8. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07135583

NCT07135583 | Non-Invasive Interventions for Respiratory ... Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation (tSCS): This uses small electrical pulses delivered through the skin to stimulate the spinal cord and help activate the ...

9. mdpi.com mdpi.com/2076-3425/15/9/982

Non-Invasive Cervical Spinal Stimulation and Respiratory ... Recent evidence suggests that transcutaneous electrical spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) may enhance motor strength and promote functional recovery. Therefore, ...