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Effects of SBMT Combined With NMES on UL Functions in Post Stroke Patients

Effects of SBMT Combined With NMES on UL Functions in Post Stroke Patients

Recruiting
50-65 years
All
Phase N/A

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Overview

The aim of this study to evaluate the effects of synergy-based motor therapy combined with neuromuscular electric stimulation on upper limb function on post stroke patients

Description

Stroke is a serious medical condition that affects blood flow of brain due to ischemic stroke or hemorrhagic stroke. It because the long-term disabilities most commonly in older adults. The challenges face after stroke is weakness, loss of functions in upper limb.(1) Patients also feel difficulty in daily life activities like eating, dressing, writing, holding objects. In previous years, many therapeutic approaches have been developed to improve upper limb functions after stroke. There is most promising techniques like synergy-based motor therapy and NMES and these techniques helps patients in different ways. (2) Synergy-based motor therapy (SBMT) is a therapeutic approach designed to address unusual synergy patterns usually seen after stroke. Its purpose is to restore voluntary control and promote separate joint movements by returning motor routes.(3) Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) is a minor that distributes low-existing electrical impulses to stimulate muscle contractions in weak or paralyzed muscles, leading to muscle strength, motor learning and functional recovery.(4) More effective intervention can be offered by mixing SBMT with NMES together by addressing nerve control and muscle activity.

Synergy-based motor therapy is to focuses on retraining the brain to allow natural movements of the arm and hand. This therapy is based on how the brain learns and adapts (neuroplasticity)(5) It helps patients practice specific tasks and movements that target the upper limb joints, like shoulder abduction, elbow extension, and wrist control. Over time, this type of therapy can improve coordination, range of motion, and function of the affected arm.(6) The upper limb plays a vital role in daily living. Even simple actions like buttoning a shirt or brushing teeth require coordination between the hand, wrist, elbow, and shoulder. When stroke disrupts this system, the person becomes dependent on others. Synergy-based motor therapy directly targets the impaired patterns in the upper limb and helps the patient regain voluntary control. It also reduces muscle tightness (spasticity) and increases active participation of the limb in functional tasks.(7) Another important approach in stroke rehabilitation is neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES). In NMES, small electrical impulses are sent through the skin to activate the muscles that the brain can no longer control well. This causes the muscles to contract and helps in maintaining muscle strength, preventing muscle wasting, and encouraging active movement.(8) NMES can be especially helpful for patients who are unable to move their arm due to severe weakness in the early phase of recovery.NMES is not just about stimulating muscles; it also sends feedback to the brain, which can help rebuild the brain-muscle connection. It supports the patient's ability to relearn lost skills. Moreover, NMES can reduce pain, improve blood flow, and increase patient motivation by allowing them to see progress even when they cannot move the limb on their own. This makes it a very useful tool in stroke rehabilitation, especially when used in combination with task-specific exercises.(9) Both therapies have shown positive results individually, combining both therapies may offer even better outcome. Synergy based motor therapy works on retraining the brain and correcting the movement patterns while NMES can assist by strengthening the muscles. Most studies have looked these therapies separately and not focused on older adults which have slower recovery than young adults.(10) This research is important because it addresses a gap in the existing literature by focusing on a specific age group and combining the two effective techniques. The findings help physical therapists and rehabilitation professionals develop more effective, evidence-based treatment plan for post stroke patients to improve the quality of life and independence in daily life.(11) Incorporating synergy-based motor therapy and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) into routine stroke rehabilitation programs may promote long-term benefits such as enhanced motor recovery, improved functional performance, and greater independence in daily activities among post-stroke patients. These interventions work by activating normal muscle synergies, improving neuromuscular recruitment patterns, and facilitating motor relearning through targeted feedback mechanisms. NMES provides sensory and motor stimulation that helps improve voluntary muscle activation, while synergy-based therapy focuses on restoring coordinated limb movements disrupted by cortical damage. Although both techniques have individually demonstrated positive outcomes in upper limb rehabilitation, comparative studies remain limited. Understanding the combined effect of these therapies in older adults with post-stroke hemiparesis is crucial for evidence-based decision making. The findings may assist clinicians in refining post-stroke rehabilitation approaches and designing more tailored intervention protocols for upper limb recovery.

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

Patients must meet the following criteria for study entry:

  • Age ≥18 years
  • Histologically diagnosed
  • Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (NOS) or
  • High grade B-cell lymphoma (NOS or MYC and BCL2 rearrangements) or
  • T cell/histiocyte-rich large B-cell lymphoma
  • Have no prior systemic treatment for current lymphoma
  • Ineligible for anthracycline-based cytotoxic chemotherapy due to one or more of the following:
  • Age ≥80
  • Unfit/frail by simplified geriatric assessment4
  • The link to calculate simplified geriatric assessment https://redcap.filinf.it/surveys/?s=89AFXML8AK Criteria Fit Unfit Frail ADL ≥ 5 \< 5 6 \< 6 IADL ≥ 6 \< 6 8 \< 8 CIRS-G 0 score = 3-4

    ≤ 8 score = 2 ≥ 1 score = 3-4 8 score = 2 0 score = 3-4 \< 5 score = 2 ≥ 1 score = 3-4

    ≥ 5 score = 2 Age \<80 \< 80 ≥ 80 ≥ 80 Abbreviations: ADL, activities of daily living; IADL, instrumental ADL; CIRS-G, Cumulative Illness Rating Scale for Geriatrics

  • Ejection fraction (EF) \<50% but ≥30%
  • Needs to be asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic, New York Heart Association (NYHA) class 1 or 2
  • Previous cardiotoxic cancer treatment with anthracycline
  • Stage II bulky (\>7cm), III or IV disease
  • Performance status ≤2 on the ECOG scale (PS ≤3 if attributed to lymphoma and improves to ≤2 by pre-phase treatment prior to enrollment)
  • Bi-dimensionally measurable disease, with at least one nodal lesion ≥ 1.5 cm or one extra-nodal lesion \> 1 cm in longest diameter by CT, PET/CT, and/or MRI
  • Patients must have adequate organ and marrow function as defined below:
  • Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥1.0 × 109/L\*

    --\*Growth factor permitted during screening

  • Platelet count ≥75 × 109/L
  • Total bilirubin ≤ 3 ULN, unless consistent with Gilbert's (ratio between total and direct bilirubin \> 5)
  • AST and ALT ≤ 3x upper limit of normal (ULN)
  • Alkaline phosphatase \< 2.5 ULN
  • Creatinine clearance \>45 ml/min calculated by modified Cockcroft-Gault formula
  • All subjects must
  • Agree to refrain from donating blood while on study treatment, during dose interruptions and for at least 12 months following the last dose of study treatment.
  • Sign an informed consent document indicating that they understand the purpose of and procedures required for the study, including biomarkers, and are willing to participate in the study.

The investigator is responsible for: ensuring that the patient understands the potential risks and benefits of participating in the study; ensuring that informed consent is given by each patient, this includes obtaining the appropriate signatures and dates on the informed consent document prior to the performance of any study procedures and prior to the administration of study treatment; answering any questions the patient may have throughout the study and sharing in a timely manner any new information that may be relevant to the patient's willingness to continue his or her participant in the trial. Subjects will undergo a brief physical exam including a brief exam to determine cognitive review. No one without capacity to personally consent will be enrolled. Patients have medical decision-making capacity if they can demonstrate understanding of the situation, appreciation of the consequences of their decision, and reasoning in their thought process, and if they can communicate their wishes.

A determination of lack of decision-making capacity shall be made after an appropriate medical evaluation that concludes there is little or no likelihood that the participant will regain decision-making capacity in a reasonable period of time.

  • Females must agree to abstain from breastfeeding during study participation and for at least 12 months after epcoritamab discontinuation.
  • Females of childbearing potential (FCBP§) must:
  • Have one negative pregnancy tests via serum or urine prior to starting study therapy. She must agree to ongoing pregnancy testing during the course of the study, prior to day 1 of each cycle, and after end of study therapy. This applies even if the subject practices true abstinence\* from heterosexual contact.
  • Not engaging in sexual activity for the total duration of the trial and the drug washout period is an acceptable practice. Otherwise, she must agree to use, and be able to comply with two forms of contraception: one highly effective, and one additional effective (barrier) measure of contraception without interruption 28 days prior to starting epcoritamab, during the study treatment (including dose interruptions), and for at least 12 months after the last dose of epcoritamab.
  • Male subjects must:
  • A male subject who is sexually active with a female with reproductive potential must agree to use a barrier method of birth control, eg, either condom with spermicidal foam/gel/film/cream/suppository or partner with occlusive cap (diaphragm or cervical/vault caps) with spermicidal foam/gel/film/cream/ suppository (including dose interruptions), even if they have undergone a successful vasectomy, from the time of signing consent and for at least 12 months after the last dose of epcoritamab. A male subject must agree not to donate sperm or semen, while taking epcoritamab, during breaks (dose interruptions), and for at least 12 months after the last dose of epcoritamab.

Exclusion Criteria

Subjects will be ineligible for this study if they meet any of following criteria:

  • Known central nervous system lymphoma or leptomeningeal disease
  • Suspicious case with symptoms should be evaluated with brain MRI with or without Any prior history of other malignancy besides B-NHL, unless the patient has been free of disease for ≥ 3 years and felt to be at low risk for recurrence by the treating physician, except:
  • Adequately treated localized skin cancer without evidence of disease.
  • Adequately treated cervical carcinoma in situ without evidence of disease.
  • Any life-threatening illness, medical condition, or organ system dysfunction which, in the investigator's opinion, could compromise the subject's safety, or put the study outcomes at undue risk.
  • Uncontrolled human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), or active Hepatitis C Virus, or active Hepatitis B Virus infection, or any uncontrolled active significant infection, including suspected or confirmed JC virus infection and SARS-CoV2
  • Patients with inactive hepatitis B infection must adhere to hepatitis B reactivation prophylaxis unless contraindicated. Hepatitis B or C serologic status: subjects who are hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) positive and who are surface antigen negative will need to have a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Those who are hepatitis B surface antigen (HbsAg) positive or hepatitis B PCR positive will be excluded. Subjects who are hepatitis C antibody positive will need to have a negative PCR result. Those who are hepatitis C PCR positive will be excluded. Subjects with a history of Hepatitis C who received antiviral treatment are eligible as long as PCR is negative.
  • History of severe allergic or anaphylactic reactions or intolerance to anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody therapy or any bispecific antibody.
  • History of immunodeficiency (with the exception of hypogammaglobulinemia) or concurrent systemic immunosuppressant therapy (e.g., cyclosporine, tacrolimus, etc., or chronic administration glucocorticoid equivalent of \>10mg/day of prednisone) within 28 days of the first dose of study drug with exception of steroid used for IV contrast allergy. In addition, use of inhaled, topical, intranasal corticosteroids or local steroid injection (eg, intra- articular injection) is permitted.
  • Clinically significant cardiovascular disease such as uncontrolled or symptomatic arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, or myocardial infarction within 6 months of Screening, or any Class 3 (moderate) or Class 4 (severe) cardiac disease as defined by the New York Heart Association (NYHA) Functional Classification. Subjects with controlled, asymptomatic heart failure during screening can enroll on study.
  • Significant screening electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities including left bundle branch block, 2nd degree atrioventricular (AV) block, type II AV block, 3rd degree block, 12-lead ECG showing a baseline QTcF \>470 msec.
  • History of stroke, seizure disorder or patients requiring antiepileptic therapy or intracranial hemorrhage within 6 months prior to study entry.
  • Patients with more than mild pericardial effusion confirmed by ECHO.
  • Lactating or pregnant subjects
  • Administration of any investigational agent within 28 days of first dose of study drug.
  • Patients who have undergone major surgery within 28 days or minor surgery within 3 days of first dose of study drug.
  • Patients taking chronic corticosteroids for other diseases, unless administered at a dose equivalent to \< 10 mg/day prednisone. For corticosteroids, prednisolone \>20 mg daily (or equivalent) qualifies as immunosuppressive and thus is excluded for this use. Note: corticosteroids at any dose are permitted for control of lymphoma-related symptoms, including during screening, and for prophylaxis or AE management during the trial.
  • Life expectancy \< 6 months
  • Neuropathy \> Grade 1
  • Prior exposure to epcoritamab, independently from indication
  • Patients who have an active autoimmune disease that has required systemic treatment in past 2 years (i.e., with use of disease modifying agents, corticosteroids or immunosuppressive drugs). Replacement therapy (e.g., thyroxine, insulin, or physiologic corticosteroid replacement therapy for adrenal or pituitary insufficiency) is not considered a form of systemic treatment and is allowed.
  • Patients who have a history of (non-infectious) pneumonitis that require steroids or has current pneumonitis.

Study details
    Stroke

NCT07576465

Riphah International University

13 May 2026

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