Pain Phenotyping in Patients with Neuropathic Pain After Spinal Cord Injury

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF ZURICH · May 29, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial, titled "Pain Phenotyping in Patients With Neuropathic Pain After Spinal Cord Injury," is studying the reasons why some people experience nerve pain after a spinal cord injury (SCI). The researchers want to understand how the nervous system processes pain and how changes in this process can lead to ongoing pain. To do this, they will use various tests that measure how people feel pain and how their bodies respond to it. This research aims to help improve treatments for those suffering from nerve pain after an SCI.

If you are between 18 and 80 years old and have experienced a spinal cord injury or have a condition affecting your peripheral nervous system (which includes the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord), you may be eligible to participate. Participants can expect to undergo several assessments involving sensory tests and monitoring of their body's responses to pain. The study is currently recruiting, so if you or someone you know is interested, it might be a great opportunity to contribute to important research that could lead to better pain management strategies.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• * Spinal injury cohort - general inclusion criteria:
• • Aged between 18-80 years
• • Traumatic and non-traumatic etiology
• • Para- and tetraplegic SCI
• • Complete and incomplete SCI
• • SCI with and without neuropathic pain
• * Additional inclusion criteria for longitudinal study:
• • SCI since less than one month
• * Additional inclusion criteria for cross-sectional study:
• • SCI since more than one year
• * Control cohorts with peripheral neuropathy:
• * General inclusion criteria:
• • Aged between 18-80 years
• • Neurological disorder affecting the peripheral nervous system (i.e., peripheral neuropathy)
• • Peripheral neuropathy with or without neuropathic pain
• * Additional inclusion criteria for longitudinal study:
• • Peripheral neuropathy since less than one month
• * Additional inclusion criteria for cross-sectional study:
• • Peripheral neuropathy since more than one year
• • Control cohorts without neuropathy / healthy volunteers
• * General inclusion criteria:
• • Aged between 18-80 years
• • No medical condition affecting the peripheral and/or central nervous system (e.g., pain, systemic disease, psychological disorder)
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Inability to follow study instructions
• • Pregnancy
• • Medically manifested psychological disorder
• • Medical condition affecting the peripheral and/or central nervous system other than the desired experimental condition (e.g., additional peripheral neuropathy in the SCI cohort)

Trial Officials