Temporary Gastric Electrical Stimulation for Drug Refractory Gastroparesis

University of Mississippi

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 3

Conditions: Gastroparesis

Treatments: Device: Gastric Electrical Stimulator, Enterra, Medtronics, Inc.

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; Industry

Identifiers

NCT00432835

2004-0185

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this research is to determine if temporary gastric electrical stimulation will help improve symptoms of gastroparesis (abnormal stomach emptying). We hypothesize that when the device is ON, Gastrointestinal symptoms will decrease by at least 50% from baseline.

Full description

Gastric Electrical Stimulation is an established treatment for drug-refractory patients who have the symptoms of gastroparesis/gastropathy. The symptoms of GP are nausea, vomiting, anorexia/early satiety, bloating/distention and abdominal pain and are classically associated with delayed gastric emptying of solids. The technique of GES was first used, in a patient seen at University of Tennesse-Memphis in 1993 and has undergone several clinical trials, particularly the GEMS trial, a feasibility trial starting in 1995 and the WAVESS trial, a double-blind trial begun in 1997. Both were international trials, showing promising results, and both have been published in the last 2 years. However, a number of issues related to who would benefit the most from Gastric Electrical Stimulation therapy have emerged. Among these issues are whether patients with etiologies other than diabetic or idiopathic gastroparesis, such as post-surgical gastropathy, which is often related to rapid, not delayed gastric emptying could be helped.

Most recently a technique for the temporary placement of a Gastric Electrical Stimulation electrode in the stomach with an upper endoscope, combined with an external Gastric Electrical Stimulation device, has been tried and validated, first at UAMS in Little Rock, AR, beginning in 2001 and more recently here at UMMC, beginning later in 2001 and up until the present time. Using the technique of temporary gastric electrical stimulation, we have been able to demonstrate that TempStim can quickly demonstrate (in a manner of days) that a patient will respond to temporary GES, as quantified by a decrease in GI total symptoms and an improvement and normalization in solid gastric emptying.

Enrollment: 58 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 70 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Sex: Male of Female
• Age Range: 18 to 70 inclusive
• Patients with GP of diabetic, surgically related or idiopathic etiology.
• Symptoms of GP for >/= 1 year.
• Refractory or intolerant to antiemetic drug classes (antihistamines and phenothiazines, serotonin receptor antagonists, dopamine receptor antagonists)
• Chronic vomiting and/or nausea with 7 or more episodes per week for either symptom irrespective of GET values.
• The patient is willing and able to provide informed consent.
• The patient is willing and able to return for required follow-up visits.

Exclusion criteria

• Patients < 18 or >70 years in age.
• Patients with an active infection of any kind.
• Patients who the investigator determines are not candidates for endoscopic procedures.
• Women who are pregnant
• Inability or unwillingness to provide informed consent
• Unwilling or unable to return for required follow-up visits and examinations.
• Patients who are currently enrolled in another investigation of a medical device or drug.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Quadruple Blind

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58 participants in 2 patient groups

Gastric Stimulation Days1-4/Sham5-8

Active Comparator group

Description:

The sequence followed for patients in Group 1 was: enrollment and acquisition of baseline data, then placement of electrode, then determination of mucosal EGG, then randomization to Group 1, then active stimulation for 72 consecutive hours, then a 1 day wash out, then the cross over, which entailed the device remaining inactive for the final 3 study days

Treatment:

Device: Gastric Electrical Stimulator, Enterra, Medtronics, Inc.

Sham1-4/Gastric Stimulation Days5-8

Active Comparator group

Description:

The sequence followed for patients in Group 2 was: enrollment and acquisition of baseline data, then placement of electrode, then determination of mucosal EGG, then randomization to Group 2, then no stimulation whatsoever until Day 5, then the cross over,then active stimulation with the Gastric Electrical Stimulator for 72 consecutive hours.

Treatment:

Device: Gastric Electrical Stimulator, Enterra, Medtronics, Inc.