Mechanisms of neurodynamic treatments (MONET): a protocol for a mechanistic, randomised, single-blind controlled trial in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome

<p><strong>Background:</strong> Physiotherapeutic management is the first-line intervention for patients with entrapment neuropathies such as carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). As part of physiotherapy, neurodynamic interventions are often used to treat people with peripheral nerve invo...

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Main Authors: Sierra-Silvestre, E, Tachrount, M, Themistocleous, AC, Stewart, M, Baskozos, G, Schmid, A
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: BioMed Central 2024
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author Sierra-Silvestre, E
Tachrount, M
Themistocleous, AC
Stewart, M
Baskozos, G
Schmid, A
author_facet Sierra-Silvestre, E
Tachrount, M
Themistocleous, AC
Stewart, M
Baskozos, G
Schmid, A
author_sort Sierra-Silvestre, E
collection OXFORD
description <p><strong>Background:</strong> Physiotherapeutic management is the first-line intervention for patients with entrapment neuropathies such as carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). As part of physiotherapy, neurodynamic interventions are often used to treat people with peripheral nerve involvement, but their mechanisms of action are yet to be fully understood. The MONET (mechanisms of neurodynamic treatment) study aims to investigate the mechanisms of action of neurodynamic exercise intervention on nerve structure, and function.</p> <br> <p><strong>Methods:</strong> This mechanistic, randomised, single-blind, controlled trial will include 78 people with electrodiagnostically confirmed mild or moderate CTS and 30 healthy participants (N = 108). Patients will be randomly assigned into (1) a 6-week progressive home-based neurodynamic exercise intervention (n = 26), (2) a steroid injection (= 26), or (3) advice (n = 26) group. The primary outcome measure is fractional anisotropy of the median nerve at the wrist using advanced magnetic resonance neuroimaging. Secondary outcome measures include neuroimaging markers at the wrist, quantitative sensory testing, electrodiagnostics, and patient reported outcome measures. Exploratory outcomes include neuroimaging markers at the cervical spine, inflammatory and axonal integrity markers in serial blood samples and biopsies of median nerve innervated skin. We will evaluate outcome measures at baseline and at the end of the 6-week intervention period. We will repeat questionnaires at 6-months. Two-way repeated measures ANCOVAs, followed by posthoc testing will be performed to identify differences in outcome measures among groups and over time.</p> <br> <p><strong>Discussion:</strong> This study will advance our understanding of the mechanisms of action underpinning neurodynamic exercises, which will ultimately help clinicians to better target these treatments to those patients who may benefit from them. The inclusion of a positive control group (steroid injection) and a negative control group (advice) will strengthen the interpretation of our results.</p> <br> <p><strong>Trial registration:</strong> NCT05859412, 20/4/2023.</p>
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spelling oxford-uuid:467876af-12a5-48fa-968b-eca4249ae05e2024-07-29T13:13:09ZMechanisms of neurodynamic treatments (MONET): a protocol for a mechanistic, randomised, single-blind controlled trial in patients with carpal tunnel syndromeJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:467876af-12a5-48fa-968b-eca4249ae05eEnglishSymplectic ElementsBioMed Central2024Sierra-Silvestre, ETachrount, MThemistocleous, ACStewart, MBaskozos, GSchmid, A<p><strong>Background:</strong> Physiotherapeutic management is the first-line intervention for patients with entrapment neuropathies such as carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). As part of physiotherapy, neurodynamic interventions are often used to treat people with peripheral nerve involvement, but their mechanisms of action are yet to be fully understood. The MONET (mechanisms of neurodynamic treatment) study aims to investigate the mechanisms of action of neurodynamic exercise intervention on nerve structure, and function.</p> <br> <p><strong>Methods:</strong> This mechanistic, randomised, single-blind, controlled trial will include 78 people with electrodiagnostically confirmed mild or moderate CTS and 30 healthy participants (N = 108). Patients will be randomly assigned into (1) a 6-week progressive home-based neurodynamic exercise intervention (n = 26), (2) a steroid injection (= 26), or (3) advice (n = 26) group. The primary outcome measure is fractional anisotropy of the median nerve at the wrist using advanced magnetic resonance neuroimaging. Secondary outcome measures include neuroimaging markers at the wrist, quantitative sensory testing, electrodiagnostics, and patient reported outcome measures. Exploratory outcomes include neuroimaging markers at the cervical spine, inflammatory and axonal integrity markers in serial blood samples and biopsies of median nerve innervated skin. We will evaluate outcome measures at baseline and at the end of the 6-week intervention period. We will repeat questionnaires at 6-months. Two-way repeated measures ANCOVAs, followed by posthoc testing will be performed to identify differences in outcome measures among groups and over time.</p> <br> <p><strong>Discussion:</strong> This study will advance our understanding of the mechanisms of action underpinning neurodynamic exercises, which will ultimately help clinicians to better target these treatments to those patients who may benefit from them. The inclusion of a positive control group (steroid injection) and a negative control group (advice) will strengthen the interpretation of our results.</p> <br> <p><strong>Trial registration:</strong> NCT05859412, 20/4/2023.</p>
spellingShingle Sierra-Silvestre, E
Tachrount, M
Themistocleous, AC
Stewart, M
Baskozos, G
Schmid, A
Mechanisms of neurodynamic treatments (MONET): a protocol for a mechanistic, randomised, single-blind controlled trial in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome
title Mechanisms of neurodynamic treatments (MONET): a protocol for a mechanistic, randomised, single-blind controlled trial in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome
title_full Mechanisms of neurodynamic treatments (MONET): a protocol for a mechanistic, randomised, single-blind controlled trial in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome
title_fullStr Mechanisms of neurodynamic treatments (MONET): a protocol for a mechanistic, randomised, single-blind controlled trial in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome
title_full_unstemmed Mechanisms of neurodynamic treatments (MONET): a protocol for a mechanistic, randomised, single-blind controlled trial in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome
title_short Mechanisms of neurodynamic treatments (MONET): a protocol for a mechanistic, randomised, single-blind controlled trial in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome
title_sort mechanisms of neurodynamic treatments monet a protocol for a mechanistic randomised single blind controlled trial in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome
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