Status:

COMPLETED

The Effects of L-carnitine on Fatigue in Spinal Cord Injury

Lead Sponsor:

University of British Columbia

Collaborating Sponsors:

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

Conditions:

Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)

Eligibility:

All Genders

19-65 years

Phase:

PHASE2

Brief Summary

1. Purpose: To explore the use of L-Carnitine, a pharmaceutical product, for the treatment of fatigue in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). 2. Hypothesis: Similar to previous research in disabled ...

Detailed Description

This is a non-concurrent, multiple baseline single subject research design. This pilot study will treat 4 SCI subjects with L-Carnitine, and track the progress of their fatigue prior to, during and fo...

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

  • Spinal Cord Injury: paraplegia or tetraplegia (ASIA A, B or C)
  • More than 1 year since date of injury
  • Clinically significant fatigue, determined by a score on the Fatigue Severity Scale greater than or equal to 4
  • Between 19 and 65 years of age
  • Ability to provide informed consent

Exclusion

  • Spinal Cord Injury ASIA D, or lack of Spinal Cord Injury
  • Acute phase of rehabilitation: less than 1 year since date of injury
  • Fatigue Severity Scale score less than 4
  • Under 19 years of age or above 65 years of age
  • Inability to provide informed consent
  • Lack of proficiency in English, specified by an inability to read/understand consent form and complete tools
  • Inability to come to GF Strong for 4 separate visits
  • On-going treatment with anticoagulants such as warfarin or acenocoumarol
  • Pregnancy, lactation or breast feeding
  • History of seizures
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Severe liver or kidney disease
  • Other on-going fatigue treatment over the past 6 months
  • On-going treatment with L-carnitine
  • Lack of stability on pain or depression medication over the past 6 months, determined by history. The subjects will be asked about any changes in pain or depression medications over the past 6 months. If they have had a change in pain or depression medications or started a new pain or depression medication within the past 6 months, they will be excluded from the study. Subjects will be asked about their use of supplements and the indications for the supplements. Again, a change in supplements used for pain or depression in the past 6 months will result in exclusion from the study.

Key Trial Info

Start Date :

October 1 2010

Trial Type :

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation :

ACTUAL

End Date :

April 1 2013

Estimated Enrollment :

2 Patients enrolled

Trial Details

Trial ID

NCT01232907

Start Date

October 1 2010

End Date

April 1 2013

Last Update

October 8 2014

Active Locations (1)

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Page 1 of 1 (1 locations)

1

Rehab Research Lab, GF Strong Rehab Centre, 4255 Laurel Street

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V5Z 2G9