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News from Foundation for Physical Therapy

	SRC Nominations

	Clinical Research Network (CRN) Update #3

Top SRC Nominations Clinical Research Network (CRN)... Foundationfunded Research...

 
Recruitment Status

As of December 31, 2005, the Foundationfunded Clinical Research Network (PTClinResNet) at the University of Southern California completed its fi nal year. PTClinResNet is a multisite physical therapy research clinical network established to assess the effects of strengthening exercises designed to improve muscle performance and movement skill in patients with a variety of disabilities. Each of the 4 studies within the 5-site network has completed recruitment, collected baseline data, completed the interventions, and has either completed or is near to completing all follow-up assessments.

Each of the projects met their initial recruitment goals, a major accomplishment. This accomplishment is particularly signifi cant in light of the fact that it has been estimated that 80% of all clinical trials fail to meet recruitment goals (Marks RG, Conlon M, Ruberg SJ. Stat Med. 2001;20:2683-2696). Recruitment goals were specifi c to each study within the network and spanned a variety of diagnostic groups (cerebral vascular accident [CVA], cerebral palsy [CP], spine and spinal cord injury [SCI]), levels of research (phase I and II studies), geographical areas (California, Illinois, and Missouri), and primary outcome measures. The key to successfully meeting the recruitment goals centered on the formalized collaboration and cross-discipline education between the Data Management Center and the study investigators. This communication and collaboration, along with the carefully defi ned data management infrastructure and randomization procedures, allowed the study investigators to be creative in the recruitment process but independent and masked to the group assignment.

Specifi c recruitment goals and status per study within PTClinResNet:

Strength-Training Effectiveness Post Stroke (STEPS) (phase II, CVA population): Goal=80, Recruitment=80

Pediatric Endurance Development and Limb Strengthening (PEDALS) (phase I, CP population):

Goal=60, Recruitment=64

Muscle-Specifi c Strengthening Effectiveness Post Lumbar Microdiscectomy (MUSSEL) (phase II, spine population):

Goal=100, Recruitment=98

Strengthening and Optimal Movements for Painful Shoulders in Chronic Spinal Cord Injury (STOMPS) (phase I, SCI population):

Goal=80, Recruitment=80

Additional Roles of the Data Management Center

Cross-discipline collaboration between the Data Management Center (DMC) and the physical therapy investigators is essential in creating and maintaining a research network. Each discipline contributes unique expertise, experience, and roles. The DMC of the PTClinResNet project is directed by Stanley Azen, PhD, Professor of Preventive Medicine at USC. The responsibilities of the DMC were to develop the PTClinResNet Web site, build the study databases for Web-based data entry, develop the randomization procedures, develop a prototype template for reporting progress and safety information to the Data Monitoring and Safety Committee (DMSC), conduct statistical analyses for the primary intent-to-treat analyses as well as perform secondary analyses, and provide databases to study investigators for secondary analyses (on request and with the approval of the Steering Committee).

Development of the PTClinResNet Web site was critical to the overall communication requirements among the investigators and staff at the 5 study locations. A large portion of the site disseminates network-related information to the general public. This section contains (1) an overview of the network and study information, (2) the background and responsibilities of key personnel, (3) PTClinResNet news items, conference information and announcements, and (4) information for potential study participants. You may access the PreClinResNet public Web site via the Foundation Web site at www.apta.org/Foundation. From the Foundation home page, go to the Awards & Scholarships page. On the Awards & Scholarships page, information about the CRN and access to the Web site is in the lower right-hand corner.

A secured section of the Web site was also created to facilitate communication between study personnel. Key features of this section are (1) the manual of procedures for each randomized clinical trial, (2) reports to the Steering Committee and Foundation for Physical Therapy, (3) minutes and action items for all conference calls with the Steering Committee, (4) weekly updated graphs of actual versus planned study recruitment, and (5) reports to the DMSC.

	Foundationfunded Research Presentations at CSM 2006

Top SRC Nominations Clinical Research Network (CRN)... Foundationfunded Research...

 
Four platform and 9 poster presentations reported fi ndings from Foundation-funded research at CSM 2006. These presentations were made possible by your fi nancial commitment to physical therapy research and to the future of the profession:

Platform Presentations

• Effect of Footwear and Orthotic Devices on Soft Tissue Thickness and Pressure Variables of the Neuropathic Foot. Lott DJ.
  
• The Relationship Between Femoral Anteversion and Femoral Segment Kinematics During a Step Down Maneuver. Souza RB.
  
• Vibration of the Biceps Brachii Tendon Reduces Time to Failure When Maintaining Limb Position During a Fatiguing Contraction. Mottram C.
  
• Peripheral Quantitative Computerized Tomography (pQCT): Measurement Sensitivity in Individuals With and Without Spinal Cord Injury. Dudley-Javorosky S.
  

Poster Presentations

• Functional Predictors of Outcomes Following Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy for Individuals With Post-Stroke Hemiparesis. Fritz S.
  
• Decreased Arm Swing at Fast Walking Speed in Mild Parkinson Disease. Hong M, Earhart GM, Damiano DL, Perlmutter JS.
  
• Sensorimotor Impairments and Reaching Performance in Persons With Hemiparesis: Relationships During the Acute and Subacute Phase After Stroke. Wagner J, Lang CE, Sahrmann SA, Edwards DF, Dromerick AW.
  
• Contributions of Trunk Passive Tissue Stiffness to Passive Trunk Lateral Bending in People Classifi ed Into Different Low Back Pain Subgroups. Gombatto S, Zou D, Sahrmann SA, Scholtes SA, Van Dillen LR.
  
• Gender-Related Differences in Prevalence of Lumbar Region Impairments in People With People With Low-Back Pain: A Secondary Analysis. Scholtes S, Sahrmann SA, Van Dillen LR.
  
• A Pilot Study of the Effect of Impairment-Based Exercise on Kinematics With Trunk Lateral Bending in People With Low-Back Pain. Scholtes S, Gombatto SP, Collins DR, Sahrmann SA, Van Dillen LR.
  
• Gross Motor Development of Children With Hurler Syndrome Post Umbilical Cord Blood Transplant. Dusing S, Thorpe D, Poe M, Rosenberg A, Mercer V, Escolar M.
  
• Psychometric Properties of Quadriceps Femoris Geometry Calculations via Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Droge J, Dibble L, Gerber JP, Marcus R, LaStayo P.
  
• A High-Force, Low-Metabolic-Cost Resistance Intervention: Can an Anabolic Effect Occur in a Postmeno- pausal Population? LaStayo P, Marcus R, Dibble L, Hate T, McClain D.
  

Presenter Stacy Dusing (left) with Nancy White

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