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Mirror therapy in patients with complex regional pain syndrome type one of the upper extremity: a randomised clinical trial
ISRCTN ISRCTN68438240
ClinicalTrials.gov identifier
Public title Mirror therapy in patients with complex regional pain syndrome type one of the upper extremity: a randomised clinical trial
Scientific title
Acronym N/A
Serial number at source N/A
Study hypothesis Mirror therapy was introduced by Ramachandran in patient with phantom limb pain and is based on new knowledge about the plasticity of the brain. Recently, studies in patients with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) have suggested that exercising with the painful hand behind a mirror and watching a reflection of the normal hand will give the brain the illusion that the hand is now able to move normally.

In these controlled but undersized studies, positive effects were reported on pain, oedema and hand function. In the present single-blind randomised clinical trial, mirror therapy will be presented in three phases:
1. One week Recognition of Hand Laterality using pictures of left and right hands
2. One week of Imagined Hand Movements, and
3. Four weeks of mirror therapy

Hypothesis:
Mirror therapy in patients with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome type one (CRPS I) has a positive effect on pain, oedema, sensibility, hand function, Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and quality of life compared to standard treatment.
Ethics approval Ethics approval received from the local medical ethics committee
Study design Randomised, active controlled, parallel group, single blinded trial
Countries of recruitment The Netherlands
Disease/condition/study domain Complex regional pain syndrome type 1 (CRPS I)
Participants - inclusion criteria Modified research diagnostic criteria for CRPS-1 based on Bruehl 1999.
Participants - exclusion criteria 1. Treatment for CRPS-I in another institution
2. Psychiatric problems
3. Lack of motivation
Anticipated start date 01/12/2005
Anticipated end date 01/12/2007
Status of trial Completed
Patient information material
Target number of participants 52
Interventions Mirror therapy versus standard treatment:
1. One week recognition of hand laterality using pictures of left and right hands
2. One week of imagined hand movements, and
3. Four weeks of mirror therapy

The control group will receive treatment following standard treatment guidelines.
Primary outcome measure(s) Pain
Secondary outcome measure(s) 1. Hand function
2. ADL
3. Oedema
4. Sensibility
5. Quality of life
Sources of funding 1. Erasmus Medical Centre (The Netherlands)
2. Medical Research Advisory Committee Erasmus (MRACE) (The Netherlands)
Trial website
Publications
Contact name Dr  Ton A R  Schreuders
  Address Erasmus Medical Centre
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Room H014
P.O. Box 2040
  City/town Rotterdam
  Zip/Postcode 3000 CA
  Country Netherlands
  Tel +31 (0)10 463 2867
  Fax +31 (0)10 463 3843
  Email a.schreuders@erasmusmc.nl
Sponsor Erasmus Medical Centre (The Netherlands)
  Address P.O. Box 2040
  City/town Rotterdam
  Zip/Postcode 3000 CA
  Country Netherlands
  Sponsor website: http://www.erasmusmc.nl/
Date applied 23/02/2007
Last edited 23/02/2007
Date ISRCTN assigned 23/02/2007
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