Background
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a severe neuromuscular disease caused by a homozygous deletion of the survival motor neuron-1 (
SMN) gene [
1‐
4], which leads to cellular SMN protein deficiency. SMA has an incidence of about 1 in 6000–12,000 live births [
5]. The main characteristic of SMA is the degeneration of alpha motor neurons in the anterior horns of the spinal cord, resulting in progressive muscle weakness of axial muscles and muscles of the arms and legs with a mild to severely reduced life expectancy in the majority of patients [
6,
7]. SMA is classified into four types based on age at onset and highest acquired motor milestone [
2,
4,
8‐
11]. In the last few years, SMN-augmenting genetic therapies have been introduced, including SMN-gene therapy (Zolgensma®) and therapies that modify SMN2-splicing (Spinraza® and Risdiplam) [
12]. Efficacy studies have demonstrated, on average, improved motor function, survival, and overall muscle strength, but the respiratory outcomes vary, with most studies showing no significant improvement in lung function parameters in patients with SMA types 2 and 3 [
13‐
16].
Respiratory problems are among the principal challenges in clinical care for patients with SMA [
6]. Weakness of respiratory muscles requires daily interventions and thereby profoundly affects quality of life [
8,
17‐
19]. Progressive decline of vital capacity and cough strength causes respiratory failure in virtually all children with SMA type 1 [
20‐
22]. In more chronic types of SMA (type 2 and type 3), weakness or dysfunction of the respiratory musculature leads to severe respiratory complications [
20‐
22]. These include reduced cough strength and poor secretion clearance resulting in recurrent respiratory tract infections, reduced chest wall and pulmonary compliance with restrictive lung function decline, alveolar hypoventilation, and, finally, chronic respiratory failure leading to premature death [
20‐
22].
In healthy subjects and patients with pulmonary diseases, kyphoscoliosis, or Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy, respiratory muscle training (RMT) has been shown to improve respiratory muscle strength as well as endurance [
23‐
26]. Little is known, however, about therapeutic benefits of RMT in patients with SMA. A pre-experimental study in three children with SMA showed that inspiratory muscle training was safe, feasible and acceptable and improved inspiratory muscle strength and peak inspiratory flow [
27]. Importantly, none of these children had received any form of SMN-augmenting therapy that has also been shown to exert positive effects on overall muscle strength in some patients with SMA [
24].
To further investigate treatment efficacy of RMT in SMA, we have designed a randomized controlled trial to study the efficacy of a 4-month home-based RMT program in patients with SMA including patients that were recently started on SMN-augmenting therapy.
Participant timeline
The study schedule is presented in Table
1. Before the first visit, participants will be recruited for enrollment by a research nurse. Patients who express interest in participating receive a patient information letter and an appointment with the physiotherapist. At the first visit (M0), the physiotherapist further determines whether patients are eligible for participation. After signing the informed consent form, participants are weighed and their length is determined, followed by lung function tests. If PImax > 80 cmH2O, participants are excluded for the study. If PImax ≤ 80 cmH2O, participants will be stratified (group 1 < 60 cmH2O, group 2 ≥ 60 cmH2O) and then randomly allocated to either the active treatment group or the sham-controlled group.
Table 1
Study schedule of enrolment, interventions, and assessments
All participants (and parents) will be instructed by a trained physiotherapist on the use of both devices at the first visit (M0). Participants are instructed to aim for 10 training sessions per week, divided over 5 to 7 days. A minimum of 6 hours in between training sessions is recommended. Per training session, the participant breathes 30 times through the POWERbreathe and 30 times through the reverse Threshold IMT. If necessary, the participant may take a break, with a maximum of 60 seconds after 10 or 15 breaths. After each session they fill in a diary, which contains information about the intensity of the training and the perceived exertion (Borg scale 0–10).
In the active treatment group, the intensity of the training is set at M0 at 30% of PImax and PEmax and will be increased or decreased based on level of perceived exertion. Participants are instructed to increase the intensity with 1–5 cmH2O if they score a perceived exertion of 0–4 and decrease the intensity if they score a perceived exertion of 7–10. If they score a perceived exertion of 5 or 6, the intensity will not be adjusted. The intensity of the training in the sham-controlled group will be set at M0 at 10% of PImax and PEmax and will remain the same during the first 4 months of training. After 4 months we will provide the sham-controlled group with the same training regime as the active treatment group.
Data collection
Baseline measures
We will record the following baseline data: gender, age, SMA type, number of
SMN2 copies, type of SMN augmenting therapy, use of other medication, co-morbidities, ambulatory level according to the modified Hoffer classification [
39], use of ventilatory support and use of Airway Clearance Techniques (ACT) (Airstacking [AS] or Mechanical insufflation-exsufflation [MI-E]).
Outcome measures
This study investigates the feasibility and efficacy of respiratory muscle training in patients with SMA. The lung function analysts, who are blinded for treatment allocation, administer the questionnaires (health related quality of life, Medical Research Council [MRC] dyspnea and dyspnea immediately after lung function measure), perform lung function tests, and measure respiratory muscle strength, in a fixed order.
Feasibility
Feasibility will be determined based on adherence and acceptability. Adherence is defined as the completion rate of the estimated number of training sessions over 4 months (≥ 80% of the participants have fulfilled the prescribed treatment = good adherence). Adherence will be monitored by a patient diary, two weekly telephone- or video calls with a physiotherapist and the number of training sessions in the POWERbreathe KHP2. Acceptability is defined as the willingness to continue the training (≥ 5 = good acceptability) and will be assessed with a Borg Scale (0–10) at M4, M8 and M12 by the physiotherapist.
Efficacy: primary and key secondary outcome measure
Efficacy: secondary outcome measures
To additionally investigate the effect of the respiratory muscle training on daily life functioning, lung function and respiratory infections we use the following measures:
Statistical analysis
Continuous variables will be expressed as means with standard deviations or medians with interquartile ranges (whichever is more appropriate), and discrete variables will be expressed as numbers with percentages. The main efficacy population will consist of all patients being randomized and analyzed according to their original treatment allocation, irrespective of actual received treatment or follow-up (intention-to-treat). The primary comparison will be the mean difference in PImax % of predicted at month 4. For the secondary outcome measures we will compare the mean difference in health-related quality of life, PEmax % of predicted, VC % of predicted, FVC % of predicted, FEV1% of predicted, PEF % of predicted, P0.1% of predicted, PCF, SNIP, P0.1/PImax and patient reported breathing difficulties. An ANCOVA model will be used to analyze the differences between groups adjusting for baseline values. Missing data in the outcomes at month 4 will be imputed by the baseline-observation-carried-forward (BOCF) approach. This will be a conservative method because we expect patients’ PImax will improve after training. For the longitudinal data, we will use a mixed model for repeated measurements including a term for visit, treatment, their interaction, and baseline PImax to account for the correlation within subjects. Similar models will be used for the secondary endpoints. We will summarize incidence of respiratory infections and other AEs by treatment group and in all treatment groups combined in frequency tables, coded according to the introductory guide Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA) version 21.0 [
53].
Data management
The following measures will be taken to assure the confidentiality and anonymity of the participants’ data or documents collected in Castor: a) each participant will be identified in an electronic database by a unique six digit code; b) the list of participant names corresponding to the codes will be stored in a separate encrypted electronic database, safeguarded by the principal investigator; c) only study investigators will have access to the databases and examine individual data or documents; d) all logins will be recorded; e) adopt strict precautions to prevent access to the data or documents by non-authorized persons; f) the handling of data and documents will comply with the General data protection regulation (GDPR) and is further described in the Data Monitoring Plan.
Ethics, dissemination, and safety monitoring
This study is registered in the American registry for clinical studies and trials (NCT05632666; https://clinicaltrials.gov). The investigator obtains written informed consent before study participation from participants and from parents if the participant is < 16 years old.
The trial is monitored by an external independent party (Julius Clinical). Because of the negligible risk classification minimal monitoring will be necessary. All participants are insured by the sponsor in case of harm due to study participation.
The study will be conducted according to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki, adapted 19–10-2013, and in accordance with the Medical Research Involving Human Subjects Act (WMO). The code of Conduct as agreed upon 2001 by the Dutch organization of Pediatrics will be used. The study is partly done by minors, which means that in any case of resistance the test and research protocol will be terminated. Resistance means that the participant’s behavior obviously differs from or is more excessive compared to participant’s normal behavior. The national rules of the Dutch Association of Pediatrics for protection of minor study participants, are followed during the entire study. The results of this study will be publicly disclosed in several publications in peer reviewed scientific journals related to the topic of this study and orally in conferences concerning this theme.
Discussion
Most studies on the effect of SMN-augmenting genetic therapies on respiratory outcomes, do not show significant improvement in lung function parameters in patients with SMA types 2 and 3 [
13‐
16]. Respiratory muscle training (RMT) has been shown effective in patients with pulmonary diseases, kyphoscoliosis, or DMD [
23‐
26]. There are two studies who included patients with SMA, however the groups of patients with SMA were small (
n = 9, 33% of total number of patients [
17] and
n = 3, 37% of total number of patients [
27]) and distinction was not made between the results for the DMD and SMA patients. None of these patients with SMA received any form of SMN-augmenting therapy. To further study the efficacy of a 4-month home-based RMT program in patients with SMA, we designed a randomized controlled trial.
The diaphragm acts as the primary inspiratory muscle and accounts for 70% of the inspired air volume during regular breathing [
54]. In patients with SMA, intercostal respiratory muscles are weak while the diaphragm is relatively spared [
55,
56] resulting in lower expiratory muscle strength (PEmax) compared to inspiratory muscle strength (PImax) [
31]. Therefore, RMT may perhaps be expected to particularly benefit rescue of expiratory muscle function. Here, however, we chose PImax as the primary outcome measure for the following specific reason: it turned out that reference values to identify patients with respiratory muscle weakness and calculate the required sample size are only available for this particular outcome measure (i.e., (PImax ≤ 80 cmH2O; [
32]). As a result, it may be difficult to reach the primary endpoint of this study.
Training intensity of at least 30% of PImax and PEmax are necessary to increase the strength of respectively the inspiratory and expiratory muscles [
30]. RMT has been studied before in patients with neuromuscular diseases [
30,
57], however almost all these studies were conducted in patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or myopathies, such as DMD [
30,
57]. Frequency of training, duration of the interventions and the intensity of the training programs varied considerably [
30,
57]. Only few studies included patients with SMA and none of the studies provided separate data for patients with SMA [
30]. In a pre-experimental study with eight participants, including three patients with SMA, participants performed inspiratory muscle training twice a day, 5 days a week, 30 breaths per session, for six weeks [
27]. Here, we chose to copy the training intensity and frequency used in this study [
27].
Studies suggest that an IMT protocol of training twice a day with PImax as guidance of resistance over a period of three to six months can have a positive effect on inspiratory muscle strength in patients with neuromuscular diseases [
57]. Patients who are treated with the
SMN2-splicing modifying drugs Spinraza® or Risdiplam have their follow up visits in our center every four months. To minimize patient burden, we have opted to combine visits for the RESISTANT trial with these therapy follow-up visits, and we have chosen a training period of 4 months.
Lastly, a recent study on fatigability of respiratory muscles in patients with SMA observed that perceived exertion, measured with an OMNI scale, did not correlate with objective exertion [
58]. The OMNI scale has only been validated in children and adults during motor activities [
59,
60] and may not detect exertion of the respiratory muscles. Here, we have therefore chosen to monitor the response on respiratory muscle loading with experienced intensity of the training and perceived dyspnea measured with a Borg scale [
61].
In conclusion, we will conduct a single blinded randomized sham-controlled trial to investigate the feasibility and efficacy of respiratory muscle training in patients with SMA and respiratory muscle weakness. We hypothesize that RMT is feasible and that it will improve inspiratory and expiratory muscle strength.
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