Trends in Clinical Trials for Spinal Cord Stimulation

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a neuromodulation technology widely used in the treatment of intractable chronic pain syndromes. SCS is now being applied more broadly as a possible therapy for a range of indications, including neurological, cardiac, and gastrointestinal disorders. Ongoing research in this field is critical in order to gain further insights into the mechanisms of SCS, determine its role in new indications, and refine programming techniques for the optimization of therapeutic outcomes.

To assess the state of SCS-related human research by cataloging and summarizing clinical trials that have been recently completed or are currently underway in this field.

A search was conducted for clinical trials pertaining to SCS using the ClinicalTrials.gov database. Trials were analyzed to generate a detailed overview of ongoing SCS-related research. Specifically, trials were categorized by intervention, trial start date, study completion status, clinical phase, projected subject enrollment, condition, country of origin, device manufacturer, funding source, and study topic.

In total, 212 relevant clinical trials were identified. 175 trials (82.5%) involved invasive SCS, while the remaining 37 trials (17.5%) used noninvasive forms of spinal stimulation. Most trials examined the efficacy of SCS for chronic pain syndromes or new indications, while others assessed different stimulation parameters. The studies spanned >27 different disorders, with almost 20% of trials pertaining to conditions other than chronic pain syndromes. The majority of SCS trials were US-based (55.7% of studies), but many countries (e.g., Belgium and UK) are becoming increasingly active. The ratio of investigator-sponsored to industry-sponsored trials was 2:1. Emphasizing the need to optimize therapeutic outcomes of SCS, one-quarter of trials predominantly focused on the assessment of alternative stimulation parameters such as burst or high-frequency stimulation.

A large number of clinical trials of SCS are underway. Improvements in the treatment of pain and novel indications for SCS constitute the majority of studies. This overview of SCS-related clinical trials provides a window into future new indications, novel stimulation techniques, and a heightened understanding of the mechanisms of action.