---
title: Exposure Therapy Combined With Cortical Interventions for CRPS-II
nct_id: NCT03174249
overall_status: COMPLETED
phase: NA
sponsor: Uppsala University
study_type: INTERVENTIONAL
primary_condition: Complex Regional Pain Syndromes
countries: Sweden
canonical_url: "https://parkinsonspathways.com/agent/trials/NCT03174249.md"
clinicaltrials_gov: "https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03174249"
ct_last_update_post_date: 2017-06-02
last_seen_at: "2026-05-12T07:30:37.814Z"
source: ClinicalTrials.gov (mirrored, no enrichment)
---
# Exposure Therapy Combined With Cortical Interventions for CRPS-II

**Official Title:** Leaving the Wheelchair Behind - Treating CRPS-II With Exposure Therapy Combined With Cortical Interventions: a Series of Case Reports

**NCT ID:** [NCT03174249](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03174249)

## Key Facts

- **Status:** COMPLETED
- **Phase:** NA
- **Study Type:** INTERVENTIONAL
- **Target Enrollment:** 4
- **Lead Sponsor:** Uppsala University
- **Collaborators:** Folksam
- **Conditions:** Complex Regional Pain Syndromes
- **Start Date:** 2012-09-01
- **Completion Date:** 2015-06-01
- **CT.gov Last Update:** 2017-06-02

## Brief Summary

Consecutive patients with long-standing complex regional pain syndrome II in a lower limb are treated with graded exposure therapy in vivo in combination with methods targeting cortical reorganisation.

## Detailed Description

Complex regional pain syndrome, CRPS, is an uncommon but often very handicapping chronic pain syndrome. Most often, a single extremity is affected. The diagnosis is subdivided in CRPS type I where no nerve injury has been identified, and CRPS type II when a major nerve injury has been verified. With the exception of spontaneous pain, several of the symptoms related to CRPS may be connected to the inactivity and immobilization often seen in the history of CRPS patients.

Exposure in vivo, a form of behaviour therapy where the patient is gradually confronted with the avoided movements and activities, has been shown safe and effective for patients with CRPS type I. The present study uses a combination of exposure in vivo and interventions targeting a supposed cortical reorganisation with the hypothesis that the functional impairments would decrease, independent of possible changes in pain levels.

Consecutive patients with long-standing CRPS-II, diagnosed according to the Budapest criteria, in a lower limb are included. Treatment comprises daily graded exposure therapy in vivo, in combination with methods targeting cortical reorganisation: mirror therapy, desensibilisation training, and sensory re-education. The treatment is implemented at an in-patient ward during four plus four weeks, separated by a home training period of 6-8 weeks.

## Eligibility

- **Minimum age:** 18 Years
- **Maximum age:** 70 Years
- **Sex:** ALL
- **Healthy Volunteers:** No

```
Inclusion Criteria:

* Complex regional pain syndrome II

Exclusion Criteria:

* Severe psychiatric disorder drug abuse
```

## Arms

- **Exposure therapy** (EXPERIMENTAL) — Graded exposure therapy in vivo in combination with methods targeting cortical reorganisation.

## Interventions

- **Exposure therapy** (BEHAVIORAL) — Daily training at an in-patient ward during four plus four weeks, separated by a home training period of 6-8 weeks.

## Primary Outcomes

- **Photograph series of daily activities, PHODA** _(time frame: 12 weeks)_ — A measure of avoidance of activities - the subject reports level of hesitation in performing a number of everyday activities on a 0-100 rating scale.

## Secondary Outcomes

- **The Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia - Short Form, TSK-SF** _(time frame: 12 weeks)_

## Locations (1)

- Uppsala university hospital, Uppsala, Sweden

## Recent Field Changes (last 30 days)

- `results.hasResults` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `sponsor.lead` — added _(2026-05-12)_
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- `status.primaryCompletionDate` — added _(2026-05-12)_
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- `status.lastUpdatePostDate` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `design.phases` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `design.enrollmentCount` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.criteria` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.minAge` — added _(2026-05-12)_
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- `eligibility.sex` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `outcomes.primary` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `outcomes.secondary` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `armsInterventions.arms` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `armsInterventions.interventions` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `locations.uppsala university hospital|uppsala||sweden` — added _(2026-05-12)_

---

*Canonical: https://parkinsonspathways.com/agent/trials/NCT03174249.md*  
*Source data (authoritative): https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03174249*  
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