Oxandrolone Rotator Cuff Trial (ORCT)

April 30, 2026 updated by: George F. Hatch, University of Southern California

Ability of Oral Steroid (Oxandrolone) to Halt Fatty Infiltration and Aid Rotator Cuff Healing: A Double-Blind, Randomized Clinical Trial

This study is about healing after a rotator cuff tear repair procedure. We hope to learn if a biologic medication: Oxandrolone, a synthetic derivative of the human hormone Testosterone (the principal male sex hormone and an anabolic steroid), given for 12 weeks following rotator cuff repair, is effective in aiding in the healing process and restoring muscle mass.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Terminated

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Rotator cuff tears are currently one of the most common causes of musculoskeletal pain and disability; the biologic sequelae of a chronic tear are muscle atrophy, fatty infiltration, and intercellular fibrosis of the torn muscle-tendon unit. Recently, researchers have attempted to address the biologic sequelae of chronic rotator cuff tearing with animal studies examining the effects of anabolic steroids on rotator cuff healing, demonstrating that when administered as an adjuvant to rotator cuff repair, anabolic steroids can halt fatty infiltration, decrease muscle atrophy, and promote healing. The purpose of this study will be to conduct the first clinical trial using an oral anabolic agent (Oxandrolone, an oral synthetic derivative of testosterone that has been shown to aid in beneficial tissue healing in burn patients) to promote rotator cuff healing. Men and women aged 40 - 75 scheduled for rotator cuff repair, who have failed nonoperative management of chronic, full thickness rotator cuff tears confirmed by MRI, will be randomized into one of two groups, a control group (receiving placebo medication) and an experimental group (receiving oral Oxandrolone), with dosing (males 12 mg BID, female 6 mg BID) beginning at time of surgery and continuing for 12 weeks postoperative. Allocation will be performed using computer software and will occur at the pharmacy to ensure that all investigators are blinded. All participants will undergo a standardized rehabilitation protocol for rotator cuff repair, supervised by a licensed physical therapist.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
4

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • United States
    • California
      • Los Angeles, California, United States, 90033
        • Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

40 years to 75 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • scheduled for rotator cuff repair
  • failed nonoperative management of chronic, full thickness rotator cuff tears
  • full thickness rotator cuff tear confirmed on MRI

Exclusion Criteria:

  • patients with prior shoulder surgery or prior rotator cuff repair
  • tears larger than 5 cm
  • significant glenohumeral arthritis (Hamada Grade 2 or higher)
  • Untreated diabetes mellitus
  • Pituitary tumor
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Uncontrolled hypertension
  • Congestive heart failure
  • Myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
  • End-stage renal disease
  • Liver enzymes two times the normal value
  • Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) within the past 6 months
  • Disorder of the coagulation system
  • Currently taking anticoagulation
  • Claustrophobia
  • Prior or current use of anabolic steroids
  • Chromosomal disorders
  • Prostate cancer
  • Breast cancer
  • Hypercalcemia
  • Medications that interfere with testosterone production or function, including but not limited to 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding, or expecting to conceive or father children within the projected duration of the trial, starting with the Screening visit through 6 weeks after the last dose of study treatment
  • Any other condition or treatment interfering with completion of the trial

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Quadruple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Treatment Group
Oxandrolone
Drug: Oxandrolone
Treatment group will receive Oxandrolone daily for 12 weeks postoperatively
Placebo Comparator: Placebo Group
placebo
Drug: Placebo
Placebo group will receive placebo for 12 weeks postoperative

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
change in structural integrity of the rotator cuff/tendon healing
Time Frame: baseline to 52 weeks
assessed by MRI, classified based on the Sugaya classification and Goutallier Grade
baseline to 52 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
change in ASES shoulder score
Time Frame: baseline to 104 weeks
American Shoulder Elbow Surgeon's Shoulder Score, Patient Questionnaire
baseline to 104 weeks

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
change in VAS pain scale
Time Frame: baseline to 104 weeks
Visual Analog Score - pain scale, patient questionnaire
baseline to 104 weeks
change in PASS Score
Time Frame: baseline to 104 weeks
Patient Acceptable Symptom State, patient questionnaire
baseline to 104 weeks
change in Functional Outcome - Shoulder Strength
Time Frame: baseline to 104 weeks
isometric shoulder strength measures using a handheld dynamometer
baseline to 104 weeks
change in Body Composition
Time Frame: baseline to 104 weeks
body composition testing by bioelectric impedence
baseline to 104 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Southern California

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: George R Hatch, MD, University of Southern California

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
September 23, 2018

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
January 6, 2026

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
January 6, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
March 13, 2017

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 20, 2017

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
March 27, 2017

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
May 7, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 30, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • HS-17-00272

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Data will be shared as required with the USC Health Sciences Institutional Review Board. Participant data will be coded with coding identifiers kept separately by research personnel only and destroyed upon completion of the study.

Study Data/Documents

  1. Study Protocol
    Information identifier: APP-17-01020
  2. Informed Consent Form
    Information identifier: APP-17-01020

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

Yes

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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