Human Brain Adaptation to Chronic Pain and Its Effects on Opioid Use

October 9, 2020 updated by: Washington University School of Medicine
The purpose of this study is to determine if the research results obtained in animal models of pain - that show that being in pain for some time increases opioid use beyond what is expected to treat the current pain - also apply to patients with chronic pain.

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

The prevalence of chronic pain is very high in the US at approximately 30%. More than 10% of adults report having daily pain. Opioid pain medications [such as morphine] are prescribed for some pain conditions and, since they are very addictive, they can be used inappropriately and abused, to the point of causing overdose and death. This is currently a significant problem in the US and worldwide. Research on changes in the brain that cause addiction in pain patients is complicated, also because it is difficult to separate the effect of the drugs that cause addiction from the direct effect of pain on the brain. Studies in animals have found that pain per se can change the brain in ways that increase the risk of becoming addicted to pain medications. Therefore, we think that patients who have chronic pain and are prescribed opioid pain medications to treat surgery-related pain after surgery, although they never took opioids for a long time in their life, may be at increased risk of using too much opioid medications, and using opioids for a longer time than expected to treat their surgical pain.

The purpose of this study is to determine if the research results obtained in animal models of pain (that show that being in pain for some time increases opioid use beyond what is expected to treat the current pain) also apply to patients with chronic pain.

For our study we are looking to recruit patients scheduled for abdominal surgery at Barnes Jewish Hospital. If eligible and enrolled, subjects will undergo sensory testing (a test of the sensitivity of the skin to hot and cold temperature and pressure) and complete questionnaires about their experience with pain, anxiety, depression and risk of substance abuse. They will also have a one-time blood draw for genetic testing, to look for a particular gene that is potentially associated with how we respond to pain medications and, potentially, with increased risk for addiction. After the surgery, patients will be assessed by the research team on day 1, week 1, week 4, week 8, and after 6 months with similar questionnaires to those that were completed pre-surgery. Patient satisfaction with their pre-surgical and post-surgical pain control will also be assessed by questionnaire.

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.
Observational

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.
10

Contacts and Locations

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

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Missouri
      • Saint Louis, Missouri, United States, 63110
        • Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine

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

18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

N/A

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients with and without chronic musculoskeletal pain or osteoarthritis pain that are having planned non-cancer related surgery

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Age 18-65
  2. With and without history of chronic muscle-skeletal pain *
  3. Scheduled to undergo elective abdominal surgery requiring overnight hospital admission
  4. Opioid naïve**
  5. Willing to comply with study procedures as outlined in the protocol
  6. Willing and able to provide informed consent
  7. Having an email address and access to a computer or electronic tablet

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Current use of opioids (includes ANY use in past 3 months)
  2. Cancer diagnosis
  3. Patient presenting the following documented conditions:

Untreated psychosis Current suicidal ideation Current substance abuse

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

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
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.
Chronic pain group
post-surgical opioid use measured at 1 day and 1 week.
Other: post-surgical opioid use measured at 1 day and 1 week.

Evaluation of intra-hospital perioperative opioid administration (including intraoperative opioids and Patient Controlled Analgesia (PCA) use). This endpoint is calculated as the total amount of morphine equivalents administered intraoperatively and in the first 24 hours after the end surgery (measured on postoperative day 1).

2) Opioid utilization after discharge from hospital (prescription refills and pills count at subsequent hospital visits). This endpoint is calculated as the total amount of morphine equivalents consumed in the first week after the surgery (measured at 1 week after surgery by electronic questionnaire and verified by direct pill count performed on occasion of the patient's postsurgical visit ).
No chronic pain
post-surgical opioid use measured at 1 day and 1 week.
Other: post-surgical opioid use measured at 1 day and 1 week.

Evaluation of intra-hospital perioperative opioid administration (including intraoperative opioids and Patient Controlled Analgesia (PCA) use). This endpoint is calculated as the total amount of morphine equivalents administered intraoperatively and in the first 24 hours after the end surgery (measured on postoperative day 1).

2) Opioid utilization after discharge from hospital (prescription refills and pills count at subsequent hospital visits). This endpoint is calculated as the total amount of morphine equivalents consumed in the first week after the surgery (measured at 1 week after surgery by electronic questionnaire and verified by direct pill count performed on occasion of the patient's postsurgical visit ).

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
Post-surgical opioid use
Time Frame: 24 hours post-operatively
oral morphine equivalents (mg/day)
24 hours post-operatively
Post-surgical opioid use
Time Frame: 1 week post-operatively
oral morphine equivalents (mg/day)
1 week post-operatively

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.
Washington University School of Medicine

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: Laura Cavallone, MD, Washington University School of Medicine

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.
August 30, 2017

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.
September 11, 2020

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.
September 11, 2020

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).
August 10, 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.
August 10, 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.
August 14, 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.
October 14, 2020

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.
October 9, 2020

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.
October 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

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.
  • 201707017

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

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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