Efficacy of Intravenous Oxytocin to Speed Recovery After THA

August 25, 2026 updated by: Wake Forest University Health Sciences

Efficacy of Intravenous Oxytocin to Speed Recovery After Total Hip Arthroplasty

The purpose of this study is to test whether perioperative intravenous (IV) oxytocin compared to placebo results in faster recovery in disability as measured by daily steps over 56 days after Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA).

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Enrolling by invitation

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

This is a single center, NIH funded clinical study at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. The investigators will utilize a triple-masked, parallel group, randomized design to compare intravenous (IV) oxytocin to placebo to determine IV oxytocin's actions on speed of recovery from physical disability and postoperative pain after Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA).

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 (Estimated)

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.
80

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.
  • Phase 2

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
    • North Carolina
      • Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States, 27157
        • Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist

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

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Male or female > 18 and ≤75 years of age
  • Scheduled for unilateral, primary total hip arthroplasty surgery
  • Generally in good health as determined by the Principal Investigator based on prior medical history, and as assessed to be American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status 1, 2, or 3
  • Willing to perform the study procedures
  • Able to read and write English and have a stable residence.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Hypersensitivity to any ingredient in Pitocin® (marketed preparation of oxytocin for parenteral injection)
  • Latex allergy
  • Any disease, diagnosis, or condition (medical or surgical) that, in the opinion of the Principal Investigator, would place the participant at increased risk (e.g., active gynecologic disease in which increased tone would be detrimental such as uterine fibroids with ongoing bleeding)
  • Women who are pregnant, are currently nursing or lactating, or have been pregnant within 2 years
  • Current or history of ventricular tachycardia, atrial fibrillation or prolonged QT interval.
  • Past or current history of hyponatremia or at risk for hyponatremia; anyone taking thiazide diuretics, loop diuretics, combination diuretics, lithium, carbamazepine, enalapril, ramipril, celecoxib, temazepam, gliclazide, glimepiride, glibenclamide, glipizide, omeprazole, pantoprazole, desmopressin, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI's), Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), or the recreational drug ecstasy.
  • Inability to complete questionnaires
  • Litigation or workers compensation related to their joint surgery
  • Taking > 100 mg morphine equivalents/day
  • Suffering from a psychotic disorder or a recent psychiatric hospitalization

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: Basic Science
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

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.
Placebo Comparator: Placebo
Placebo administered intravenously
Drug: Placebo
Saline will be administered intravenously over a period of 45 minutes
Other Names:
  • Saline
Experimental: Oxytocin
Oxytocin 26 micrograms administered intravenously
Drug: intravenous administration of oxytocin
Single administration of oxytocin 26 micrograms administered intravenously over a period of 45 minutes.
Other Names:
  • Pitocin

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
Modeled daily steps trajectory
Time Frame: 56 days after surgery
Individual trajectories, adjusted for prognostic covariates, of daily steps will be constructed using an intercept on the first postoperative day and a slope a log of time dimension through day 56 using growth curve modeling. The intercept is in units of steps on the first post-discharge day with the lower number of steps indicating more disability and the slope is in units of logarithm of steps per day with the lower number indicating slower recovery from disability - Key models often classify adults into sedentary (<5,000 steps), low active (5,000-7,499), somewhat active (7,500-9,999), or active (≥10,000) trajectories.
56 days after surgery

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
Modeled pain intensity trajectory
Time Frame: 56 days after surgery
Description: Individual trajectories, adjusted for prognostic covariates, of worst daily pain intensity scores (0-10 scale) from daily diaries will be constructed using an intercept on the first postoperative day and a slope a log of time dimension through day 56 using growth curve modeling. The intercept is pain score on the first post-discharge day with the higher score indicating more pain and the slope is in units of logarithm of pain score per day with the lower number indicating slower recovery from pain
56 days after surgery
Modeled disability assessments
Time Frame: 56 days after surgery

Individual trajectories, adjusted for prognostic covariates, of World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS) 2.0 scores from weekly diaries will be constructed using an intercept on the first postoperative day and a slope a log of time dimension through day 56 using growth curve modeling.

Each item in the WHODAS 2.0 questionnaire is rated on a 5-point scale from 0 (none) to 4 (extreme or cannot do).

Total Range: 0-48 (Raw sum), where 0 is the minimum and 48 is maximum disability.

A higher score signifies a greater level of disability.
56 days after surgery
Modeled opioid dosing trajectory
Time Frame: 56 days after surgery
Individual trajectories, adjusted for prognostic covariates, of daily opioid dose in milligrams of morphine equivalents from daily diaries will be constructed using an intercept on the first postoperative day and a slope a log of time dimension through day 56 using growth curve modeling. The intercept is in opioid dose on the first post-discharge day and the slope is in units of logarithm of opioid dose per day with the lower number indicating slower quicker reduction in opioid dose over time.
56 days after surgery
Modeled opioid cessation trajectory
Time Frame: 56 days after surgery
: Individual trajectories, adjusted for prognostic covariates, of time to opioid cessation from daily diaries, in which each day is scored as taking opioids or not taking opioids. Opioid cessation for each individual is the last day they took an opioid. The trajectory for the likelihood of taking opioids will be determined using an intercept on the first postoperative day and a slope a log of time dimension through day 56 using growth curve modeling.
56 days after surgery

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.
Wake Forest University Health Sciences

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

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: Douglas Ririe, M.D., Wake Forest University School of Meidcine

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 (Estimated)

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 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

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.
December 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

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.
December 1, 2027

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).
February 18, 2026

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.
February 18, 2026

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.
February 24, 2026

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.
August 27, 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.
August 25, 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.
May 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.
  • IRB00143862
  • 5P01NS119159-04 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

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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