Autonomic and Immune Effects of Regional Anesthesia in Total Hip Arthroplasty (PENG neuromodu)

November 3, 2026 updated by: Poznan University of Medical Sciences

Effects of Three Regional Anesthesia Strategies on Autonomic Regulation, Systemic Inflammatory Response, and Postoperative Recovery Following Elective Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Prospective Randomized Double-Blind Trial

Surgical trauma activates the sympathetic nervous system and induces a systemic inflammatory response, both of which may adversely affect postoperative recovery. Regional anesthesia has traditionally been used for perioperative analgesia; however, emerging evidence suggests that peripheral nerve blocks may also modulate autonomic and immune pathways. This prospective randomized double-blind trial aims to compare three regional anesthesia strategies in patients undergoing elective total hip arthroplasty under spinal anesthesia and to determine their effects on autonomic regulation, systemic inflammatory response, postoperative pain, opioid consumption, quality of recovery, and early functional outcomes.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

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

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is associated with substantial surgical trauma, resulting in activation of the sympathetic nervous system and a systemic inflammatory response that may contribute to postoperative pain, delayed functional recovery, and perioperative complications. Although regional anesthesia techniques are widely used to improve postoperative analgesia, increasing evidence suggests that they may also influence autonomic regulation and neuroimmune interactions beyond their analgesic effects. The extent to which different regional anesthesia strategies modify perioperative autonomic and inflammatory responses remains incompletely understood.

This prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial aims to compare three regional analgesic strategies in patients undergoing elective primary total hip arthroplasty under spinal anesthesia: ultrasound-guided pericapsular nerve group (PENG) block, local infiltration analgesia (LIA), and the combination of PENG block with LIA. All patients will receive standardized perioperative anesthetic and multimodal analgesic management, with the regional analgesic technique being the only study intervention.

The primary objective is to determine whether different regional anesthesia strategies differentially influence perioperative autonomic regulation and systemic inflammatory response. Autonomic function will be assessed using perioperative hemodynamic parameters and vasopressor requirements, while systemic inflammatory activation will be evaluated using routinely available inflammatory biomarkers, including the Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index (SII), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and other laboratory markers measured before and after surgery.

Secondary objectives include comparison of postoperative pain intensity at rest and during movement, opioid consumption, time to first rescue analgesia, quality of recovery assessed using the Quality of Recovery-15 (QoR-15) questionnaire, incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting, time to first ambulation, length of hospital stay, patient satisfaction, and the incidence of postoperative complications.

The study is designed to determine whether combining peripheral nerve blockade with periarticular infiltration provides additive benefits not only for postoperative analgesia but also for modulation of autonomic-immune interactions and enhancement of postoperative recovery. The findings may improve understanding of peripheral nerve blocks as a form of perioperative neuromodulation and support optimization of regional anesthesia strategies in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty.

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.
165

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 Locations

  • Poland
      • Poznan, Poland, 62-701
        • Poznan University of Medical Sciences

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 100 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Adults aged ≥18 years.
  • Scheduled for elective primary total hip arthroplasty due to primary hip osteoarthritis.
  • American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I-III.
  • Planned spinal anesthesia with one of the study regional analgesia techniques.
  • Ability to understand the study procedures and provide written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Refusal or inability to provide written informed consent.
  • Revision hip arthroplasty, simultaneous bilateral hip arthroplasty, or hip arthroplasty performed for an acute fracture.
  • Known hypersensitivity to ropivacaine or other medications required for the study procedures.
  • Contraindication to spinal anesthesia, PENG block, or local infiltration analgesia, including infection at the injection site or a coagulation disorder or antithrombotic treatment that precludes safe performance of the planned procedures.
  • Pre-existing neurological or neuromuscular disease that substantially affects sensation or motor function in the operated limb or prevents reliable assessment of study outcomes.
  • Cognitive impairment or a communication disorder that prevents understanding of the study procedures or reliable completion of pain assessments.
  • A medical condition that, in the investigator's judgment, makes participation or the planned anesthetic procedures unsafe.
  • Planned use of an additional regional analgesic technique outside the study protocol.
  • Participation in another interventional study that could interfere with the assessment of the study outcomes.

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: PENG Block

Ropivacaine for Pericapsular Nerve Group (PENG) Block
Drug: PENG Block

Ultrasound-guided single-injection pericapsular nerve group (PENG) block performed before surgery using 20ml of 0.2% ropivacaine

Other Names:
  • PENG
  • Pericapsular Nerve Group Block
  • 0.2% Ropimol
Experimental: Local Infiltration Analgesia (LIA)

Ropivacaine for Local Infiltration Analgesia
Drug: LIA

Local infiltration analgesia is performed intraoperatively - 20ml 0.2% ropivacaine

Other Names:
  • Periarticular Infiltration Analgesia
  • 0.2% ropimol
Experimental: Combined PENG Block + LIA

Ropivacaine for Pericapsular Nerve Group (PENG) block before surgery and Local Infiltration Analgesia (LIA)
Drug: PENG Block

Ultrasound-guided single-injection pericapsular nerve group (PENG) block performed before surgery using 20ml of 0.2% ropivacaine

Other Names:
  • PENG
  • Pericapsular Nerve Group Block
  • 0.2% Ropimol
Drug: LIA

Local infiltration analgesia is performed intraoperatively - 20ml 0.2% ropivacaine

Other Names:
  • Periarticular Infiltration Analgesia
  • 0.2% ropimol

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 Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index (SII)
Time Frame: 24 hours after surgery

Comparison of the change in Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index from baseline to postoperative 24 hours among the three study groups.
24 hours 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
Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR)
Time Frame: 24 hours after surgery

Comparison of the change in neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio among the three study groups.
24 hours after surgery
Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR)
Time Frame: 12 hours after surgery

Comparison of the change in neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio among the three study groups.
12 hours after surgery
Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR)
Time Frame: 48 hours after surgery

Comparison of the change in neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio among the three study groups.
48 hours after surgery
Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR)
Time Frame: 24 hours after surgery

Comparison of the change in platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio among the three study groups.
24 hours after surgery
Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR)
Time Frame: 48 hours after surgery

Comparison of the change in platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio among the three study groups.
48 hours after surgery
Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR)
Time Frame: 12 hours after surgery

Comparison of the change in platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio among the three study groups.
12 hours after surgery
Postoperative pain intensity
Time Frame: 2 hours after surgery

Comparison of postoperative pain intensity assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS; 0-10) at rest.
2 hours after surgery
Postoperative pain intensity at movement
Time Frame: 2 hours after surgery

Comparison of postoperative pain intensity assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS; 0-10) at movement.
2 hours after surgery
Postoperative pain intensity at movement
Time Frame: 6 hours after surgery

Comparison of postoperative pain intensity assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS; 0-10) at movement.
6 hours after surgery
Postoperative pain intensity at movement
Time Frame: 12 hours after surgery

Comparison of postoperative pain intensity assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS; 0-10) at movement.
12 hours after surgery
Postoperative pain intensity at movement
Time Frame: 24 hours after surgery

Comparison of postoperative pain intensity assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS; 0-10) at movement.
24 hours after surgery
Postoperative pain intensity at movement
Time Frame: 48 hours after surgery

Comparison of postoperative pain intensity assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS; 0-10) at movement.
48 hours after surgery
Postoperative pain intensity
Time Frame: 6 hours after surgery

Comparison of postoperative pain intensity assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS; 0-10) at rest.
6 hours after surgery
Postoperative pain intensity
Time Frame: 12 hours after surgery

Comparison of postoperative pain intensity assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS; 0-10) at rest.
12 hours after surgery
Postoperative pain intensity
Time Frame: 24 hours after surgery

Comparison of postoperative pain intensity assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS; 0-10) at rest.
24 hours after surgery
Postoperative pain intensity
Time Frame: 48 hours after surgery

Comparison of postoperative pain intensity assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS; 0-10) at rest.
48 hours after surgery
Postoperative opioid consumption
Time Frame: 48 hours after surgery

Comparison of cumulative opioid consumption during the postoperative period, expressed as intravenous morphine milligram equivalents (MME).
48 hours after surgery
Time to first rescue analgesia
Time Frame: 48 hours after surgery

Comparison of the time from the end of surgery to the first administration of rescue opioid analgesia.
48 hours after surgery
Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index (SII)
Time Frame: 24 hours after surgery

Comparison of the change in the Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index (SII) among the three study groups.
24 hours after surgery
Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index (SII)
Time Frame: 12 hours after surgery

Comparison of the change in the Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index (SII) among the three study groups.
12 hours after surgery
Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index (SII)
Time Frame: 48 hours after surgery

Comparison of the change in the Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index (SII) among the three study groups.
48 hours after surgery
C-reactive protein (CRP)
Time Frame: 12 hours after surgery

Comparison of postoperative C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations among the three study groups.
12 hours after surgery
C-reactive protein (CRP)
Time Frame: 24 hours after surgery

Comparison of postoperative C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations among the three study groups.
24 hours after surgery
C-reactive protein (CRP)
Time Frame: 48 hours after surgery

Comparison of postoperative C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations among the three study groups.
48 hours 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.
Poznan University of Medical Sciences

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.
December 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 30, 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.
January 1, 2028

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).
July 29, 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.
November 3, 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.
November 9, 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.
November 9, 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.
November 3, 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.
November 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

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.
  • 18/2026

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

De-identified individual participant data underlying the published results will be made available upon reasonable request to the corresponding author. Data will be shared after publication of the primary study results and following approval of a methodologically sound research proposal and completion of a data sharing agreement.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

Data will be available beginning 6 months after publication of the primary results and for a period of 5 years.

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

Researchers who provide a methodologically sound proposal aimed at achieving the objectives of the approved proposal will be granted access. Requests should be directed to the corresponding author. A data access agreement will be required prior to data release.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • SAP
  • ANALYTIC_CODE

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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