Modality Choice Before and After Failure for the Treatment of Painful Diabetic Neuropathy (MCPAIN)

August 25, 2026 updated by: Brian Callaghan, University of Michigan

Modality Choice Before and After Failure for the Treatment of Painful Diabetic Neuropathy (MCPAIN)

The research team will perform a comparative-effectiveness sequential, multiple assignment, randomized trial in painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN) patients for 8 total months, divided into two 4-month stages. 600 participants 18+ with PDN will be enrolled in this study. The main goal is to compare the utility of three modalities (oral, topical, and behavioral) for initial PDN treatment, and to compare the utility of switching modalities versus continuing with the same modality for non-responders. Pain and discontinuation will be assessed weekly, whereas other outcomes will be assessed monthly for 8 months.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

600

Phase

  • Phase 4

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 Locations

  • United States
    • California
      • Stanford, California, United States, 94305
        • Stanford University
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Dong In Sinn
    • Florida
      • Jacksonville, Florida, United States, 32209
    • Illinois
      • Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60612
        • Rush University Medical Center
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Rabia Malik
    • Iowa
      • Iowa City, Iowa, United States, 52242
    • Louisiana
      • New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, 70118
        • Tulane University
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Vivian Fonseca
    • Maryland
      • Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21224
        • Johns Hopskins University
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Eva Tseng
    • Michigan
      • Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States, 48104
        • University of Michigan
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Lynn Ang, MD
        • Contact:
    • Minnesota
      • Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55455
        • University of Minnesota
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Pitcha Choompongpod
      • Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55407
        • Allina Health-Neurosciences Research
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Goel Vasudha
      • Rochester, Minnesota, United States, 55902
        • Mayo Clinic Rochester
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Kamal Shouman
    • Missouri
      • Columbia, Missouri, United States, 65201
    • Nebraska
    • New York
      • New York, New York, United States, 10027
        • Columbia University
      • New York, New York, United States, 10065
        • Will Cornell Medicine
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Lisa Witkin
    • North Carolina
      • Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States, 27599
      • Durham, North Carolina, United States, 27708
    • Oregon
      • Portland, Oregon, United States, 97239
        • Oregon Health & Science University
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Rodica Busui
        • Contact:
    • Pennsylvania
      • Titusville, Pennsylvania, United States, 16354
        • University of Pittsburgh
        • Contact:
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Holly Thomas
    • Tennessee
      • Nashville, Tennessee, United States, 37208
        • Meharry Medical College
        • Contact:
      • Nashville, Tennessee, United States, 37235
        • University of Vanderbilt
    • Texas
      • Edinburg, Texas, United States, 78539
        • DHR Health Institute for Research and Development
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Marcel Twahirwa
      • McKinney, Texas, United States, 75071
        • BaylorScott & White University Medical Center
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Dana Bleakney
    • Wisconsin
      • Spooner, Wisconsin, United States, 54801

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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Diabetes
  • Painful Diabetic Neuropathy (confirmed at screening visit)
  • Willing to accept random treatment assignment to any of the proposed interventions

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Pregnancy or plans to become pregnant during the study
  • History of neuropathy from causes other than diabetes as determined through medical and family history, physical and neurologic examinations
  • HbA1c >10%
  • Participation in an experimental medication trial within 3 months of starting the study
  • Undergoing therapy for malignant disease other than basal-cell or squamous-cell skin cancer
  • Medical or psychiatric reason for not being a study candidate according to the site PI's discretion
  • Contraindications preventing trialing two interventions within any of the 3 modalities
  • Cirrhosis of the liver

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: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Oral Medication then New Oral Medication
Participants randomized to oral medications, and are considered non-responders at 4 months will be rerandomized to a new treatment modality (oral, topical, behavioral). Those re-randomized to oral medications will select a new oral medication for the next 4 months.
Drug: Oral Medication

Participants will work with their physician to select an oral medication from a list commonly used to treat PDN. Patients will follow standard of care dosing and tapering of the assigned drug.

Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRI's): Duloxetine, Venlafaxine, Desvenlafaxine Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs): Amitriptyline, Nortriptyline Gabapentinoids: Gabapentin, Pregabalin Sodium Channel Blockers: Oxcarbazepine, Lamotrigine, Lacosamide
Experimental: Oral Medication then Same Oral Medication
Participants randomized to oral medications, and are considered responders at 4 months will continue with the same oral medication for the next 4 months.
Drug: Oral Medication

Participants will work with their physician to select an oral medication from a list commonly used to treat PDN. Patients will follow standard of care dosing and tapering of the assigned drug.

Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRI's): Duloxetine, Venlafaxine, Desvenlafaxine Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs): Amitriptyline, Nortriptyline Gabapentinoids: Gabapentin, Pregabalin Sodium Channel Blockers: Oxcarbazepine, Lamotrigine, Lacosamide
Experimental: Oral Medication then Topical Medication
Participants randomized to oral medications, and are considered non-responders at 4 months will be rerandomized to a new treatment modality (oral, topical, behavioral). Those re-randomized to topical medications will select a topical medication for the next 4 months.
Drug: Oral Medication

Participants will work with their physician to select an oral medication from a list commonly used to treat PDN. Patients will follow standard of care dosing and tapering of the assigned drug.

Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRI's): Duloxetine, Venlafaxine, Desvenlafaxine Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs): Amitriptyline, Nortriptyline Gabapentinoids: Gabapentin, Pregabalin Sodium Channel Blockers: Oxcarbazepine, Lamotrigine, Lacosamide

Drug: Topical Medication

Participants will work with their physician to select a topical medication from a list commonly used to treat PDN.

0.075% capsaicin cream (4 times daily) 4-5% lidocaine patches (1-4 patches every 24 hours)
Experimental: Oral Medication then Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Participants randomized to oral medications, and are considered non-responders at 4 months will be re-randomized to a new treatment modality (oral, topical, behavioral). Those re-randomized to a behavioral intervention will begin self-guided CBT for the next 4 months.
Drug: Oral Medication

Participants will work with their physician to select an oral medication from a list commonly used to treat PDN. Patients will follow standard of care dosing and tapering of the assigned drug.

Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRI's): Duloxetine, Venlafaxine, Desvenlafaxine Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs): Amitriptyline, Nortriptyline Gabapentinoids: Gabapentin, Pregabalin Sodium Channel Blockers: Oxcarbazepine, Lamotrigine, Lacosamide

Device: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Participants will work with study team to begin web-based, self-guided CBT (non-significant risk device) or traditional (one on one) CBT with a therapist (behavioral, not a device).
Experimental: Topical Medication then New Topical Medication
Participants randomized to topical medications, and are considered non-responders at 4 months will be rerandomized to a new treatment modality (oral, topical, behavioral). Those re-randomized to topical medications will select a new topical medication for the next 4 months.
Drug: Topical Medication

Participants will work with their physician to select a topical medication from a list commonly used to treat PDN.

0.075% capsaicin cream (4 times daily) 4-5% lidocaine patches (1-4 patches every 24 hours)
Experimental: Topical Medication then Same Topical Medication
Participants randomized to topical medications, and are considered responders at 4 months will continue with the same topical medication for the next 4 months.
Drug: Topical Medication

Participants will work with their physician to select a topical medication from a list commonly used to treat PDN.

0.075% capsaicin cream (4 times daily) 4-5% lidocaine patches (1-4 patches every 24 hours)
Experimental: Topical Medication then Oral Medication
Participants randomized to topical medications, and are considered non-responders at 4 months will be re-randomized to a new treatment modality (oral, topical, behavioral). Those re-randomized to oral medications will select an oral medication for the next 4 months.
Drug: Oral Medication

Participants will work with their physician to select an oral medication from a list commonly used to treat PDN. Patients will follow standard of care dosing and tapering of the assigned drug.

Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRI's): Duloxetine, Venlafaxine, Desvenlafaxine Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs): Amitriptyline, Nortriptyline Gabapentinoids: Gabapentin, Pregabalin Sodium Channel Blockers: Oxcarbazepine, Lamotrigine, Lacosamide

Drug: Topical Medication

Participants will work with their physician to select a topical medication from a list commonly used to treat PDN.

0.075% capsaicin cream (4 times daily) 4-5% lidocaine patches (1-4 patches every 24 hours)
Experimental: Topical Medication then Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Participants randomized to topical medications, and are considered non-responders at 4 months will be re-randomized to a new treatment modality (oral, topical, behavioral). Those re-randomized to a behavioral intervention will begin self-guided CBT for the next 4 months.
Drug: Topical Medication

Participants will work with their physician to select a topical medication from a list commonly used to treat PDN.

0.075% capsaicin cream (4 times daily) 4-5% lidocaine patches (1-4 patches every 24 hours)

Device: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Participants will work with study team to begin web-based, self-guided CBT (non-significant risk device) or traditional (one on one) CBT with a therapist (behavioral, not a device).
Experimental: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy then Same Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Participants randomized to behavioral interventions will all begin with self-guided CBT. If considered responders at 4 months they will continue with self-guided CBT for the next 4 months.
Device: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Participants will work with study team to begin web-based, self-guided CBT (non-significant risk device) or traditional (one on one) CBT with a therapist (behavioral, not a device).
Experimental: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy then New Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Participants randomized to behavioral interventions will all begin with self-guided CBT. If considered non-responders at 4 months, they will be rerandomized to a new treatment modality (oral, topical, behavioral). Those re-randomized to a behavioral intervention will begin traditional CBT for the next 4 months.
Device: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Participants will work with study team to begin web-based, self-guided CBT (non-significant risk device) or traditional (one on one) CBT with a therapist (behavioral, not a device).
Experimental: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy then Oral Medication
Participants randomized to behavioral interventions will all begin with self-guided CBT. Non-responders at 4 months will be re-randomized to a new treatment modality (oral, topical, behavioral). Those re-randomized to oral medications will select an oral medication for the next 4 months.
Drug: Oral Medication

Participants will work with their physician to select an oral medication from a list commonly used to treat PDN. Patients will follow standard of care dosing and tapering of the assigned drug.

Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRI's): Duloxetine, Venlafaxine, Desvenlafaxine Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs): Amitriptyline, Nortriptyline Gabapentinoids: Gabapentin, Pregabalin Sodium Channel Blockers: Oxcarbazepine, Lamotrigine, Lacosamide

Device: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Participants will work with study team to begin web-based, self-guided CBT (non-significant risk device) or traditional (one on one) CBT with a therapist (behavioral, not a device).
Experimental: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy then Topical Medication
Participants randomized to behavioral interventions will all begin with self-guided CBT. Non-responders at 4 months will be re-randomized to a new treatment modality (oral, topical, behavioral). Those re-randomized to topical medications will select a topical medication for the next 4 months.
Drug: Topical Medication

Participants will work with their physician to select a topical medication from a list commonly used to treat PDN.

0.075% capsaicin cream (4 times daily) 4-5% lidocaine patches (1-4 patches every 24 hours)

Device: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Participants will work with study team to begin web-based, self-guided CBT (non-significant risk device) or traditional (one on one) CBT with a therapist (behavioral, not a device).

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Patient-centered utility function as a measure for efficacy and tolerability
Time Frame: Up to 8 months.
Efficacy and tolerability will be assessed and measured as utility function. Utility function ranges from 0-1.75, 0 being the lowest utility function and 1.75 being the highest utility function. Utility function that is a composite of efficacy (0-1) and discontinuation (0-1).
Up to 8 months.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Pain intensity
Time Frame: Up to 8 months.
Pain intensity as measured by first question of the "Pain, Enjoyment, General Activity" (PEG) numeric rating scale, where a score of 0 is no pain and 10 is the worst pain imaginable.
Up to 8 months.
Pain interference
Time Frame: Up to 8 months.
Pain interference as measured by the sum of the second two questions of the "Pain, Enjoyment, General Activity" (PEG) numeric rating scale, where a score of 0 is no interference with daily life and 20 is the complete interference with daily life.
Up to 8 months.
Discontinuation
Time Frame: Up to 8 months
Rate of treatment discontinuation for any reason, including withdrawal From enrollment to end of treatment at 8 months.
Up to 8 months
Related adverse events
Time Frame: Up to 8 months.
Adverse events reported by local sites and determined to be related to the treatment.
Up to 8 months.
Physical functioning/Quality of Life (QOL)
Time Frame: Up to 8 months.
Physical function/QOL as measured by the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Physical functioning Short Form 6b, a 5 question questionnaire. Each question is measured with a likert scale, where 5 is "without any difficulty" and 1 is "unable to do"
Up to 8 months.
Neuropathy specific QOL
Time Frame: Up to 8 months
Neuropathy Quality of Life (NeuroQOL) evaluates symptoms and function in regard to quality of life over the past four weeks. Range 1-15, higher score indicates neuropathy having a greater impact on quality of life.
Up to 8 months
Depression
Time Frame: Up to 8 months
As measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2), a two-question questionnaire where each depression symptom is scored on a scale of 0-3, where 0 is "not at all" and 3 is "nearly every day". The total score range is 0-6 where the higher score indicates more depression symptoms.
Up to 8 months
Anxiety
Time Frame: Up to 8 months
As measured by the General Anxiety Disorder (GAD-2), a two-question questionnaire where each anxiety symptom is scored on a scale of 0-3, where 0 is "not at all" and 3 is "nearly every day". The total score range is 0-6 where the higher score indicates more anxiety symptoms.
Up to 8 months
Sleep
Time Frame: Up to 8 months
Sleep Quality represented by the sum of scores on the PROMIS Sleep Disturbance 6a and an additional question regarding sleep duration.
Up to 8 months
Pain Catastrophizing
Time Frame: Up to 8 months
As measured by the Pain Catastrophizing Scale Short Form 6, where a score of 0 is catastrophizing "not at all" and 52 is catastrophizing "all the time"
Up to 8 months
Global treatment satisfaction
Time Frame: Up to 8 months
As measured by Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC), a single question on a scale of 0-6, where 0 is "very much improved" and 6 is "very much worse".
Up to 8 months
Substance use screener
Time Frame: Up to 8 months
As measured by the Tobacco, Alcohol, Prescription Medications, and other Substance (TAPS 1) questionnaire, which is five questions on a scale of 0-4, where 0 is "daily or almost daily use" and 4 is "never use".
Up to 8 months

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

University of Michigan

Collaborators

Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Brian Callaghan, MD, University of Michigan

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)

September 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

August 1, 2030

Study Completion (Estimated)

August 1, 2031

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

August 25, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 25, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

August 31, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

August 31, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 25, 2026

Last Verified

August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • HUM00292431
  • BPS-2025C2-45514 (Other Grant/Funding Number: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI))

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

Full, de-identified datasets will be deposited in a PCORI-designated repository at study completion. Study team will follow all rules and regulations of the funding agency, which can be found here: https://www.pcori.org/about/governance/pcoris-policy-data-management-and-data-sharing

IPD Sharing Time Frame

At the time of publication of the research project's primary results in a peer-reviewed journal - for at least 7 years

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

A data requestor that submits a data request will be evaluated for its overall qualifications and experience (e.g., across a proposed team of specified individuals) to achieve the stated research purpose underlying the data request. Neither PCORI nor the Awardee investigators will provide technical assistance directly to data requestors. However, either party may provide input to the repository upon request.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • ICF
  • CSR

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

Yes

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

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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