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Methadone for Enhanced Postoperative Analgesia in Intermediate-Risk Noncardiac Surgery (MELODY) (MELODY)

29 april 2026 uppdaterad av: Alexandre P. Joosten

Methadone for Enhanced Postoperative Analgesia in Intermediate-Risk Noncardiac Surgery: A Multicentre Randomized Controlled Trial (MELODY Trial)

Postoperative pain control remains suboptimal for a large proportion of surgical patients and is frequently associated with slower recovery and higher reliance on opioids after surgery. Current intraoperative analgesic approaches predominantly use short-acting opioids, whose rapid pharmacokinetics can lead to variable drug exposure and inconsistent control of nociceptive stimuli.

Methadone has a different pharmacologic profile, combining prolonged μ-opioid receptor activity with N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonism, allowing sustained analgesia following a single intraoperative administration and potentially enhancing postoperative recovery.

The MELODY trial is a multicentre, randomized, patient-blinded clinical study designed to compare a single intravenous dose of methadone given at induction with conventional short-acting opioid-based anesthesia in adults undergoing intermediate-risk noncardiac surgery. The primary aim is to evaluate whether this strategy leads to improved quality of recovery on the first postoperative day.

Studieöversikt

Detaljerad beskrivning

Acute postoperative pain remains insufficiently controlled in a substantial proportion of surgical patients, with more than half reporting moderate-to-severe pain after surgery. Standard intraoperative opioid strategies rely on short-acting agents such as fentanyl or hydromorphone, which are associated with rapid clearance and fluctuating plasma concentrations that may contribute to variability in nociceptive control and increased postoperative opioid requirements.

Methadone offers a pharmacologic profile that may address these limitations. It provides prolonged analgesic effect due to its long elimination half-life, rapid effect-site equilibration, and additional N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonism, potentially reducing central sensitization and improving postoperative pain control.

The MELODY trial is a multicentre, patient-blinded, randomized, parallel-group superiority trial conducted across University of California hospitals. Participants are randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive either intravenous methadone at induction or standard short-acting opioid-based anesthesia.

All patients receive a standardized multimodal analgesic regimen to isolate the effect of the intraoperative opioid strategy. The primary outcome is quality of recovery on postoperative day 1, assessed using the validated Quality of Recovery-15 (QoR-15) questionnaire. Secondary outcomes include opioid consumption, pain scores, opioid-related adverse events, and health-related quality of life.

Studietyp

Interventionell

Inskrivning (Beräknad)

400

Fas

  • Fas 3

Kontakter och platser

Det här avsnittet innehåller kontaktuppgifter för dem som genomför studien och information om var denna studie genomförs.

Studiekontakt

Studieorter

Deltagandekriterier

Forskare letar efter personer som passar en viss beskrivning, så kallade behörighetskriterier. Några exempel på dessa kriterier är en persons allmänna hälsotillstånd eller tidigare behandlingar.

Urvalskriterier

Åldrar som är berättigade till studier

  • Vuxen
  • Äldre vuxen

Tar emot friska volontärer

Nej

Beskrivning

Inclusion Criteria

  • Age ≥18 years
  • Elective intermediate-risk noncardiac surgery under general anesthesia
  • ASA physical status I-III
  • Expected hospital stay ≥24 hours
  • Ability to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

  • Severe hepatic dysfunction (Child-Pugh C)
  • Severe renal impairment (eGFR <30 mL/min/1.73 m²)
  • Known allergy to methadone or opioids
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding
  • Chronic opioid use or opioid use disorder
  • Planned use of epidural or regional analgesia
  • Inability to complete study assessments

Studieplan

Det här avsnittet ger detaljer om studieplanen, inklusive hur studien är utformad och vad studien mäter.

Hur är studien utformad?

Designdetaljer

  • Primärt syfte: Behandling
  • Tilldelning: Randomiserad
  • Interventionsmodell: Parallellt uppdrag
  • Maskning: Enda

Vapen och interventioner

Deltagargrupp / Arm
Intervention / Behandling
Experimentell: Experimental Arm: Methadone-Based Anesthesia

Intervention: Drug: Methadone

Intravenous methadone 0.25 mg/kg (ideal body weight) administered at induction Optional supplemental dose (2 mg) at emergence if clinically indicated Additional intraoperative short-acting opioids discouraged

Intervention Description - Intravenous Methadone

A single intravenous dose of methadone (0.25 mg/kg based on ideal body weight) administered at induction of anesthesia to provide sustained intraoperative and early postoperative analgesia. Additional short-acting opioids are discouraged but may be administered if clinically required. A supplemental dose of methadone (2 mg) may be given at emergence in case of significant nociceptive signs.

Aktiv komparator: Active Comparator Arm: Standard Opioid-Based Anesthesia

Intervention: Drug: Short-acting opioids

Fentanyl and/or hydromorphone administered intraoperatively according to clinician judgment Reflects usual care practice

ntervention Description - Short-acting Opioids

Intraoperative analgesia using short-acting opioids (e.g., fentanyl and/or hydromorphone) administered at induction and throughout surgery according to clinician judgment and institutional practice. This approach reflects usual care, with dosing and timing determined pragmatically based on intraoperative needs.

Vad mäter studien?

Primära resultatmått

Resultatmått
Åtgärdsbeskrivning
Tidsram
Quality of Recovery (QoR-15) score on postoperative day 1
Tidsram: Postoperative Day 1 (24 hours after surgery)
Quality of recovery assessed using the validated 15-item QoR-15 questionnaire. Scores range from 0 to 150, with higher scores indicating better recovery.
Postoperative Day 1 (24 hours after surgery)

Sekundära resultatmått

Resultatmått
Åtgärdsbeskrivning
Tidsram
QoR-15 score on postoperative day 2
Tidsram: Time Frame: Postoperative Day 2
Time Frame: Postoperative Day 2
Cumulative opioid consumption (MME)
Tidsram: Time Frame: 0-24 hours and 24-48 hours postoperatively
Time Frame: 0-24 hours and 24-48 hours postoperatively
Maximum pain scores (Numeric Rating Scale)
Tidsram: Time Frame: Postoperative day 1 and 2
Time Frame: Postoperative day 1 and 2
Opioid-free days
Tidsram: Time Frame: Within 7 days postoperatively
Time Frame: Within 7 days postoperatively
Opioid-related adverse events
Tidsram: Time Frame: Up to 48 hours postoperatively
Includes nausea, vomiting, sedation, respiratory depression
Time Frame: Up to 48 hours postoperatively
Health-related quality of life (EQ-5D-5L)
Tidsram: 30 days post-surgery

The EQ-5D-5L (EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level Version) is a health-related quality of life assessment tool that measures quality of life across five dimensions:

Mobility: 1 = No problems, 5 = Extreme problems Self-care: 1 = No problems, 5 = Extreme problems Usual activities: 1 = No problems, 5 = Extreme problems Pain/discomfort: 1 = No problems, 5 = Extreme problems Anxiety/depression: 1 = Not at all, 5 = Extremely severe Each dimension is scored on a 5-level scale, allowing for a detailed assessment of health status.

30 days post-surgery

Samarbetspartners och utredare

Det är här du hittar personer och organisationer som är involverade i denna studie.

Utredare

  • Studierektor: Joseph Szokol, MD PhD, University of California, Los Angeles
  • Studierektor: EVAN KARASCH, MD PhD, Duke

Studieavstämningsdatum

Dessa datum spårar framstegen för inlämningar av studieposter och sammanfattande resultat till ClinicalTrials.gov. Studieposter och rapporterade resultat granskas av National Library of Medicine (NLM) för att säkerställa att de uppfyller specifika kvalitetskontrollstandarder innan de publiceras på den offentliga webbplatsen.

Studera stora datum

Studiestart (Beräknad)

1 juli 2026

Primärt slutförande (Beräknad)

31 december 2026

Avslutad studie (Beräknad)

30 mars 2027

Studieregistreringsdatum

Först inskickad

23 april 2026

Först inskickad som uppfyllde QC-kriterierna

29 april 2026

Första postat (Faktisk)

4 maj 2026

Uppdateringar av studier

Senaste uppdatering publicerad (Faktisk)

4 maj 2026

Senaste inskickade uppdateringen som uppfyllde QC-kriterierna

29 april 2026

Senast verifierad

1 april 2026

Mer information

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Studerar en amerikansk FDA-reglerad produktprodukt

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