PainNarcanNCT01105871
Subjective Analgesic Effects of Naloxone and Virtual Reality
A study testing naloxone in people with Pain, run by University of Washington at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
This study is designed to test a specific hypothesis exploring the neurophysiologic mechanism(s) that underlie the pain- relieving effects of immersive Virtual Reality (VR) as a non-pharmacologic pain management technique, using healthy volunteers experiencing carefully controlled thermal and/or electrical pain in the… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 60 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Pain
- What is being tested?
- naloxone
- Type of treatment
- Injection or infusion
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 50 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- Aug 2010to Jun 2014
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 60 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Healthy males and females between the ages of 18 and 60 years
- Ability to communicate orally
- Body mass index of 30 or less
Who cannot join
- Women who are pregnant, trying to become pregnant or who are breastfeeding.
- History of alcohol or substance abuse
- Major medical illness, including history or migraine headaches
- Allergy or sensitivity to narcotics or naloxone
- Current use of analgesics including acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, or opioids
- Predisposition to severe motion sickness
Show all 9Show fewer
- Unusual sensitivity or lack of sensitivity to pain
- Sensitive skin
- Urine toxicology positive for opioids
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
University of Washington Medical Center
Seattle, Washington, 98195
About this study
This study is designed to test a specific hypothesis exploring the neurophysiologic mechanism(s) that underlie the pain- relieving effects of immersive Virtual Reality (VR) as a non-pharmacologic pain management technique, using healthy volunteers experiencing carefully controlled thermal and/or electrical pain in the laboratory. Over the past decade, our research group has performed a series of NIH-funded investigations of VR analgesia - in both the clinical pain and laboratory pain settings - demonstrating its clinical efficacy and safety. In the current study we will test pharmacologic manipulation of VR analgesia (with the opioid analgesia antagonist naloxone). We anticipate that this theoretical work will provide a foundation for future clinical applications of immersive VR - whether used alone or in combination with other analgesic agents - and make immersive VR a more effective and more widely used analgesic tool for the treatment of clinical pain.
Our previous work with immersive VR indicates that its use during a painful event can reduce subjective pain reports during both acute clinical and laboratory pain by 20-50% [1]. Furthermore, we have shown that effective VR analgesia is associated with reduced pain-related brain activity that is quantitatively and qualitatively comparable to clinically relevant doses of systemic opioid analgesics [2]. The laboratory pain protocol proposed in the current application is identical to the UW HSD-approved protocol used in our previous studies (#25296 - "Reducing Brief Thermal and Electrical Pain"). What is specifically different in the current protocol is the use of naloxone to determine whether VR analgesia operates through an endogenous opioid-dependent mechanism or not. The results of this study will not only suggest the mechanism of action of VR analgesia, but also allow us to more effectively apply immersive VR analgesia in the clinically pain setting through its thoughtful combination with well-established pharmacologic analgesic techniques, such as opioid analgesia administration.
The specific aim of this study and the hypothesis it tests are as follows: To determine the extent to which subjective analgesic effects of VR analgesia are inhibited by opioid receptor antagonism with naloxone. Hypothesis - VR analgesia will not be inhibited by systemic opioid receptor antagonism, suggesting that VR analgesia is not mediated by release of endogenous opiates and/or by activation of opioid-dependent descending central nervous system pathways.
- Conditions
- Pain
- Being tested
- naloxone, Placebo
- Keywords
- Pain relief
- Medical subject headings
- Pain
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
naloxoneDrug
Also called Naloxone = Narcan
4 mg naloxone in 10 ml saline given iv bolus
PlaceboDrug
10 ml of normal saline iv bolus
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| naloxone | Active comparator | 4 mg in 10 ml saline iv bolus Receives: Drug: naloxone |
| saline placebo | Placebo comparator | 10 ml of normal saline iv bolus Receives: Drug: Placebo |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Pain scoring from sessions where naloxone is given or placebo.Pain scoring is a questionnaire using analog scale (1-10).
Measured: Outcome measurements will be assessed when all research and analysis has been completed. We project the approximate time frame to be about 18 months.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted19 Apr 2010 (estimated)
- Study startAug 2010
- Primary completionJun 2014 (estimated)
- Study completionJun 2014 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for PainStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of WashingtonThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Washington
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Sam Sharar, University of Washington
- Investigators
- Samuel R Sharar, MD, Principal investigator, University of Washington
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT01105871
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 35974-D
- Acronym
- Narcan
- Status last verified
- Aug 2012
- First submitted
- 19 Mar 2010
- Last updated
- 21 Aug 2012
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 21 Aug 2012. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Subjective Analgesic Effects of Naloxone and Virtual Reality
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT01105871
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- Narcan / 35974-D
- Conditions
- Pain
- Keywords
- Pain relief
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Unknown status
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of WashingtonUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Aug 2010
- Primary completion
- Jun 2014 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Jun 2014 (estimated)
- First posted
- 19 Apr 2010 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study is designed to test a specific hypothesis exploring the neurophysiologic mechanism(s) that underlie the pain- relieving effects of immersive Virtual Reality (VR) as a non-pharmacologic pain management technique, using healthy volunteers experiencing carefully controlled thermal and/or electrical pain in the laboratory. Over the past decade, our research group has performed a series of NIH-funded investigations of VR analgesia - in both the clinical pain and laboratory pain settings - demonstrating its clinical efficacy and safety. In the current study we will test pharmacologic manipulation of VR analgesia (with the opioid analgesia antagonist naloxone). We anticipate that this theoretical work will provide a foundation for future clinical applications of immersive VR - whether used alone or in combination with other analgesic agents - and make immersive VR a more effective and more widely used analgesic tool for the treatment of clinical pain.
Our previous work with immersive VR indicates that its use during a painful event can reduce subjective pain reports during both acute clinical and laboratory pain by 20-50% [1]. Furthermore, we have shown that effective VR analgesia is associated with reduced pain-related brain activity that is quantitatively and qualitatively comparable to clinically relevant doses of systemic opioid analgesics [2]. The laboratory pain protocol proposed in the current application is identical to the UW HSD-approved protocol used in our previous studies (#25296 - "Reducing Brief Thermal and Electrical Pain"). What is specifically different in the current protocol is the use of naloxone to determine whether VR analgesia operates through an endogenous opioid-dependent mechanism or not. The results of this study will not only suggest the mechanism of action of VR analgesia, but also allow us to more effectively apply immersive VR analgesia in the clinically pain setting through its thoughtful combination with well-established pharmacologic analgesic techniques, such as opioid analgesia administration.
The specific aim of this study and the hypothesis it tests are as follows: To determine the extent to which subjective analgesic effects of VR analgesia are inhibited by opioid receptor antagonism with naloxone. Hypothesis - VR analgesia will not be inhibited by systemic opioid receptor antagonism, suggesting that VR analgesia is not mediated by release of endogenous opiates and/or by activation of opioid-dependent descending central nervous system pathways.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, investigator)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| naloxone | Active comparator | Drug: naloxone4 mg in 10 ml saline iv bolus |
| saline placebo | Placebo comparator | Drug: Placebo10 ml of normal saline iv bolus |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 60 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Healthy males and females between the ages of 18 and 60 years
- Ability to communicate orally
- Body mass index of 30 or less
Key exclusion criteria (9 listed)
- Women who are pregnant, trying to become pregnant or who are breastfeeding.
- History of alcohol or substance abuse
- Major medical illness, including history or migraine headaches
- Allergy or sensitivity to narcotics or naloxone
- Current use of analgesics including acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, or opioids
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| naloxoneAlso: Naloxone = Narcan4 mg naloxone in 10 ml saline given iv bolus | Drug | naloxone |
| Placebo10 ml of normal saline iv bolus | Drug | saline placebo |
Primary outcome
Pain scoring from sessions where naloxone is given or placebo.Pain scoring is a questionnaire using analog scale (1-10).
Time frame: Outcome measurements will be assessed when all research and analysis has been completed. We project the approximate time frame to be about 18 months.
Results and safety
Results are not available in the source record.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 21 Aug 2012.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Samuel R Sharar, MD principal investigator
University of Washington
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing naloxone in people with Pain, run by University of Washington at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 9 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: status not confirmed, as of the sponsor's last update on 21 Aug 2012. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
Results are not available in the source record.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Pain scoring from sessions where naloxone is given or placebo.Pain scoring is a questionnaire using analog scale (1-10). (time frame: Outcome measurements will be assessed when all research and analysis has been completed. We project the approximate time frame to be about 18 months.). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 21 Aug 2012.