Altitude SicknessPhase 3NCT01171794
Prevention of Altitude Illness With Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Study (PAINS)
A Phase 3 study testing Ibuprofen in people with Altitude Sickness, run by Stanford University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
This is a research study on Altitude Illness. From the information collected and studied in this project we hope to learn more about Altitude Illness, including factors that may affect and prevent the development and progression of this condition. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 65 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Altitude Sickness
- What is being tested?
- Ibuprofen
- Type of treatment
- Pill or oral medicine
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 89 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- Jul 2010to Aug 2010
- Phase
- Phase 3
- Are there results?
- Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view
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 65 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Healthy Male or female volunteer
- Age 18-65
- Sea-level dwelling
- Non pregnant
- Have not been to high altitude in the past week
- Can arrange for their own transportation to WMRS by friday evening the weekend of their study enrollment and are available the duration of the weekend of their study enrollment
Who cannot join
- Age <18 or >65
- Live at altitude > Sea Level +/- 1000'
- Pregnant
- Taking NSAIDs, Acetazolamide, or Corticosteroids
- Allergic to NSAIDs or Aspirin, or have had adverse reaction to them in the past
- Traveled or planning to travel to high altitude in the week prior to their enrollment.
- Medical history of Brain Tumor, increased intercranial pressure, pseudotumor cerebri, ventricular shunts, loss of an eye, Asthma, HACE or HAPE.
- Cannot arrange for their own transportation to WMRS or are unavailable for the duration of the weekend of their study enrollment
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford, California, 94305
About this study
This is a research study on Altitude Illness. From the information collected and studied in this project we hope to learn more about Altitude Illness, including factors that may affect and prevent the development and progression of this condition. We hope to learn if the commonly used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication, ibuprofen can prevent altitude illness. Possible participants in this study are healthy adults who indicated they would like to participate, learn about altitude illness, and desire to hike Barcroft Peak. Stanford University researchers hope to enroll about 100 participants.
Read the detailed description
This study was designed to bring together elements of prior studies and go one step further for definitive data on several points. The trial will employ two pharmaceutical intervention arms, which will compare placebo (the standard of care - information on prevention of altitude sickness) with the widely used NSAID ibuprofen. We will also determine Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter (ONSD) measurements via ultrasound in both the control and interventional arms. We will accomplish these objectives with a prospective, double blinded view of a large population of hikers who are ascending at their own rate in a true hiking environment: The White Mountain Research Station Owen Valley Lab (OVL) and Bancroft Station (BAR).
Primary hypothesis: Ibuprofen 600 mg TID will be superior to placebo in decreasing both the incidence and severity of AMS in high altitude travel.
- Conditions
- Altitude Sickness
- Being tested
- Ibuprofen, Placebo
- Medical subject headings
- Altitude Sickness
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
IbuprofenDrug
Also called motrin
3 x 200mg (600mg total) x tid and one dosing on the subsequent day ( 4 doses total)
PlaceboDrug
identical number of visually identical tasteless pills as ibuprofen arm
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| ibuprofen | Active comparator | 600mg ibu TID Receives: Drug: Ibuprofen |
| placebo | Placebo comparator | visually identical Receives: Drug: Placebo |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Acute Mountain Sickness
Lake Louise Criteria scores range from 0-15 with higher scores representing more severe symptoms; scores of 3 or greater with presence of a headache considered a positive diagnosis of acute mountain sickness
Measured: 2 days
Acute Mountain Sickness Severity
Lake Louise Criteria scores range from 0-15 with higher scores representing more severe symptoms
Measured: 2 days
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted28 Jul 2010 (estimated)
- Study startJul 2010
- Primary completionAug 2010
- Study completionAug 2010
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Altitude SicknessStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Stanford UniversityThe 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 3
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Triple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 89 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Stanford University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- University of California, San Diego
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Grant S Lipman, Stanford University
- Investigators
- Grant S Lipman, Principal investigator, Stanford University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT01171794
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- SU-12012009-4443
- Status last verified
- Nov 2018
- First submitted
- 27 Jul 2010
- Last updated
- 13 Dec 2018
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
Publications
Lipman GS, Kanaan NC, Holck PS, Constance BB, Gertsch JH; PAINS Group. Ibuprofen prevents altitude illness: a randomized controlled trial for prevention of altitude illness with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories. Ann Emerg Med. 2012 Jun;59(6):484-90. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2012.01.019. Epub 2012 Mar 21.
PubMed 22440488
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 13 Dec 2018. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Prevention of Altitude Illness With Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Study (PAINS)
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT01171794
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- SU-12012009-4443
- Conditions
- Altitude Sickness
- Phase
- Phase 3
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 89 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Stanford UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- University of California, San Diego
- Study start
- Jul 2010
- Primary completion
- Aug 2010 (actual)
- Study completion
- Aug 2010 (actual)
- First posted
- 28 Jul 2010 (estimated)
- Results
- Posted 20 Apr 2017
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This is a research study on Altitude Illness. From the information collected and studied in this project we hope to learn more about Altitude Illness, including factors that may affect and prevent the development and progression of this condition. We hope to learn if the commonly used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication, ibuprofen can prevent altitude illness. Possible participants in this study are healthy adults who indicated they would like to participate, learn about altitude illness, and desire to hike Barcroft Peak. Stanford University researchers hope to enroll about 100 participants.
Detailed description
This study was designed to bring together elements of prior studies and go one step further for definitive data on several points. The trial will employ two pharmaceutical intervention arms, which will compare placebo (the standard of care - information on prevention of altitude sickness) with the widely used NSAID ibuprofen. We will also determine Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter (ONSD) measurements via ultrasound in both the control and interventional arms. We will accomplish these objectives with a prospective, double blinded view of a large population of hikers who are ascending at their own rate in a true hiking environment: The White Mountain Research Station Owen Valley Lab (OVL) and Bancroft Station (BAR).
Primary hypothesis: Ibuprofen 600 mg TID will be superior to placebo in decreasing both the incidence and severity of AMS in high altitude travel.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Triple blind (participant, investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| ibuprofen | Active comparator | Drug: Ibuprofen600mg ibu TID |
| placebo | Placebo comparator | Drug: Placebovisually identical |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 65 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Healthy Male or female volunteer
- Age 18-65
- Sea-level dwelling
- Non pregnant
- Have not been to high altitude in the past week
Key exclusion criteria (8 listed)
- Age <18 or >65
- Live at altitude > Sea Level +/- 1000'
- Pregnant
- Taking NSAIDs, Acetazolamide, or Corticosteroids
- Allergic to NSAIDs or Aspirin, or have had adverse reaction to them in the past
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 |
|---|---|---|
| IbuprofenAlso: motrin3 x 200mg (600mg total) x tid and one dosing on the subsequent day ( 4 doses total) | Drug | ibuprofen |
| Placeboidentical number of visually identical tasteless pills as ibuprofen arm | Drug | placebo |
Primary outcome
Acute Mountain Sickness
Time frame: 2 days
Lake Louise Criteria scores range from 0-15 with higher scores representing more severe symptoms; scores of 3 or greater with presence of a headache considered a positive diagnosis of acute mountain sickness
Acute Mountain Sickness Severity
Time frame: 2 days
Lake Louise Criteria scores range from 0-15 with higher scores representing more severe symptoms
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 13 Dec 2018.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
- Results publication: PubMed 22440488Lipman GS, Kanaan NC, Holck PS, Constance BB, Gertsch JH; PAINS Group. Ibuprofen prevents altitude illness: a randomized controlled trial for prevention of altitude illness with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories. Ann Emerg Med. 2012 Jun;59(6):484-90. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2012.01.019. Epub 2012 Mar 21.
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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.
Grant S Lipman principal investigator
Stanford University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A Phase 3 study testing Ibuprofen in people with Altitude Sickness, run by Stanford University 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 6 inclusion and 8 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: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 13 Dec 2018. 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.
What does this phase mean?
Phase 3 studies compare the treatment with the current standard treatment or a placebo in a large group, to confirm how well it works and watch for side effects.
Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.
Are results available for this study?
Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 20 Apr 2017). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.
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?
Acute Mountain Sickness (time frame: 2 days). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT01171794, which also lists 1 linked publication.
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 13 Dec 2018; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 7 Nov 2026.