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Nalbuphine for the Treatment of Opioid Induced Pruritus in Children
This study has been completed.
Sponsored by: University of British Columbia
Information provided by: University of British Columbia
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00323154
  Purpose

Itching is a frequent and disturbing side effect of the use of pain medication such as morphine. In the post-operative period, it can be more distressing to pediatric patients than their pain. The current first line treatment, an antihistamine (Benadryl), has a low efficacy. This treatment causes sleepiness and may be dangerous when used in combination with other drugs.

Nalbuphine has analgesic properties similar to morphine as well as the ability to reverse some morphine-induced side effects, such as respiratory depression and itching. Nalbuphine has been used effectively for patients undergoing Caesarean sections. However, the effectiveness of nalbuphine in the pediatric population has not been investigated.

We want to determine the efficacy of nalbuphine in the treatment of itching after morphine for postoperative pain relief. We will use a novel method to measure the effect of the treatment using an intensity scale before and after the drug, to determine the intensity difference.


Condition Intervention Phase
Pruritis
Drug: Nalbuphine
Phase III

MedlinePlus related topics: Itching
Drug Information available for: Nalbuphine Nalbuphine hydrochloride
U.S. FDA Resources
Study Type: Interventional
Study Design: Treatment, Randomized, Double Blind (Subject, Investigator), Placebo Control, Parallel Assignment, Efficacy Study
Official Title: Nalbuphine for the Treatment of Opioid Induced Pruritus in Children

Further study details as provided by University of British Columbia:

Primary Outcome Measures:
  • Pruritis intensity [ Time Frame: Unspecified ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Secondary Outcome Measures:
  • Pain, sedation [ Time Frame: Unspecified ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Estimated Enrollment: 134
Study Start Date: March 2004
Study Completion Date: December 2004
Primary Completion Date: December 2004 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
Detailed Description:

PURPOSE Primary To determine the efficacy of nalbuphine (50 - 100 mcg/kg intravenously) in the treatment of opioid induced pruritus in a multi-center tertiary care pediatric patient population.

Secondary Determine the effect of treatment with nalbuphine on a subjects analgesia and level of sedation.

HYPOTHESIS

Primary Outcome:

Nalbuphine will be effective in the treatment of opioid induced pruritus; a 50% reduction in pruritus intensity will be considered clinically significant.

Secondary Outcome:

Treatment with nalbuphine will not result in attenuation of analgesia or an increase in sedation

JUSTIFICATION Itch is a frequent and disturbing side effect of opioid use. A recent internal review of the pediatric pain service at the University of Alberta Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta found a 40% incidence of pruritus in patients receiving opioids. A similar review at British Columbia Children's Hospital demonstrated a 22% of patients incidence of pruritus.

OBJECTIVES The compare the efficacy of nalbuphine to placebo for the treatment of opioid-induced pruritus. It is anticipated that nalbuphine will result in a greater than 50% reduction in pruritus intensity.

RESEARCH METHOD This study will be a randomized, double-blinded, placebo controlled trial of nalbuphine for the treatment of opioid-induced pruritus. Pruritus intensity will be measured using a standardized assessment tool / Color Analog Scale (CAS). This is a metric scale which will be used to quantify pruritus on a scale of zero to ten. Using this scale a score of zero is represented by white, increasing pruritus severity being represented by darker shades of the color red, along a ruler.

Data analysis will be based on intenton to treat. It will be a multi-center study involving tertiary care centers with acute pediatric pain services.

Subjects will be divided into two groups by computer generated block randomization; one group will receive treatment with nalbuphine while the other will receive placebo. The patient and investigator will be blinded to the treatment administered.

REASON FOR PLACEBO CONTROLLED STUDY DESIGN Current first line therapy for opioid induced pruritus, with diphenhydramine is associated with a low efficacy (33%) (1). Recognizing that there can be up to 30% self report response to placebo, it is felt that conducting this study as a placebo-controlled trial will be necessary for the demonstration of significant improvement in pruritus intensity.

  Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:   up to 7 Years
Genders Eligible for Study:   Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:   No
Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Postoperative morphine administration
  Contacts and Locations
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00323154

Locations
Canada, British Columbia
British Columbia's Children's Hospital
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Sponsors and Collaborators
University of British Columbia
Investigators
Principal Investigator: Carolyne Montgomery, MD The University of British Columbia
  More Information

Responsible Party: University of British Columbia ( Dr. Carolyne Montgomery )
Study ID Numbers: C02-0589, W02-0175
Study First Received: May 8, 2006
Last Updated: September 24, 2008
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00323154  
Health Authority: Canada: Health Canada

Keywords provided by University of British Columbia:
Morphine, analgesia

Study placed in the following topic categories:
Pruritus
Morphine
Nalbuphine

Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Sensory System Agents
Therapeutic Uses
Narcotic Antagonists
Physiological Effects of Drugs
Central Nervous System Depressants
Narcotics
Peripheral Nervous System Agents
Analgesics
Central Nervous System Agents
Pharmacologic Actions
Analgesics, Opioid

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on January 14, 2009