Effects of Pepper Gas Exposure in Non-combatant Bystanders.

Cough Clinical Trial

Official title:

Pepper Gas Exposure Study

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT01922700
• Other study ID #: PEPPER01
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• First received: August 8, 2013
• Last updated: July 18, 2014
• Start date: April 2013
• Est. completion date: October 2013

Study information

• Verified date: July 2014
• Source: Sheri Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: India: SheriKashmir Institute of Medical Sciences
• Study type: Observational

Clinical Trial Summary

Pepper sprays and pepper gas grenades are used by riot police at various places in the world for crowd control. Data about the acute effects based on human studies is extremely scarce. Kashmir valley in the northern Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir has witnessed political turmoil for the past 22 years and incidents of stone pelting are common wherein groups of youth indulge in stone pelting at the security personnel. While there have been previous episodes of fatalities associated with incidents of firing by the security personnel; non lethal methods are adopted routinely now. These include lathis, water cannons, tear gas and more recently the pepper gas grenades. The pepper grenades explode in the area and the adverse effects are perceived by the population in the area too who are even sitting in their homes. The study proposes to observe the health effects of the pepper gas exposure in non-combatant civilians.

Description:

Eligibility:

History of exposure to a pepper grenade explosion.

Exclusion:

Participation in combat operation/ stone pelting/ demonstration.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 298
• Est. completion date: October 2013
• Est. primary completion date: September 2013
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: Both
• Age group: N/A and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

All participants with a history of exposure to pepper gas grenade explosion

Exclusion Criteria:

Combatant role while exposure

Study Design

Observational Model: Ecologic or Community, Time Perspective: Cross-Sectional

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Cough
• Irritation in Skin
• Irritation in Throat
• Lacrimation

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
India	SheriKashmir Institute of Medical Sciences	Srinagar	Jammu & Kashmir

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Sheri Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences

Country where clinical trial is conducted

India, 

References & Publications (3)

Cil H, Atilgan ZA, Islamoglu Y, Tekbas EO, Dostbil Z. Is the pepper spray a triggering factor in myocardial infarction? A case report. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2012 Mar;16 Suppl 1:73-4. — View Citation

Holopainen JM, Moilanen JA, Hack T, Tervo TM. Toxic carriers in pepper sprays may cause corneal erosion. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2003 Feb 1;186(3):155-62. — View Citation

Vesaluoma M, Müller L, Gallar J, Lambiase A, Moilanen J, Hack T, Belmonte C, Tervo T. Effects of oleoresin capsicum pepper spray on human corneal morphology and sensitivity. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2000 Jul;41(8):2138-47. — View Citation

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Other	Development of other non-respiratory symptoms which include (but not limited to) skin irritation, skin rash, lacrimation, visual disturbances, vomiting, any other GI symptom, headache, fever, seizures or any other neurological symptom and their duration		24 hours	No
Primary	Development of cough, irritation in throat, nasal irritation, nasal discharge, wheezing, breathlessness, hemoptysis, chest pain upon exposure or worsening of already existing cough, breathlessness, wheezing of a previous respiratory illness.		24 hours	No
Secondary	Duration of symptoms developed		10 days	No