The Effect of Epidural Fentanyl on Immune Function

Malignancy Clinical Trial

Official title:

The Effect of Perioperative Epidural Opioids on Inflammatory Cytokines and Immune Function

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT01646775
• Other study ID #: 11-186-SDR
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• First received: July 11, 2012
• Last updated: June 20, 2014
• Start date: July 2012
• Est. completion date: December 2014

Study information

• Verified date: June 2014
• Source: McGill University Health Center
• Contact: Albert Moore
• Phone: 514-934-1934
• Email: moore_albert[@]hotmail.com
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: Canada: Health Canada
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Background: For cancer to grow and metastasize, inflammatory and immunologic conditions in the host must be favorable. The perioperative period provides inflammatory and immunologic changes that may be pro-malignant. Anesthetic medications, including the use of opioid medication, may contribute to these changes.

Hypothesis: The investigators hypothesize that perioperative immunologic changes in patients undergoing resection of hepatic colorectal cancer recurrence, as measured by natural killer cell function and cytokine levels, will undergo less alterations in those who receive only epidural bupivacaine, as compared to those who receive epidural bupivacaine and fentanyl.

Methods: In this double blind control trial patients with no extra-hepatic evidence of cancer, undergoing a planned curative resection of hepatic recurrence of colorectal cancer, will be randomized to receive an epidural with bupivacaine and fentanyl, or bupivacaine alone. No other perioperative opioid medication will be given, and post-operative analgesia will be supplemented with acetaminophen and gabapentin. Blood samples and pain ratings using a verbal analogue scale will be obtained preoperatively, immediately and 6 hours postoperatively, and then daily until removal of the epidural catheter. Samples will be analyzed for levels of interleukin 2, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 17,TNF-α, TGF α and β, MCP-1, CRP, and NK cell activity. Cytokines will be measured using a suspension bead array immunoassay kit, and NK activity will be measured using flow cytometry of isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells exposed to the K562 cell line and treated with fluorescent antibodies to intracellular markers of activation. Data will be compared between groups using t-tests, or Mann-Whitney tests as appropriate. To demonstrate a 50% smaller decrease of NK cell activity in the bupivacaine group as compared to the bupivacaine and fentanyl group the investigators will need to randomize a total of 30 patients.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Recruiting
• Enrollment: 30
• Est. completion date: December 2014
• Est. primary completion date: October 2014
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Both
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

We will consider for inclusion any adult patient undergoing a planned curative hepatic resection of a colorectal carcinoma liver recurrence.

Exclusion Criteria:

E 3. Patients Excluded Any patient unable to communicate in English or French. Any patient with evidence of extra-hepatic metastasis. Any patient with contra-indications to epidural anesthesia, or any of the medications used in the study.

Any patient with evidence of coronary artery disease or congestive heart failure, either previously or currently.

Any patient with insulin treated diabetes. Any patient with a BMI greater than 40. Any patient who has received steroids in the past 2 months. Any patient who has taken any pain medication the week before surgery. Any pregnant or breast feeding patient. Any patient with a chronic inflammatory disease, including but not limited to Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease.

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Safety Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor), Primary Purpose: Basic Science

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Malignancy

Intervention

Drug:
• epidural fentanyl
withold epidural fentanyl

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Canada	Royal Victoria Hospital	Montreal	Quebec

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
McGill University Health Center

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Canada, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Natural Killer cell activity.		24 hours	No
Secondary	Visual analogue pain scores		4days	No
Secondary	opioid side effects		4 days	No
Secondary	incidence of infections		1 week	No