The Safety, Tolerability and Efficacy of Dronabinol, for the Treatment of Nausea and Vomiting in Familial Dysautonomia

Nausea Clinical Trial

Official title:

The Safety , Tolerability and Efficacy of Dronabinol, a Synthetic Endocannabinoid Receptor Agonist, for the Treatment of Nausea and Vomiting in Patients With Familial Dysautonomia

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Withdrawn

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT02608931
• Other study ID #: 14-01577
• Status: Withdrawn
• Phase: Phase 2
• Start date: November 2015
• Est. completion date: March 22, 2019

Study information

• Verified date: June 2019
• Source: NYU Langone Health
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

This is a pilot clinical trial of dronabinol to treat disabling attacks of nausea and vomiting in patients with familial dysautonomia (FD, also known as Riley Day syndrome or hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy type III). FD is a rare autosomal recessive disease in which the growth and development of selective nerves is impaired. Patients with FD suffer recurrent uncontrollable nausea and vomiting crises accompanied by skin flushing, tachycardia and arterial hypertension. Current treatments of nausea are ineffective or have intolerable side sides. Our long-term goal is to treat nausea effectively and without side effects, a therapeutic intervention that would markedly improve the quality of life of patients with FD.

Description:

The purpose of this pilot study is to assess the safety, tolerability and efficacy of dronabinol for the treatment of nausea in patients with FD. The pilot trial will recruit 25 patients with FD who complain of severe nausea that affects their quality of life. The trial will be divided into two consecutive, but independent parts. Part 1, will address the safety and tolerability of dronabinol in patients with FD using an open-label dose titration phase followed by 4-weeks of wash-out period. Part 2 will address the efficacy of dronabinol for the treatment of nausea in patients with FD using a randomized, placebo controlled, double blind, 12-week cross over design.

The first specific aim of this proposal is to assess the safety and tolerability of dronabinol in patients with FD. The second specific aim of this proposal is to determine whether stimulation of endocannabinoid receptors with dronabinol will improve recurrent nausea in patients with FD. Secondary aims are to determine whether stimulation of endocannabinoid receptors with dronabinol will increase weight, and decrease anxiety.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Withdrawn
• Enrollment: 0
• Est. completion date: March 22, 2019
• Est. primary completion date: March 22, 2019
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years to 60 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Male or female patients aged 18-60.

2. Confirmed diagnosis of familial dysautonomia by genetic testing.

3. Symptoms of severe nausea.

4. Able to swallow the capsules.

5. Written informed consent or ascent to participate in the pilot trial and understanding that they can withdraw consent or accent at anytime without affecting their future care.

6. Ability to comply with the requirements of the study procedures, including taking blood pressure measurements at home

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patients with a history of hypersensitivity to any cannabinoid or sesame oil.

2. Cannabinoid use in the previous 4 weeks (a urinary cannabinoid test will be performed before study entry).

3. Patients with a history of substance abuse, including alcohol abuse or dependence, or marijuana.

4. Seizure disorder with at least one epileptic seizure in the last 3 years or abnormal epileptic discharge in electroencephalography

5. Patients with history of bipolar disorder, severe depression or schizophrenia.

6. Patients that require driving, operating machinery, or engaging in hazardous activities.

7. Patients taking medications thought, in the investigator's opinion, to be unsafe when used with dronabinol.

8. Patients with atrial fibrillation, angina or an electrocardiogram documenting a significant abnormality that may jeopardize the patient's health.

9. Patients with significant pulmonary, liver, renal (creatinine > 2.0 mg/ml), or cardiac illness that may, in the investigators opinion jeopardize their health by participating in this pilot trial.

10. Patients with severe cognitive impairment or pervasive developmental disorders, or patients who are unable to clearly identify and rate their symptoms of nausea.

11. Women who are pregnant or lactating.

12. Patients who have a significant abnormality on clinical examination that may, in the investigator's opinion, jeopardize their health by participating in this pilot trial.

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Autonomic Nervous System Diseases
• Dysautonomia, Familial
• Familial Dysautonomia
• Nausea
• Primary Dysautonomias
• Vomiting

Intervention

Drug:
• Dronabinol

Other:
• Placebo
placebo

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	NYU Medical Center	New York	New York

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
NYU Langone Health

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Number of adverse effects	number of AEs during 4 weeks active drug phase vs. 4 weeks placebo phase	8 weeks
Primary	Change in nausea scores	nausea scores during 4 weeks active drug phase vs. 4 weeks placebo phase	8 weeks
Secondary	Change in weight.	change in weight (kgs) during 4 weeks active drug phase vs. 4 weeks placebo phase	8 weeks
Secondary	Change in anxiety scores	change in anxiety scale scores during 4 weeks active drug phase vs. 4 weeks placebo	8 Weeks