Study to Evaluate the Efficacy of Milnacipran in the Treatment of Pain Due to Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis Clinical Trial

Official title: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Enriched Enrollment Randomized Withdrawal Study to Evaluate the Efficacy of Milnacipran in the Treatment of Pain Due to Osteoarthritis

Status Recruiting

Clinical Trial Summary

The present study will aim to evaluate the efficacy of milnacipran in the treatment of pain due to osteoarthritis (OA), that is, to determine whether milnacipran provides superior efficacy to placebo in patients with OA. Milnacipran is a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) that is currently approved in the United States in the treatment of major depressive disorder and fibromyalgia. There is increased evidence to suggest that SNRIs may be effective in the treatment of chronic pain conditions, such as OA.

The hypothesis in this study is that the survival time (time from randomization to loss of efficacy) of milnacipran group is superior to that of placebo group.

Clinical Trial Description

The study design is a Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Enriched Enrollment Randomized Withdrawal Study. This means that, upon entry into the study, all subjects will enter an open-label period during which they will take milnacipran for 4 weeks. Subjects will taper their dose up to one 100mg tablet twice daily for a total of 200mg per day. After 4 weeks, the subject will return to the clinic and be re-evaluated.

Only subjects who meet certain criteria are then randomized to continue in the double-blind period of the study. Once a subject is randomized, he or she will take either milnacipran or placebo for another 4 weeks. Following the double-blind period, subjects will be tapered off the study medication and will receive a phone call once each week for 2 weeks for follow-up assessments.

Throughout the study, subjects will complete various questionnaires and other test procedures aimed at sub-typing subjects based on pain mechanisms. ;

Study Design

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

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Osteoarthritis

• NCT number: NCT01329406
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Analgesic Solutions
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: Phase 4
• Start date: July 2011
• Completion date: September 2012