Pain Treatment for Sciatica

Sciatica Clinical Trial

Official title: Morphine, Nortriptyline and Their Combination in Sciatica Treatment

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

This study will test the effectiveness of two drugs-nortriptyline and MS Contin (a type of morphine)-to treat pain caused by lumbar radiculopathy, or sciatica. Sciatica results from damage to the lumbar nerve roots, typically causing back pain and sharp, shooting pain down one or both legs. Although sciatica is common, there are no good treatments for it. Tricyclic antidepressants, such as nortriptyline, and opioids, such as morphine, have been effective in treating other kinds of pain from nerve damage.

Patients between 18 and 65 years of age who have had sciatica pain daily for at least 3 months may be eligible for this study.

Participants will provide a medical history and occupational and other social information. They will undergo a neurological examination, routine blood tests and an electrocardiogram and will fill out three questionnaires providing information on daily functioning and psychological well-being.

This "cross-over" study consists of several parts, including a baseline study and four different treatment regimens. During each part, patients keep a daily log in which they rate their pain, record other procedures they undergo, such as injections and manipulations, and record medication side effects.

In the first week of the study, patients remain on their current medications. Any antidepressants or opioids are stopped gradually before starting the drug trials. After the first week, patients go through the following four drug trials in random order:

1. Nortriptyline and inert placebo-Patients take nortriptyline in doses ranging from 25 mg. to 100 mg. and an inert placebo for morphine. (An inert placebo is a dummy pill; it looks like the test drug but has no active ingredient.)

2. MS Contin (morphine) and inert placebo-Patients take MS Contin in doses ranging from 30 mg. to 90 mg. and an inert placebo for nortriptyline.

3. Nortriptyline and MS Contin-Patients take MS Contin and nortriptyline in the same dose ranges as for each drug alone.

4. Active placebo and inactive placebo-Patients take an active placebo-in this case benztropine-and an inert placebo. An active placebo is a drug that does not work for the problem being studied but whose side effects are like those of the test drug-in this case, slight sleepiness or dry mouth. Benztropine is given at one-third the recommended dosage.

For each drug regimen, the medication dose is increased gradually over 5 weeks until the maximum tolerated dose is reached. At the end of each regimen, patients are taken off the study drugs over a 12-day tapering period and are off drugs completely for another 2 days.

Patients are seen by a doctor or nurse at the 7-week point in each study period. After all the drug trials are finished, patients repeat the questionnaires they filled out at the beginning of the study. Patients and their doctors will be informed of the medications that were effective in each individual's care.

Clinical Trial Description

Irritation or damage to lumbar nerve roots referred to as lumbar radiculopathy or sciatica is a very common clinical entity with a lifetime prevalence of 1-3% in the adult population. Lumbar radiculopathy typically causes back pain and sharp, shooting pain in the leg(s). Despite its prevalence and disabling characteristics, sciatica has never been selectively studied in drug trials. It is plausible to assume that tricyclic antidepressants and opioids, which are effective in the treatment of other neuropathic pain syndromes will be beneficial for chronic lumbar radicular pain as well. This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, four period cross-over study of chronic lumbar radicular pain. Patient selection will target men and women of all ethnic backgrounds between the ages of 18 and 65 who have had signs and symptoms of sciatica for 3 months or more. Treatments are: 1. nortriptyline (25-100 mg); 2. morphine (MS Contin 30-90 mg); 3. nortriptyline (25-100 mg) plus morphine, (MS Contin 30-90 mg); 4. combination of an active placebo, benztropine (0.25-1 mg) and an inert placebo. Patients will be called twice a week to individually titrate doses and monitor side effects. The primary outcome measures in this study will be the daily pain scores in the low back, in the leg and combined. Patients' quality of life and activities of daily living will be secondary outcome measures as assessed by the SF 36 and Oswestry and the Beck questionnaires. Fifty one patients will be enrolled in this study and the duration of the study will be 37 weeks. ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Radiculopathy
• Sciatica

• NCT number: NCT00009672
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 2
• Start date: January 30, 2001
• Completion date: December 12, 2006