Research Study to Test Safety and Effectiveness of Investigational Drug in Patients With Trigeminal Neuralgia

Trigeminal Neuralgia Clinical Trial

Official title: A Double-Blind Placebo Controlled Add-on Study to Determine the Efficacy and Safety of Lamictal (Lamotrigine) in Patients With Trigeminal Neuralgia (Tic Doloureux)

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

This research study will look at the safety (e.g., the occurrence of side effects) and efficacy (how well the drug works in reducing trigeminal neuralgia attacks) of a drug called lamotrigine in adults with trigeminal neuralgia.

Clinical Trial Description

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, add-on study of lamotrigine in trigeminal neuralgia. Thirty-eight eligible patients with trigeminal neuralgia will be enrolled; nineteen will be randomized to the active medication group and nineteen to the placebo group. Using a daily diary, all patients will document their overall pain level and attack frequency and intensity for four weeks. After the four week baseline period, patients will initiate medication (lamotrigine or placebo). Patients will titrate until either they reach the maximum dose of 400mg per day and up to 700mg for patients on enzyme-inducing anti-epileptic drugs (EIAED's), their side effects inhibit further increases (known as maximum tolerated dose (MTD)), or their trigeminal neuralgia pain resolves (referred to as pain free dose (PFD)) over eight weeks. Patients will remain on a constant dose of prior medications throughout the study. Patients will remain on maximum dose, MTD, or PFD for a maintenance period of at least eight weeks, and at the end of the maintenance period patients who opt to stay on the medication will be unblinded as to medication and dosage. Primary outcome will be average intensity of daily pain. ;

Study Design

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

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Neuralgia
• Trigeminal Neuralgia

• NCT number: NCT00203229
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Thomas Jefferson University
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: June 2003
• Completion date: July 2006