Naloxone in Treating Constipation in Patients Who Are Receiving Opioids for Chronic Pain

Unspecified Adult Solid Tumor, Protocol Specific Clinical Trial

Official title: A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-controlled, Phase IIB Study of Oral Naloxone for the Treatment of Opioid-Induced Constipation in Patients With Chronic, Non-malignant Pain or Malignant Pain

Status Unknown status

Clinical Trial Summary

RATIONALE: Naloxone may be effective in treating constipation that may be caused by opioid pain medications such as morphine.

PURPOSE: Phase III trial to determine the effectiveness of naloxone in relieving constiption in patients who are receiving opioids for chronic pain.

Clinical Trial Description

OBJECTIVES: I. Assess the long-term safety and efficacy of oral naloxone in treating opioid-induced constipation in patients with chronic malignant or non-malignant pain.

OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study. Patients receive oral naloxone twice daily. Each patient receives an escalating dose until the minimum effective dose or the maximum dose allowed is reached. The minimum effective dose is defined as the dose at which a patient has at least 4 bowel movements within 7 days. Patients receive the minimum effective dose for 7 days and then continue long-term treatment for a maximum of 72 weeks. Patients receiving the maximum dose allowed with fewer than 4 bowel movements per week will discontinue study therapy.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: Approximately 600 patients will be accrued for this study. ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Constipation
• Constipation, Impaction, and Bowel Obstruction
• Intestinal Obstruction
• Unspecified Adult Solid Tumor, Protocol Specific

• NCT number: NCT00020605
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: National Cancer Institute (NCI)
• Status: Unknown status
• Phase: Phase 3
• Start date: May 2000