NCT00733096

Brief Summary

Lumbosacral radiculopathy is one of the leading of cause of disability in the U.S. and worldwide. Among recent reviews evaluating epidural steroid injections, some 1 but not all 2 concluded them to be effective in the long-term. In our own double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating epidural etanercept, the results showed significant benefit in favor of the etanercept group, but no subject was included with a duration of pain \> 9 months, and the results of this study have yet to be replicated. Currently, epidural steroid injections are the most frequently performed procedures in pain clinics across the U.S. However, epidural steroids may benefit only a select group of patients. The literature on treating sciatica is notable for a lack of randomized comparative studies involving various treatments. The objective of this project is to conduct a 3-arm study to determine the efficacy of 1) transforaminal epidural corticosteroids; and 2) transforaminal epidural etanercept, in patients with lumbosacral radiculopathy.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
84

participants targeted

Target at P50-P75 for phase_2

Timeline
Completed

Started Aug 2008

Geographic Reach
1 country

2 active sites

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Start

First participant enrolled

August 1, 2008

Completed
10 days until next milestone

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

August 11, 2008

Completed
1 day until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

August 12, 2008

Completed
2.6 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

March 1, 2011

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

March 1, 2011

Completed
1.6 years until next milestone

Results Posted

Study results publicly available

October 8, 2012

Completed
Last Updated

October 8, 2012

Status Verified

September 1, 2010

Enrollment Period

2.6 years

First QC Date

August 11, 2008

Results QC Date

August 24, 2012

Last Update Submit

October 5, 2012

Conditions

Keywords

radiculopathysciaticalow back pain

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Numerical Rating Leg Pain Score

    0-10 pain score. 0= no pain, 10= worst imaginable pain.

    1 month

Secondary Outcomes (3)

  • Oswestry Disability Score

    1 month

  • Global Perceived Effect

    1 month

  • Medication Reduction

    1 month

Study Arms (3)

1

EXPERIMENTAL

Epidural etanercept 4 mg, two doses 2 weeks apart

Drug: etanercept

2

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Epidural methylprednisolone 60 mg, two doses 2 weeks apart

Drug: methylprednisolone

3

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Epidural saline, two doses 2 weeks apart

Drug: normal saline

Interventions

Two transforaminal epidural injections of 4 mg, two weeks apart

1

Two transforaminal epidural steroid injections with 60 mg, two weeks apart

2

Two transforaminal epidural saline injections, two weeks apart

3

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years - 70 Years
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Chronic low back pain of radicular origin of \> 4 weeks but \< 6 months duration.
  • Leg pain \> back pain.
  • Failure of conservative therapy to include physical and pharmacotherapy.
  • MRI evidence of a lateral or paracentral herniated disc corresponding to the patient's radicular symptoms.

You may not qualify if:

  • Uncontrolled coagulopathy.
  • Pregnancy, which will be ruled out by a urine pregnancy test in women of childbearing age.
  • Allergy to contrast dye or amide local anesthetics.
  • Previous epidural steroid injection within last year.
  • Unstable medical or psychiatric condition (e.g. unstable angina, congestive heart failure or severe depression) that could preclude an optimal treatment response.
  • Rheumatoid arthritis or spondylarthropathy.
  • Unstable neurological condition (e.g. multiple sclerosis)
  • Systemic infection

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (2)

Walter Reed Army Medical Center

Washington D.C., District of Columbia, 20307, United States

Location

Womack Army Medical Center

Fort Bragg, North Carolina, United States

Location

Related Publications (2)

  • Mulleman D, Mammou S, Griffoul I, Watier H, Goupille P. Pathophysiology of disk-related sciatica. I.--Evidence supporting a chemical component. Joint Bone Spine. 2006 Mar;73(2):151-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jbspin.2005.03.003. Epub 2005 Jun 22.

    PMID: 16046173BACKGROUND
  • Cohen SP, White RL, Kurihara C, Larkin TM, Chang A, Griffith SR, Gilligan C, Larkin R, Morlando B, Pasquina PF, Yaksh TL, Nguyen C. Epidural steroids, etanercept, or saline in subacute sciatica: a multicenter, randomized trial. Ann Intern Med. 2012 Apr 17;156(8):551-9. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-156-8-201204170-00397.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

RadiculopathySciaticaLow Back Pain

Interventions

EtanerceptMethylprednisoloneSaline Solution

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Peripheral Nervous System DiseasesNeuromuscular DiseasesNervous System DiseasesSciatic NeuropathyMononeuropathiesNeuralgiaPainNeurologic ManifestationsSigns and SymptomsPathological Conditions, Signs and SymptomsBack Pain

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Immunoglobulin Fc FragmentsImmunoglobulin FragmentsPeptide FragmentsPeptidesAmino Acids, Peptides, and ProteinsImmunoglobulin Constant RegionsImmunoglobulinsImmunoproteinsBlood ProteinsProteinsSerum GlobulinsGlobulinsReceptors, Tumor Necrosis FactorReceptors, CytokineReceptors, ImmunologicReceptors, Cell SurfaceMembrane ProteinsPrednisolonePregnadienetriolsPregnadienesPregnanesSteroidsFused-Ring CompoundsPolycyclic CompoundsCrystalloid SolutionsIsotonic SolutionsSolutionsPharmaceutical Preparations

Limitations and Caveats

Subjects who failed to obtain benefit were unblinded after 1-month, which limits conclusions regarding long-term efficacy.

Results Point of Contact

Title
Steven P. Cohen
Organization
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

Publication Agreements

PI is Sponsor Employee
No
Restrictive Agreement
No

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
phase 2
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Who Masked
PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

August 11, 2008

First Posted

August 12, 2008

Study Start

August 1, 2008

Primary Completion

March 1, 2011

Study Completion

March 1, 2011

Last Updated

October 8, 2012

Results First Posted

October 8, 2012

Record last verified: 2010-09

Locations