NCT01154647

Brief Summary

Both patients with peripheral structural pathologies, like rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-patients, or patients with central sensitivity syndromes (CSS) suffer chronic pain. CSS are characterized by an increased responsiveness of central pain neurons. An impaired endogenous pain inhibition is already demonstrated in CSS. In the present study the investigators want to evaluate the efficacy of pain inhibition in response to physical stressors and whether the efficacy is opioid-mediated in two chronic pain populations (RA \& CCS) compared to controls. Therefore a triple-blinded randomized controlled trial (RCT) with cross-over design will be performed. The efficacy of wind-up of pain and spatial summation of pain is evaluated before and after a submaximal exercise, while the experimental group receives a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. Participants are 20 RA-patients and 20 CSS-patients, more specific patients with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, and 30 healthy controls. This way, the investigators analyze how pain inhibition reacts on different types of physical stressors in different pain patients and if pain inhibition is opioid-mediated.

Trial Health

55
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Trial Health Score

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

Enrollment
70

participants targeted

Target at P50-P75 for not_applicable

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
unknown

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

Trial Relationships

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Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

June 28, 2010

Completed
3 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

July 1, 2010

Completed
2 months until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

September 1, 2010

Completed
2 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

September 1, 2012

Completed
Last Updated

July 1, 2010

Status Verified

April 1, 2010

Enrollment Period

2 years

First QC Date

June 28, 2010

Last Update Submit

June 30, 2010

Conditions

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Pain rates according to a visual analogue scale upon repeated pulses at pressure pain detection threshold intensity

    Temporal summation is elicited with 10 pulses of the algometer at pressure pain detection threshold intensity on the dorsal surface of the right hand middle finger midway between the first and the second digital joints, and at the trapezius. Subjects are instructed to rate the pain level of the 1st, 5th and 10th pulse according to a visual analogue scale (VAS). To assess spatial summation an occlusion cuff inflated to a painful intensity and maintained at that level while repeated algometer pulses are administered and pain ratings are recorded again.

    5 minutes before and after exercise

Study Arms (2)

selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor

EXPERIMENTAL

intravenous, acute, 20mg/ml

Drug: citalopram

1 ml 0.9 % NaCl

PLACEBO COMPARATOR
Drug: 1 ml 0.9 % NaCl

Interventions

intravenous

selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor

intravenous

1 ml 0.9 % NaCl

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years - 65 Years
Sexfemale
Healthy VolunteersYes
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Each study participant should be aged between 18 and 65 years. All three groups will be comparable for age, gender, education level and socioeconomic status; both patient groups will be comparable for illness duration.
  • The Central Sensitivity Syndrome (CSS) group will comply with the diagnostic criteria for Fibromyalgia (FM) as defined by the American College of Rheumatology and the Centre of Disease Control criteria for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS).
  • At the time of study participation, healthy control subjects cannot suffer any pain complaints. Sedentary is defined as a sedentary job and \< 3 h moderate physical activity/week. Moderate physical activity is defined as activity demanding at least the threefold of the energy spent passively.
  • Patients have to be able to cycle on a bicycle ergometer.

You may not qualify if:

  • In order to preclude confounding factors, participants cannot be pregnant (pregnancy test) or until 1 year postnatal and will be asked to stop medication two weeks prior to study participation, not to undertake physical exertion, and to refrain from consuming caffeine, alcohol or nicotine on the day of the experiment. For ethical reasons, Rheumatoid arthritis(RA)-patients are able to take non-opioid pain medication as described in the 1st step of the World Health Organization analgesic ladder (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs and paracetamol).

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

University Hospital Antwerp

Edegem, Antwerp, 2650, Belgium

Location

Related Publications (1)

  • Meeus M, Hermans L, Ickmans K, Struyf F, Van Cauwenbergh D, Bronckaerts L, De Clerck LS, Moorken G, Hans G, Grosemans S, Nijs J. Endogenous pain modulation in response to exercise in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and comorbid fibromyalgia, and healthy controls: a double-blind randomized controlled trial. Pain Pract. 2015 Feb;15(2):98-106. doi: 10.1111/papr.12181. Epub 2014 Feb 17.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Fatigue Syndrome, ChronicFibromyalgiaArthritis, Rheumatoid

Interventions

Citalopram

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Muscular DiseasesMusculoskeletal DiseasesEncephalomyelitisNeuroinflammatory DiseasesNervous System DiseasesNeuromuscular DiseasesChronic DiseaseDisease AttributesPathologic ProcessesPathological Conditions, Signs and SymptomsRheumatic DiseasesArthritisJoint DiseasesConnective Tissue DiseasesSkin and Connective Tissue DiseasesAutoimmune DiseasesImmune System Diseases

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

PropylaminesAminesOrganic ChemicalsNitrilesBenzofuransHeterocyclic Compounds, 2-RingHeterocyclic Compounds, Fused-RingHeterocyclic Compounds

Central Study Contacts

Mira Meeus, PhD

CONTACT

Jo Nijs, PhD

CONTACT

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
TRIPLE
Who Masked
PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
Intervention Model
CROSSOVER
Sponsor Type
OTHER

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

June 28, 2010

First Posted

July 1, 2010

Study Start

September 1, 2010

Primary Completion

September 1, 2012

Last Updated

July 1, 2010

Record last verified: 2010-04

Locations