Characterization of Acute Pain

NCT07336264 | Recruiting FDA Device

• 1 other identifier: STUDY00001386
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 100
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study aims to better understand how acute pain and responses to pain treatment can be measured in children and adolescents using a non-invasive device. Pain is usually assessed using self-reported or observational scales, which can be difficult to interpret, especially in pediatric patients. This study will evaluate whether a novel device, the AlgometRx Nociometer, can provide an objective measure of nociceptive pain. Participants ages 6 to 21 years who are undergoing elective surgery or bone marrow transplantation will be enrolled at Children's National Hospital. The device measures changes in pupil size in response to gentle electrical stimulation, which reflects activity in pain-related nerve pathways. Measurements will be taken before and after procedures and during routine hospital care, alongside standard pain assessments. This is an observational study. Participation will not change or guide any medical treatment, and all pain management will follow standard clinical care. The information collected may help improve future pain assessment and treatment for pediatric patients.

Conditions

Acute Pain, Postoperative; Postoperative Pain; Acute Pain

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Nociceptive Index

  The nociceptive index calculated from neuroselective stimulus-induced pupillary reflex dilation (nPRD) measurements obtained using the AlgometRx Nociometer. The index is derived from the area under the curve (AUC) of pupillary dilation responses corresponding to selective activation of sensory nerve fiber types and is used to characterize acute nociceptive pain.

  Baseline through up to 9 weeks of follow-up

Study Arms (2)

Surgical Cohort

Children and adolescents ages 6 to 21 years undergoing elective surgical procedures (e.g., orthopedic or thoracic surgery) with no history of chronic pain prior to surgery. Participants will undergo non-invasive nociceptive measurements using the AlgometRx Nociometer at baseline and during postoperative follow-up, alongside standard clinical pain assessments. All pain management will follow standard of care and will not be influenced by study participation.

Device: AlgometRx Nociometer

Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) Cohort

Children and adolescents aged 6 to 21 years undergoing elective surgical procedures (e.g., orthopedic or thoracic surgery) with no history of chronic pain before surgery. Participants will undergo non-invasive nociceptive measurements using the AlgometRx Nociometer at baseline and during postoperative follow-up, alongside standard clinical pain assessments. All pain management will follow the standard of care and will not be influenced by study participation.

Device: AlgometRx Nociometer

Interventions

AlgometRx Nociometer DEVICE

The AlgometRx Nociometer is a non-invasive device used to measure nociceptive responses through neuroselective electrical stimulation and pupillometry. The device delivers low-intensity, painless electrical stimuli at specific frequencies to selectively activate sensory nerve fibers, while measuring stimulus-induced changes in pupil diameter. Data generated by the device are used or research measurement purposes only and do not guide or alter clinical care, treatment decisions,

Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) Cohort; Surgical Cohort

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 6 Years - 21 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The study population includes children and adolescents ages 6 to 21 years receiving care at Children's National Hospital who are either undergoing elective surgical procedures or bone marrow transplantation. Participants will be followed prospectively and undergo non-invasive nociceptive measurements during routine clinical care, including periods before and after procedures and during inpatient follow-up. The study does not alter clinical management, and all treatments are provided according to standard of care.

You may qualify if:

• Children and adolescents ages 6 to 21 years
• Undergoing elective surgical procedures without a history of chronic pain, OR undergoing or planning to undergo bone marrow transplantation (BMT)
• Able to provide written informed assent and parental permission/consent, as applicable

You may not qualify if:

• Documented history of eye disease that precludes pupillometry
• Unwilling or unable to participate

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Children's National Research Institute: lead
• VentureWell: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Children's National Hospital

Washington D.C., District of Columbia, 20010, United States

RECRUITING

Related Publications (10)

• Cleeland CS, Ryan KM. Pain assessment: global use of the Brief Pain Inventory. Ann Acad Med Singap. 1994 Mar;23(2):129-38.

  PMID: 8080219 BACKGROUND

• Instrument: PROMIS Pain Intensity - Short Form 3a v1.0 | NIDA CTN Common Data Elements. https://cde.nida.nih.gov/instrument/0a481bfb-a5e6-3c84-e050-bb89ad43314d

  BACKGROUND

• Page MG, Katz J, Stinson J, Isaac L, Martin-Pichora AL, Campbell F. Validation of the numerical rating scale for pain intensity and unpleasantness in pediatric acute postoperative pain: sensitivity to change over time. J Pain. 2012 Apr;13(4):359-69. doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2011.12.010. Epub 2012 Mar 15.

  PMID: 22424915 BACKGROUND

• Wong-Baker FACES® Pain Rating Scale. (2016)

  BACKGROUND

• Lavoie Smith EM, Li L, Hutchinson RJ, Ho R, Burnette WB, Wells E, Bridges C, Renbarger J. Measuring vincristine-induced peripheral neuropathy in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Cancer Nurs. 2013 Sep-Oct;36(5):E49-60. doi: 10.1097/NCC.0b013e318299ad23.

  PMID: 23842524 BACKGROUND

• Barr MS, Farzan F, Davis KD, Fitzgerald PB, Daskalakis ZJ. Measuring GABAergic inhibitory activity with TMS-EEG and its potential clinical application for chronic pain. J Neuroimmune Pharmacol. 2013 Jun;8(3):535-46. doi: 10.1007/s11481-012-9383-y. Epub 2012 Jun 29.

  PMID: 22744222 BACKGROUND

• Chouchou F, Perchet C, Garcia-Larrea L. EEG changes reflecting pain: is alpha suppression better than gamma enhancement? Neurophysiol Clin. 2021 Jun;51(3):209-218. doi: 10.1016/j.neucli.2021.03.001. Epub 2021 Mar 16.

  PMID: 33741256 BACKGROUND

• Crawford L, Mills E, Meylakh N, Macey PM, Macefield VG, Henderson LA. Brain activity changes associated with pain perception variability. Cereb Cortex. 2023 Mar 21;33(7):4145-4155. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhac332.

  PMID: 36069972 BACKGROUND

• Minetama M, Kawakami M, Teraguchi M, Matsuo S, Enyo Y, Nakagawa M, Yamamoto Y, Nakatani T, Sakon N, Nagata W, Nakagawa Y. MRI grading of spinal stenosis is not associated with the severity of low back pain in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2022 Sep 12;23(1):857. doi: 10.1186/s12891-022-05810-y.

  PMID: 36096768 BACKGROUND

• Fomberstein K, Qadri S, Ramani R. Functional MRI and pain. Curr Opin Anaesthesiol. 2013 Oct;26(5):588-93. doi: 10.1097/01.aco.0000433060.59939.fe.

  PMID: 23995063 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Pain, Postoperative; Acute Pain

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Postoperative Complications; Pathologic Processes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms

Central Study Contacts

Julia Finkel, M.D

CONTACT

202-841-0362; JFINKEL@childrensnational.org

Shaghayegh Rezalou

CONTACT

216-463-5052; srezalou@childrensnational.org

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Vice chief for Pain Medicine and Research

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 2, 2026
• First Posted: January 13, 2026
• Study Start: December 2, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 2, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): June 2, 2028
• Last Updated: January 14, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-01

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP

Locations

US (1)