Chronic Pain Clinical Trials

The goal of this observational study is to learn how medical cannabis (MC) affects pain and the use of opioid pain medications. Participants who have chronic pain and use prescribed opioid pain medication will opt-in to using MC or not for the 3-month study. Participants who are certified in Pennsylvania will purchase specific medical cannabis products at a reduced cost from a partnering medical cannabis dispensary monthly. All participants will complete baseline, daily, and monthly assessments to observe changes across groups. Read Less

The objective of this within-subject study is to test the effects of Episodic Future Thinking (EFT) and Low-intensity Focused Ultrasound (LIFU) interventions on the pain of subjects who have chronic pain and alcohol use disorder(s). Read Less

This study proposes a three-arm randomized-controlled trial (RCT) that evaluates the feasibility and acceptability of combining a mindfulness-based therapy (MBT) and open-label placebo (OLP) treatment for individuals with chronic pain. Individuals with chronic pain will be recruited to participate in an 8-week trial, with a subsequent 3-month post-treatment follow-up. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of the following three conditions: 1. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) 2. OLP treatment 3. combination of MBSR and OLP treatment Read Less

This study will adapt and scale existing AHRQ-supported interoperable CDS for patient-centered chronic pain care. The objective of this project is to study the adaptation and implementation of an existing interoperable CDS tool for pain treatment shared decision making, with tailored implementation support, in primary care clinical settings. The central hypothesis is that tailored implementation support will increase CDS adoption and shared decision making. Read Less

Stigma due to health conditions increases disease burden and adversely impacts health. The internalization of health-related stigma is associated with impaired mental health and quality of life. The current project will test the effects of a novel, transdiagnostic, group counseling intervention, and peer support, to determine the optimal method for helping patients cope with health-related stigma, reducing its internalization, and enhancing patient quality of life. Read Less

Chronic pain is associated with plasticity in the brain limbic system composed mainly of the amygdala, hippocampus, ventral striatum, and cingulate cortex (ACC) /medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). These brain areas, especially the ventral striatum, receive dopaminergic input from the ventral-tegmental area (VTA). Although there is a significant literature now showing that limbic brain tracks chronic pain intensity and predicts the risk of transition from sub-acute to chronic pain, the role of dopaminergic input to the limbic brain and the change thereof which occurs in chronic pain, is still not clear. Given the role of dopamine in motivational control and the loss of motivation associated with chronic pain understanding how dopaminergic transmission is altered in the limbic brain of chronic pain patients is critical to the understanding of the pathophysiology of chronic pain. Therefore, the overall aim of this project is to use brain imaging to study how dopaminergic transmission through the oral administration of pro-dopaminergic medications carbidopa/levodopa (CD/LD) and methylphenidate will modulate the brain signature of chronic pain. Chronic pain subjects will be scanned at baseline (no drug administration) and three times after treatment with the two drugs or placebo. The protocol will follow a randomized double-blind approach. Read Less

The primary objective of this phase 2 study is to investigate the therapeutic potential of orally administered combined delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) in relieving both pain and cue-induced opioid craving in people with co-occurring opioid use disorder (OUD) and chronic pain who are undergoing methadone therapy. Read Less

Studying the effects of Low Intensity Focused Ultrasound (LIFU) on measures of pain, craving, and anxiety in a complex patient population. Read Less

Abdominal pain in chronic pancreatitis (CP) affects up to 90% of patients during the course of their disease, and response to currently available therapies is suboptimal and unpredictable. The proposed clinical trial will evaluate the predictive capability of Pancreatic Quantitative Sensory Testing (P-QST) - a novel assessment of neurosensory phenotyping- for improvement in pain in patients with CP who are undergoing medically-indicated invasive treatment with endoscopic therapy or surgery. Read Less

Quantitative Sensory Testing (QST) is a novel investigative technique used in other pain conditions to evaluate patterns of chronic pain, and in this study will be used to elucidate pain patterns in patients with Chronic Pancreatitis (CP). QST uses a specific series of standardized stimulations to map the pain system. QST has the potential to change and improve the treatment paradigm for patients with CP and may eventually be able to predict response to invasive CP therapies. Read Less

The goal of this interventional clinical trial is to assess opioid consumption 24-48 hrs post anesthesia block among patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty. The main question it aims to answer is: 1. Is there a difference in opioid consumption 24-48 hours post block administration among patients that receive an adductor canal catheter (ACC) versus adductor canal block (ACB)? Participants will be: * Randomized to receive an adductor canal catheter (ACC) or a sham adductor canal catheter. * Asked to use the Diagnotes application to communicate with the pain doctor while the catheter is in place. * Follow up for up to 6 months post-operation. Researchers will compare the interventional group (ACC) to the control group (sham ACC + ACB) to see if there is difference in opioid consumption and chronic pain at 6 months post-operation. Read Less

The proposed IMPOWR Research Center at Montefiore-Einstein (IMPOWR-ME) will create a multidisciplinary and synergistic program of research to test multimodal treatments that address both chronic pain and opioid use disorder. IMPOWR-ME will generate critical knowledge about the effectiveness, implementation, and cost effectiveness of providing Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and/or a care management smartphone app for individuals in primary care-based buprenorphine treatment. Patients with lived experience with chronic pain and/or opioid use disorder, patient and policy advocates, payors, and health system partners will be engaged in all stages of the research. IMPOWR-ME is well-positioned to become a long-lasting hub for stakeholder-engaged research with multidisciplinary senior and early stage investigators focused on reducing overdose through better treatments for OUD and CP. Read Less