Chronic Pain Clinical Trials

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

The purpose of this study will be to investigate the optimization of spinal cord stimulation with ECAPs in patients with spinal cord implants. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to test whether yoga can reduce nerve pain caused by cancer treatment (chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, or CIPN). Participants will take one of three approaches: * Yoga classes * Educational sessions on the causes and impacts of CIPN, how yoga may help with CIPN, and how different therapies may help with CIPN * Usual care with standard-of-care medications for CIPN The researchers will compare how these different approaches affect participants' balance, their risk of falls, and their quality of life. This study will also measure how much yoga can help the reduced sense of touch caused by CIPN. The functional assessments TUG and CTS can be safely completed either virtually and in-person and will be mandatory for all patients. The functional assessment FRT and QST assessments that can only be completed in-person are optional at these time points. Read Less

This study will comprehensively investigate the insula as a brain target for neuromodulation to treat chronic neuropathic pain. Read Less

Spasticity is characterized by increased muscle tension and is a classic consequence of upper motor neuron (UMN) damage in the central nervous system, such as from stroke or trauma. Clinically, it presents as muscle resistance to passive stretching, along with clasp-knife rigidity, clonus, increased tendon reflexes, and muscle spasms. An imbalance of the descending inhibitory and muscle stretch reflexes is thought to be the cause of spasticity. Post-stroke spasticity is a common condition that occurs in 37.5-45% of cases in the acute stage and 19-57.4% in the subacute stage after a stroke. At 6 months post-stroke, spasticity develops in 42.6-49.5% of cases, and at one year, it affects 35-57.4% of individuals. In patients with cerebral palsy (CP), incidence is almost 80% while in those living with spinal cord injury the number approaches up to 93%. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients have a higher prevalence on initial admission to neurorehabilitation but one in three patients will have chronic spasticity. However, the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center report a rate of TBIs amongst deployed veterans to be around 11-23% mostly from blast and explosive trauma. There have been studies as early as the 1980s exploring the efficacy of SCS for spasticity control, however, the credibility of many of these studies is constrained due to an incomplete comprehension of spasticity's underlying mechanisms, outdated research methods, and early limitations in implantable device technology. Intrathecal pumps for baclofen have remained as the mainstay for refractory spasticity, however, it comes with associated risks such as chemical dependence leading to acute baclofen withdrawal and requiring frequent refill requirement. Most importantly, it does not yield functional improvement of muscle activity, just suppression of spasticity. Botox is also routinely used but due to heterogeneity in muscle involvement as well as variability in provider skill, results may be inconsistent and short-lasting, requiring frequent clinic visits for repeat injections to the affected muscle groups. SCS may be able to address that gap in spasticity management. Read Less

Yoga Nidra is a scripted mind-body intervention (MBI) that uses guided relaxation technique in a reproducible sequence of mechanisms that naturally produce a parasympathetic response. This is a randomized controlled trial in which participants will be randomly assigned to one of three interventions: 1) yoga nidra (Yoga Nidra Script Basic), 2) yoga nidra with pain acceptance (Yoga Nidra Acceptance Intention), 3) yoga nidra with pain acceptance and Explicit Motor Imagery (Yoga Nidra Acceptance Intention and Visualization). Read Less

Socioeconomically disadvantaged populations have a high prevalence of chronic pain, exacerbated by social isolation, intersectional stigma, and disparities in pain assessment and treatment options. Effective interventions using a multilevel, biopsychosocial approach are needed to decrease the unequal burden of pain. The proposed study will test group-based integrative models of pain management in primary care safety net clinics to improve pain care for racially and ethnically diverse low-income patients. Read Less

A study aimed to assess the efficacy of the various approaches to prescribing Ketamine currently in use off-label. The focus will be to include ketamine within the study plan of those with chronic conditions who are receiving ketamine. Read Less

Multiple site studies with the recruitment of other sub-investigators and sites. It's sobering to consider how chronic illness makes us more vulnerable to suicidal thoughts and behavior. However, the existence of multiple risk factors also means that there are numerous ways to intervene. Addressing and improving even one risk area will reverberate and improve other areas and the quality of life. RIVER Foundation is completing a 500-participant pilot study researching the safety of oral and nasal ketamine at home with no therapy. The pilot study examined three psychological scales: P.H.Q. 9, G.A.D. 7, and PCL5 scores. The interim report will be available in Nov 2023 with a final report in June 2024. The lack of knowledge for the average medical practitioner makes ketamine a boutique medicine, often costly and unaffordable to those in need. Yet daily medical providers are eliminating ketamine as a choice in the treatment of chronic conditions. The pilot study demonstrated the who, and where. The who, was adults with a chronic condition. The pilot study demonstrated the majority of those who could use ketamine are not receiving it due to cost. According to the 500-participant study, ketamine is safe and effective for at-home use thus demonstrating the where (at home with no supervision). Read Less

The purpose of this pilot study is to examine the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of Empowered Relief for Youth with chronic pain (ER-Y). ER-Y is a single-session pain management class for youth focused on pain science education and teaching self-regulatory skills for pain management based on the evidence-based adult ER class. Feasibility and acceptability of ER-Y will be assessed post-class. Preliminary efficacy will be assessed by administering surveys at baseline, 4-weeks, 8-weeks, and 12-weeks post class. Read Less

Over 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain resulting in annual cost of roughly $635 billion. Limited treatments are available for this widespread disease. The data supporting these treatments lack generalizability to patients with more serious medical and psychological comorbidities who are often excluded from explanatory efficacy trials. Our work aims to integrate randomized comparative effectiveness research with patient care. The investigators will randomize the patients and collect data using an open-source learning healthcare system already in use in our department to monitor patients' progress: Collaborative Health Outcomes Information Registry (CHOIR). Collaborative Health Outcomes Information Registry uses the National Institute of Health Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System item banks for comparative metrics through computer adaptive testing. The investigators will leverage the advantage of this novel system to compare effectiveness of duloxetine and desipramine in decreasing pain in patients with chronic pain. The investigators will also compare adherence of patients to these two commonly used medications over a period of six months. This will evaluate feasibility of integrating randomized comparative effectiveness research with patient care in subspecialty clinics. Collaborative Health Outcomes Information Registry can then be applied for numerous future trials to advance our knowledge in perioperative and pain medicine. Read Less

The goal of this study is to compare pain outcomes achieved by spinal cord stimulation (SCS) using time varying stimulation patterns with pain outcomes achieved by current standard of care SCS. Read Less