Pain Clinical Trials in Durham, NC

This prospective observational study aims to evaluate the incidence of hemidiaphragmatic paralysis in patients receiving interscalene brachial plexus nerve block with prolonged neural blockade. English speaking American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) 1-3 patients ages 18-80 receiving prolonged interscalene nerve block will be randomized into 3 groups: first group receiving a perineural catheter infusing 0.2% ropivacaine; the second group receiving a single shot injection of 10mL liposomal bupivacaine (Exparel; n=20) plus 5 mL 0.5% bupivacaine and the third receiving 20mL liposomal bupivacaine plus 5mL bupivacaine (to be determined by the attending anesthesiologist).Primary outcome will be incidence of hemidiaphragmatic paralysis postoperative day 1 as measured by point of care (POCUS) ultrasound. Read Less

This study is a randomized controlled trial of a psychosocial pain management intervention called, Meaning-Centered Pain Coping Skills Training (MCPC). Patients with advanced solid tumor cancer and pain interference (N=210) will be randomized to MCPC or a standard care control condition. Patient-reported outcomes will be assessed at baseline and 8- and 12-week follow-ups. The risk and safety issues in this trial are low and limited to those common to a psychosocial intervention (e.g., loss of confidentiality). Read Less

The purpose of this study is to characterize the pharmacokinetic (PK) and safety profile of anesthetics and analgesics in children and adolescents. Read Less

The proposed pilot study will develop and test feasibility, acceptability, and signal for efficacy of a smoking cessation and pain management intervention for 20 cancer survivors. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to compare the use of short acting opioids (fentanyl/hydromorphone) with long acting opioids (methadone) for pain control following tonsillectomy surgery in children and adolescents. Read Less

Conditions treated in intensive care units (ICUs) such as the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), congestive heart failure, COVID pneumonia, and sepsis are common. These can lead to high rates of depression, anxiety, and PTSD that worsen quality of life. Yet there are few effective strategies able to overcome barriers of limited access to mental health care. Even less is known about the experiences of patients from racially and ethnically minoritized populations because of they haven't been included well in past research. To address this problem, the investigators developed Blueprint, a mobile app that coaches people to use adaptive coping skills to self-manage their symptoms. The investigators found that it reduced depression symptoms and improved quality of life compared to placebo. To confirm these promising findings, the investigators are doing a formal test of Blueprint. The investigators will enroll 400 people who received ICU care from 4 hospitals (Duke, UCLA, Colorado, and Oregon). These patients will be randomized to receive either the Blueprint mobile app or a special Education Program mobile app the investigators developed. -both delivered through similar mobile app platforms. Our specific aims are to see which program improves symptoms better across 6 months of follow up. This project addresses national research priorities and could advance the field with a personalizable yet population-focused therapy that could be scaled broadly and efficiently to enhance mental health equity. Read Less

There are close to 700,000 survivors of adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer (aged 15 to 39 at diagnosis) in the US. Survivorship for AYAs is often complicated by long-term and late-effects. Cardiovascular disease (CVD), in particular, is a leading cause of death for cancer survivors and is a growing public health concern for survivors diagnosed as AYAs. Risk of CVD may be associated with treatment exposures and may be potentiated by weight gain and poor health behaviors. Healthy eating and physical activity are key behaviors for weight loss and maintenance and may be protective against CVD risk, yet few AYA cancer survivors adhere to guidelines for healthy eating or activity. AYA survivors' abilities to engage in health behaviors (i.e., healthy eating, physical activity) necessary to manage weight may also be challenged by persistent cancer-related symptoms (i.e., pain, fatigue, psychological distress). Thus, weight gain is common. Using input from AYA cancer survivors, the investigators have adapted a behavioral weight and symptom management protocol for AYA cancer survivors with obesity to create an intervention that is responsive to AYAs' unique needs. A pilot randomized controlled trial will be conducted to examine intervention feasibility and acceptability and to examine patterns of change in outcomes including weight, body mass index, symptoms (e.g., pain, fatigue, distress) as well as other CVD risk factors, including blood pressure, cholesterol (total, HDL, LDL), HbA1c, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk score. Read Less

This Phase 1, multicenter, open-label, randomized, bupivacaine-controlled study is designed to evaluate the pharmacokinetics (PK) and safety of EXPAREL vs. bupivacaine HCl for postsurgical analgesia in pediatric subjects aged 0 to less than 6 years of age undergoing cardiac surgery, utilizing local infiltration analgesia (LIA). Read Less

The purpose of this study is to learn more about improving the quality of treatments for people who have chronic low back pain. Participants will complete interviews with Duke researchers at four different time points: the beginning of the study, at 3 months, at 6 months, and at 9 months. Participants will be asked to use a mobile app and a headset that are designed to train the brain to be more relaxed. Participants will use the mobile app for 10 minutes at a time, four times a week for three months. The study team will also check in with participants about app use six times throughout the study, via phone or video conference. Read Less

Evaluate the content validity and comprehensibility of a caregiver observer-reported outcome assessment and clinician-reported assessments for acute pain in children aged 0 to \<2 years. The primary objective of the Qualitative Protocol in the UH3 phase study is to establish or create reliable Clinical Outcome Assessments (COAs) and endpoints that can assess acute pain during clinical trials of pain therapeutics specifically designed for infants and young children (0 - \<2 years). Read Less

The purpose of this study is to compare the benefits of skills training and health education interventions designed specifically to increase the well-being of people with persistent pain after breast surgery for lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS), ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), or invasive breast cancer, and to examine the roles of psychological and physiological variables as modifiable contributors to the continuing burden of persistent pain. Read Less

Sickle cell disease is a painful inherited disorder that affects approximately 100,000 people in the United States, and more than half of these individuals develop chronic or persistent pain that is often severe and disabling. The factors that predict whether an individual with sickle cell disease will develop severe, disabling pain are unclear. The goal of this project is to identify the factors that predict severe pain outcomes in individuals living with sickle cell disease in order to improve pain management strategies and guide future studies of non-opioid therapies for treatment of their pain. Participants who agree to enroll in this study will be asked to participate in a virtual and then an in-person study visit for their full initial study assessment. They will answer survey questions during the virtual visit, and will be asked to complete several types of standard testing to understand how their body handles pain during the in-person visit. After completing the virtual and in-person sessions, participants will receive text or electronic medical record messages with brief survey (will take less than 8 minutes to complete) on their pain experiences every three months until the study is completed (or up to 48 months for people who are enrolled at the beginning of the study). Read Less