Evaluation of the Effect of Ketamine on Remifentanil-induced Hyperalgesia

NCT ID: NCT01301079

Last Updated: 2014-11-10

Study Results

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Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

PHASE3

Total Enrollment

60 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2010-09-30

Study Completion Date

2012-09-30

Brief Summary

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The aim of this study was to determine if the addition of ketamine reduces remifentanil-induced hyperalgesia, improves its analgesic effect, inhibits IL(interleukin)-6 and IL-8 (inflammatory cytokines), and stimulates IL-10 (an anti-inflammatory cytokine).

Detailed Description

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Opioids are very effective in pain relief, but they might lower pain threshold, making the patient more sensitive to a pain stimulus, a condition known as hyperalgesia \[Angst; Clarck, 2006\]. Opioid-induced hyperalgesia (OIH) is usually defined as a reduction in nociceptive thresholds in the peripheral field of the sensitized fibers \[Koppert et al., 2003\], and it is associated with increased pain and higher demand for postoperative analgesia \[Guignard et al., 2000\]. This phenomenon adversely impacts pain control, and has been suggested to occur in the peri-operative context, especially associated with the use of remifentanil, a short-acting opioid \[Guignard et al., 2000\].

Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the hyperalgesia phenomenon, but the most important seems to be the activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors \[Célèrier et al., 2000\]. Ketamine is a NMDA receptor antagonist that has been shown to reduce postoperative pain and the need for postoperative anesthetics and analgesics. Therefore, it is proposed that ketamine could prevent hyperalgesia, resulting in more effective and long-lasting postsurgical analgesia \[Célèrier et al. 2000\].

The results of studies of low dose of ketamine in the prevention of remifentanil-induced hyperalgesia are controversial. Joly et al. \[2005\] demonstrated a reduction in the consumption of opioids and in hyperalgesia assessed with monofilaments. However, Engelhardt et al \[2008\] showed no differences in pain scores or in postoperative opioid consumption.

In addition, some authors observed higher levels of proinflammatory cytokines, associated with increased pain in mice receiving chronic opioid (morphine) infusion \[Johnston et al., 2004; Liang et al., 2008\]. Also, administration of proinflammatory cytokine inhibitors reduced phosphorylation of NMDA receptors \[Zhang et al., 2008\]. However, no study has examined the relationship between the use of remifentanil, the most frequently implicated opioid in OIH \[Guignard et al., 2000\], ketamine (drug capable of inhibiting NMDA-receptors and cytokines) \[Dale et al., 2012\], and the inflammatory response.

The aim of this study was to determine if the addition of ketamine reduces remifentanil-induced hyperalgesia, improves its analgesic effect, inhibits IL-6 and IL-8 (inflammatory cytokines), and stimulates IL-10 (an anti-inflammatory cytokine) in patients submitted to laparoscopic cholecystectomy, a procedure with an usually neglected potential for postoperative pain and that has been poorly investigated in association with OIH.

Conditions

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Pain Hyperalgesia Inflammatory Response

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

PREVENTION

Blinding Strategy

QUADRUPLE

Participants Caregivers Investigators Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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Ketamine

A cardioscope, a capnograph, a pulse oximeter, and a noninvasive blood pressure meter were used to monitor the patients. Propofol (2-4 mg/kg), remifentanil (1 μg/kg), and atracurium (0.5 mg/kg) were administered for intubation. Atracurium was titrated to maintain muscle relaxation. Anesthesia was maintained with remifentanil, 0.8% isoflurane, and 50% oxygen without nitrous oxide. Infusion of the solutions was continued until skin closure.

The patients in group ketamine received remifentanil (0.4 μg/kg/min) and ketamine (5 μg/kg/min).

Remifentanil was administered as necessary until skin closure. Neostigmine was used for antagonizing the neuromuscular block.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Ketamine

Intervention Type DRUG

Patients in group ketamine was administrated ketamine (5mcg/kg/min) during the surgery.

Saline

A cardioscope, a capnograph, a pulse oximeter, and a noninvasive blood pressure meter were used to monitor the patients. Propofol (2-4 mg/kg), 1 μg/kg remifentanil, and atracurium (0.5 mg/kg) were administered for intubation. Atracurium was titrated to maintain muscle relaxation. Anesthesia was maintained with remifentanil, 0.8% isoflurane, and 50% oxygen without nitrous oxide. Infusion of the solutions was continued until skin closure.

The patients in group saline received remifentanil (0.4 μg/kg/min) and saline solution.

Remifentanil was administered as necessary until skin closure. Neostigmine was used for antagonizing the neuromuscular block.

Group Type PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Saline

Intervention Type DRUG

Patients in group N (placebo) was administrated saline during surgery.

Interventions

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Ketamine

Patients in group ketamine was administrated ketamine (5mcg/kg/min) during the surgery.

Intervention Type DRUG

Saline

Patients in group N (placebo) was administrated saline during surgery.

Intervention Type DRUG

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* ≥ 18 years old
* both sexes
* ASA physical status I or II
* undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Exclusion Criteria

* chronic users of analgesics or had used opioids within 12 h of surgery
* history of drug or alcohol abuse or psychiatric disorder
* contraindications to self-administration of opioids (ie, unable to understand the patient-controlled analgesia \[PCA\] device)
* contraindication for the use of ketamine, such as a psychiatric disorder, acute cardiovascular disorder, or unstable hypertension
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

78 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role collaborator

Federal University of São Paulo

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Plínio da Cunha Leal

Master's degree

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Plínio da Cunha Leal, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Federal University of São Paulo

Locations

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Federal University of São Paulo

São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

Site Status

Countries

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Brazil

References

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Liang D, Shi X, Qiao Y, Angst MS, Yeomans DC, Clark JD. Chronic morphine administration enhances nociceptive sensitivity and local cytokine production after incision. Mol Pain. 2008 Feb 22;4:7. doi: 10.1186/1744-8069-4-7.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 18294378 (View on PubMed)

Zhang RX, Li A, Liu B, Wang L, Ren K, Zhang H, Berman BM, Lao L. IL-1ra alleviates inflammatory hyperalgesia through preventing phosphorylation of NMDA receptor NR-1 subunit in rats. Pain. 2008 Apr;135(3):232-239. doi: 10.1016/j.pain.2007.05.023. Epub 2007 Aug 6.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 17689191 (View on PubMed)

Dale O, Somogyi AA, Li Y, Sullivan T, Shavit Y. Does intraoperative ketamine attenuate inflammatory reactivity following surgery? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Anesth Analg. 2012 Oct;115(4):934-43. doi: 10.1213/ANE.0b013e3182662e30. Epub 2012 Jul 23.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 22826531 (View on PubMed)

Angst MS, Clark JD. Opioid-induced hyperalgesia: a qualitative systematic review. Anesthesiology. 2006 Mar;104(3):570-87. doi: 10.1097/00000542-200603000-00025.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 16508405 (View on PubMed)

Koppert W, Sittl R, Scheuber K, Alsheimer M, Schmelz M, Schuttler J. Differential modulation of remifentanil-induced analgesia and postinfusion hyperalgesia by S-ketamine and clonidine in humans. Anesthesiology. 2003 Jul;99(1):152-9. doi: 10.1097/00000542-200307000-00025.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 12826855 (View on PubMed)

Guignard B, Bossard AE, Coste C, Sessler DI, Lebrault C, Alfonsi P, Fletcher D, Chauvin M. Acute opioid tolerance: intraoperative remifentanil increases postoperative pain and morphine requirement. Anesthesiology. 2000 Aug;93(2):409-17. doi: 10.1097/00000542-200008000-00019.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 10910490 (View on PubMed)

Celerier E, Rivat C, Jun Y, Laulin JP, Larcher A, Reynier P, Simonnet G. Long-lasting hyperalgesia induced by fentanyl in rats: preventive effect of ketamine. Anesthesiology. 2000 Feb;92(2):465-72. doi: 10.1097/00000542-200002000-00029.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 10691234 (View on PubMed)

Joly V, Richebe P, Guignard B, Fletcher D, Maurette P, Sessler DI, Chauvin M. Remifentanil-induced postoperative hyperalgesia and its prevention with small-dose ketamine. Anesthesiology. 2005 Jul;103(1):147-55. doi: 10.1097/00000542-200507000-00022.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 15983467 (View on PubMed)

Engelhardt T, Zaarour C, Naser B, Pehora C, de Ruiter J, Howard A, Crawford MW. Intraoperative low-dose ketamine does not prevent a remifentanil-induced increase in morphine requirement after pediatric scoliosis surgery. Anesth Analg. 2008 Oct;107(4):1170-5. doi: 10.1213/ane.0b013e318183919e.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 18806023 (View on PubMed)

Johnston IN, Milligan ED, Wieseler-Frank J, Frank MG, Zapata V, Campisi J, Langer S, Martin D, Green P, Fleshner M, Leinwand L, Maier SF, Watkins LR. A role for proinflammatory cytokines and fractalkine in analgesia, tolerance, and subsequent pain facilitation induced by chronic intrathecal morphine. J Neurosci. 2004 Aug 18;24(33):7353-65. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1850-04.2004.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 15317861 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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anaana

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id