Study of Possible Changes in QST After Application of Capsaicin on Patients With Peripheral Neuropathic Pain

NCT ID: NCT01596491

Last Updated: 2012-12-20

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Total Enrollment

20 participants

Study Classification

OBSERVATIONAL

Study Start Date

2011-04-30

Study Completion Date

2012-11-30

Brief Summary

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The treatment of neuropathic pain ist still a challenge. A new promising therapy is the use of capsaicin on skin.

The investigators first experiences with capsaicin in patients with peripheral nerve injury showed changes in the sensibility, which achieved its maximal extent after four weeks and was regressive, but not completely abolished 1,5 months after application.

In this study the investigators hope to specify, how long and in which way exactly this changes in sensibility appear.

Detailed Description

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The topical application of a high dosage of capsaicin (8%) is a new promising approach. There is only little knowledge about the extent and the duration of drug-induced changes of detection and pain thresholds based on a currently recommended standardized quantitative sensory testing (QST). The assessment of QST changes would be an important step forward to understand the way of action as well as the time course of the presumed recovering of the C-fiber function after topical application of a high concentration capsaicin patch.

10 patients suffering from peripheral neuropathic pain due to peripheral nerve injury and 10 patients suffering from postherpetic neuralgia will be investigated by QST following the protocol of DFNS (German Research Network on Neuropathic Pain), using both thermal and mechanical nociceptive as well as non-nociceptive stimuli.

QST will be performed at the following times:

* at baseline
* 2, 4, 6, 8 weeks later, and every two weeks at least until re-occurrence of pain and/or recovering of the capsaicin-induced worsening of the C-fiber function.

Conditions

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Peripheral Nerve Injury Postherpetic Neuralgia

Keywords

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peripheral nerve injury postherpetic neuralgia PNI PHN Capsaicin QST quantitative sensory testing sensory profile neuropathic pain

Study Design

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Observational Model Type

COHORT

Study Time Perspective

PROSPECTIVE

Study Groups

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patients with peripheral nerve injury

10 patients with neuropathic pain, because of peripheral nerve injury will obtain a baseline-QST and after capsaicin-application a QST 2, 4, 6, 8 and every 2 weeks until re-occurrence of pain and/or recovery of the capsaicin-induced sensory deficits

quantitative sensory testing (QST)

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

with QST the small-fibre function is tested by registering thermal and mechanical thresholds, so that changes in the sensory profile can by specified

patients with postherpetic neuralgia

10 patients with neuropathic pain, because of postherpetic neuralgia will obtain a baseline-QST and after capsaicin-application a QST 2, 4, 6, 8 and every 2 weeks until re-occurrence of pain and/or recovery of the capsaicin-induced sensory deficits

quantitative sensory testing (QST)

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

with QST the small-fibre function is tested by registering thermal and mechanical thresholds, so that changes in the sensory profile can by specified

Interventions

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quantitative sensory testing (QST)

with QST the small-fibre function is tested by registering thermal and mechanical thresholds, so that changes in the sensory profile can by specified

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* age \>18 years with signed informed consent
* with planned topical application of capsaicin (8%) and with no involvement in any other study
* with neurological proved peripheral neuropathy (e.g. peripheral nerve lesion, postherpetic neuralgia) and with remaining moderate pain intensity under the current treatment (\> NRS 3; numeric rating scale 0-10)
* some remaining sensory function at the baseline QST with z-scores ≥ - 3 for cold, warmth and tactile thresholds

Exclusion Criteria

* with missing informed consent
* with any contraindications for capsaicin application
* with diabetes mellitus,
* using lidocaine patch in the test area in the last 6 months before enrollment
* with inadequate knowledge of the german language
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Ruhr University of Bochum

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Christoph Maier, Prof. Dr.

Head of the Dep. of Pain Management

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Christoph Maier, Prof.Dr.med

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

University hospital Bergmannsheil department of pain management

Locations

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Bergmannsheil, Department for pain management

Bochum, , Germany

Site Status

Countries

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Germany

Other Identifiers

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Capsaicin2011

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id