Study of Prevention of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting Using Cesamet

NCT ID: NCT02115529

Last Updated: 2015-12-03

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

Clinical Phase

PHASE2

Total Enrollment

331 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2014-04-30

Study Completion Date

2015-11-30

Brief Summary

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Untreated, one third of patients undergoing general anesthesia will have postoperative nausea, vomiting, or both.

Patients often rate postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) as worse than postoperative pain. PONV increases the risk of aspiration and has been associated with suture dehiscence, esophageal rupture, subcutaneous emphysema, and bilateral pneumothoraxes. PONV frequently delays discharge, and is the leading cause of unexpected hospital admission after planned ambulatory surgery.

Nabilone (Cesamet®) is a synthetic cannabinoid developed in the 1970s which is a potent CB1 agonist. The use of nabilone in preventing nausea and vomiting in patients receiving chemotherapy has been thoroughly investigated. Results from clinical studies demonstrated the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of Cesamet in this population. There has been success in the past translating treatments for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (ie. 5-HT receptor agonists including Ondansetron and Granisetron) to use in the perioperative environment.

Only one RCT has studied the use of nabilone for the reduction of PONV. Published in 1995, this study compared the administration of either Cesamet 2 mg or metoclopramide 10 mg given 90 minutes before the operation in patients scheduled for elective hysterectomy in 60 women. This study failed to show any significant difference between groups. There are several limitations to this study including a poorly optimized dosing regimen, a small sample size, and a comparison group lacking clinical generalizability.

This study will investigate the use Cesamet vs Placebo, in addition to the regular antiemetic treatment which patients receive at the discretion of the managing anesthesiologist, for the prevention of PONV. The study group will include patients undergoing general anesthesia for elective ambulatory surgery with at least 3 risk factors (\>60% risk) for the development of PONV.

Detailed Description

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See above

Conditions

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Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting

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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Cesamet (nabilone)

0.5 mg capsule containing Cesamet (single dose) given preoperatively

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Nabilone

Intervention Type DRUG

Nabilone (0.5 mg) or placebo given preoperatively

Placebo

identical capsule containing placebo (single dose) given preoperatively

Group Type PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Placebo

Intervention Type DRUG

Placebo Comparator: identical capsule containing placebo (single dose) given preoperatively

Interventions

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Nabilone

Nabilone (0.5 mg) or placebo given preoperatively

Intervention Type DRUG

Placebo

Placebo Comparator: identical capsule containing placebo (single dose) given preoperatively

Intervention Type DRUG

Other Intervention Names

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Cesamet

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Age 18 or older with an American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status of I to III who are scheduled to undergo elective surgery under general anesthesia with pre-anesthesia consultation prior to surgery.
* Subjects must be able to swallow study medication;
* At a risk of postoperative nausea and vomiting of at least 61% percent, according to a simplified risk score, based on the presence of at least three of the following risk factors: female sex, nonsmoker status, anticipated use of postoperative opioid and previous PONV or motion sickness.

Exclusion Criteria

* Subjects with clinically significant or unstable cardiac, respiratory, hepatic, renal, or other major organ system disease
* Patients who will not be admitted to the PACU post-operatively (patients who are immediately transferred to the ICU)
* Known sensitivity to marijuana or other cannabinoid agents
* Psychotic illness or depression
* Addiction to illicit substances or alcohol
* Non-psychotic emotional disorders.
* Pregnant or lactating
* Subjects who suffer from chronic nausea and/or vomiting;
* Has had treatment with any other investigational drug within 12 weeks prior to randomization
* Subjects who, in the opinion of the investigator, would experience an unacceptable risk from administration of study drug
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

99 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Unity Health Toronto

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Aaron P Hong, MD, FRCPC

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

St Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto

Locations

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St Michael's Hospital

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Site Status

Countries

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Canada

References

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Habib AS, Gan TJ. Evidence-based management of postoperative nausea and vomiting: a review. Can J Anaesth. 2004 Apr;51(4):326-41. doi: 10.1007/BF03018236.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 15064261 (View on PubMed)

Weinstein RS. Glucocorticoid-induced osteonecrosis. Endocrine. 2012 Apr;41(2):183-90. doi: 10.1007/s12020-011-9580-0. Epub 2011 Dec 15.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 22169965 (View on PubMed)

Pertwee RG. Receptors and channels targeted by synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists and antagonists. Curr Med Chem. 2010;17(14):1360-81. doi: 10.2174/092986710790980050.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 20166927 (View on PubMed)

Ware MA, Daeninck P, Maida V. A review of nabilone in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2008 Feb;4(1):99-107. doi: 10.2147/tcrm.s1132.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 18728826 (View on PubMed)

Hsu ES. A review of granisetron, 5-hydroxytryptamine3 receptor antagonists, and other antiemetics. Am J Ther. 2010 Sep-Oct;17(5):476-86. doi: 10.1097/MJT.0b013e3181ea7821.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 20844345 (View on PubMed)

Lewis IH, Campbell DN, Barrowcliffe MP. Effect of nabilone on nausea and vomiting after total abdominal hysterectomy. Br J Anaesth. 1994 Aug;73(2):244-6. doi: 10.1093/bja/73.2.244.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 7917745 (View on PubMed)

Koivuranta M, Laara E, Snare L, Alahuhta S. A survey of postoperative nausea and vomiting. Anaesthesia. 1997 May;52(5):443-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2044.1997.117-az0113.x.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 9165963 (View on PubMed)

Gan TJ. Postoperative nausea and vomiting--can it be eliminated? JAMA. 2002 Mar 13;287(10):1233-6. doi: 10.1001/jama.287.10.1233. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 11886298 (View on PubMed)

Apfel CC, Korttila K, Abdalla M, Kerger H, Turan A, Vedder I, Zernak C, Danner K, Jokela R, Pocock SJ, Trenkler S, Kredel M, Biedler A, Sessler DI, Roewer N; IMPACT Investigators. A factorial trial of six interventions for the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting. N Engl J Med. 2004 Jun 10;350(24):2441-51. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa032196.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 15190136 (View on PubMed)

Bremner WG, Kumar CM. Delayed surgical emphysema, pneumomediastinum and bilateral pneumothoraces after postoperative vomiting. Br J Anaesth. 1993 Aug;71(2):296-7. doi: 10.1093/bja/71.2.296.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 8123411 (View on PubMed)

Fortier J, Chung F, Su J. Unanticipated admission after ambulatory surgery--a prospective study. Can J Anaesth. 1998 Jul;45(7):612-9. doi: 10.1007/BF03012088.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 9717590 (View on PubMed)

Macario A, Weinger M, Carney S, Kim A. Which clinical anesthesia outcomes are important to avoid? The perspective of patients. Anesth Analg. 1999 Sep;89(3):652-8. doi: 10.1097/00000539-199909000-00022.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 10475299 (View on PubMed)

Product monograph, Nabilone (Nabilone), submission control no: 124406, Valeant Canada Limitée/Limited, March 17, 2009

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Levin DN, Dulberg Z, Chan AW, Hare GM, Mazer CD, Hong A. A randomized-controlled trial of nabilone for the prevention of acute postoperative nausea and vomiting in elective surgery. Can J Anaesth. 2017 Apr;64(4):385-395. doi: 10.1007/s12630-017-0814-3. Epub 2017 Feb 3.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 28160217 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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13-242

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id