NCT00795106

Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy of Topical Capsaicin to Reduce Pain and Improve Health-related Quality of Life in Adults With Chronic Myofascial Neck Pain

Double-blinded, Cross-over Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy of Topical Capsaicin to Reduce Pain and Improve Health-related Quality of Life in Adults With Chronic Myofascial Neck Pain

• Status: Withdrawn
• Phase: Phase 2
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 0 (actual)
• Sponsor: Stamford Hospital · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Chronic neck pain is a common condition that can negatively impact quality of life. Substance P is one of the chemicals in the body that can transmit pain signals from overloaded neck muscles to the brain. Topical capsaicin blocks the action of Substance P by releasing, and subsequently depleting the body's store of Substance P in the nerves. Topical capsaicin has been reported to be an effective therapy for a number of persistent pain conditions including diabetic neuropathy, post-herpetic neuralgia, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and post-mastectomy pain. This study will evaluate the efficacy of topical capsaicin to reduce pain and improve health-related quality of life in adults with chronic muscular neck pain.

Detailed description

The study will employ a double blinded randomized controlled cross-over trial design. A total of 60 patients aged 18-65 with at least 3 months of myofascial neck pain will be recruited to participate in the study. The participants will be randomized into two groups. Each group will undergo two 4-week treatment arms separated by a 4-week wash-out period. Participants will apply a topical gel patch 12 hours each day overlying painful areas in the neck and shoulder girdle for each 4-week period. The topical gel patch used in each arm of the study will be identical except the placebo will not contain the active ingredient, 0.1% capsaicin. Both topical gel patches will be supplied by Caleb Pharmaceuticals. Each participant will complete 3 surveys at baseline and after each 4-week treatment arm: 1) McGill Pain Scale, 2) visual analog scale, and 3) Short Form 36 (general quality of life data). Paired T-tests will be used to evaluate for statistically significant changes between treatment with the control gel versus the active ingredient gel containing the capsaicin.

Conditions

• Myofascial Pain Syndrome

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DRUG	Capsaicin	Each group will undergo two 4-week treatment arms separated by a 4-week wash-out period. Participants will apply 1 hydrogel patch on both the right-sided and left-sided neck and shoulder girdle on the skin overlying a myofascial trigger point. No more than 2 patches will be used on each subject per treatment. During each 24-hour period, the patches will be placed on the skin for 12 hours and will be removed for 12 hours. Placebo hydrogel patches will be 2.5 cm in diameter with a breathable cloth backing. The experimental patches will be identical to placebo patches except will contain capsaicin 0.1% (500 mcg).
DRUG	Placebo	Each group will undergo two 4-week treatment arms separated by a 4-week wash-out period. Participants will apply 1 hydrogel patch on both the right-sided and left-sided neck and shoulder girdle on the skin overlying a myofascial trigger point. No more than 2 patches will be used on each subject per treatment. During each 24-hour period, the patches will be placed on the skin for 12 hours and will be removed for 12 hours. Placebo hydrogel patches will be 2.5 cm in diameter with a breathable cloth backing. The experimental patches will be identical to placebo patches except will contain capsaicin 0.1% (500 mcg).

Timeline

• Start date: 2009-11-01
• Primary completion: 2010-11-01
• Completion: 2010-11-01
• First posted: 2008-11-21
• Last updated: 2016-12-06

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States