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Effect of Oral Choline Supplementation on Postoperative Pain

This study has been terminated.
(Investigator left the institution)
Sponsor:
Collaborator:
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
Columbia University
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
NCT00720343
First received: July 21, 2008
Last updated: February 6, 2013
Last verified: February 2013
History of Changes
  Purpose

This research will test whether consuming additional choline before gynecological surgery decreases postoperative pain.


Condition Intervention Phase
Postoperative Pain
Inflammation
 Drug: Choline
Drug: Placebo
 Phase 4

Study Type: Interventional
Study Design: Allocation: Randomized
Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary Purpose: Treatment
Official Title: Effect of Oral Choline Supplementation on Postoperative Pain

Resource links provided by NLM:

U.S. FDA Resources

Further study details as provided by Columbia University:

Primary Outcome Measures:
  • Pain [ Time Frame: 24 hours after surgery ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Secondary Outcome Measures:
  • Nausea [ Time Frame: 24 hours after surgery ] [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]
  • Blood Choline Concentration [ Time Frame: 24 hours after surgury ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  • Opioid Use [ Time Frame: 24 hours after surgery ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Enrollment: 48
Study Start Date: February 2009
Study Completion Date: June 2011
Primary Completion Date: June 2011 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
Arms Assigned Interventions
Experimental: Choline
Oral choline
 Drug: Choline
Oral Choline 20 grams before surgery
Other Name: Tricholine 1200
Placebo Comparator: Placebo
Gelatin Capsule
 Drug: Placebo
Gelatin Capsule

Detailed Description:

More than 70% of the patients undergoing surgery in the USA, experience moderate to severe pain after the surgery in spite of being treated for pain. We will test whether choline will produce an effective additional analgesic action for postoperative pain treatment. Choline and lecithin are safe and are available for consumers as over-the-counter nutritional supplements. Choline supplementation decreases postoperative pain in rodents. Also Nicotine decreases postoperative pain in humans and since choline acts on the same receptors as nicotine, choline supplementation may be effective as an analgesic without the risks of addiction and the side effects like high heart rate and blood pressure.

Sixty women between the ages 18 and 60 undergoing open abdominal gynecological surgeries will be studied. We will not study people with chronic pain, drug abuse, and/or nicotine use over the past six months, current pregnancy or breastfeeding, allergy to soy, or inability to take any drug that we will use in the study.

Patients will take 10 tablets (choline or gelatin powder placebo) the night before surgery. After anesthesia, a second dose will be given into a tube that goes into the patient's stomach. One tablespoon of blood (15 mL) will be drawn five times to measure genetics, changes in levels of plasma choline and inflammatory markers: blood will be drawn at the preoperative visit, three times on the day of surgery and once 24 hours postoperatively. At 24 hours after surgery and on their follow-up visit with their doctor, the patient's surgical wound will be photographed and patients will complete a survey on satisfaction with treatment.

Primarily we are looking at the pain scores after surgery and secondarily at the pain medication use, plasma choline levels, wound healing and satisfaction with pain treatment.

This is a randomized double blind study. Patients will consume ten tablets (10g choline or placebo) the night before undergoing gynecological surgery and 10 tablets the morning of surgery. We will measure pain after surgery, baseline and postoperative plasma choline, and test genetics.

  Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:   18 Years to 60 Years
Genders Eligible for Study:   Female
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:   No
Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  • open pelvic surgery
  • able to swallow pills

Exclusion Criteria:

  • chronic pain
  • opioid use
  • pregnancy
  • lactation
  Contacts and Locations
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00720343

Locations
United States, New Jersey
New York Presbyterian Hospital
New York, New Jersey, United States, 10032
Sponsors and Collaborators
Columbia University
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
Investigators
Principal Investigator: Pamela Flood, MD Columbia University
  More Information

No publications provided

Responsible Party: Columbia University
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00720343     History of Changes
Other Study ID Numbers: AAAC8413, 1R21AT004708-01A1
Study First Received: July 21, 2008
Last Updated: February 6, 2013
Health Authority: United States: Food and Drug Administration

Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Inflammation
Pain, Postoperative
Pathologic Processes
Postoperative Complications
Pain
Signs and Symptoms
Choline
Lipotropic Agents
Hypolipidemic Agents
 Antimetabolites
Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action
Pharmacologic Actions
Gastrointestinal Agents
Therapeutic Uses
Lipid Regulating Agents
Nootropic Agents
Central Nervous System Agents

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on May 23, 2013