Analgesic Effect of Escitalopram in Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA)

Analgesic Effect of Perioperative Escitalopram for Patients With High Preoperative Level of Pain Catastrophising in Total Knee Arthroplasty

Status

Completed

Phases

Phase 4

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT01430520

Enrollment

120

Registered

2011-09-08

Start date

2011-09-30

Completion date

2013-05-31

Last updated

2013-06-05

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Postoperative Pain

Brief summary

Detailed description

Pain is a major problem after TKA, especially in patients with high pain catastrophizing. Newer MR-scan studies indicate that Escitalopram may have an immediate cognitive and emotional effect. Patients with high pain catastrophizing are mentally vulnerable and may be sensitive to the effects of Escitalopram. We therefore investigate the effect of Escitalopram as a perioperative analgesic in this group of patients where the pain problem is pronounced.

Interventions

DRUGEscitalopram

Tables with Escitalopram (10 mg), 1 tablet a day for 7 days, starting on the day of surgery

DRUGPlacebo

Placebo tablets, 1 tablet a day for 7 days, starting on the day of surgery

Study design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

PARALLEL

Primary purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Age

18 Years to 80 Years

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

* Primary, unilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA) * Age \> 18 \> 81 * Ethnic Danes * Score \> 20 on Pain Catastrophising Scale

Exclusion criteria

* Medication that causes risk in combination with SSRI (6 month) * Treatment for anxiety or depression * History of depression or mania * Treatment with systemic glucocorticoids (6 month) * Treatment with opioids (4 weeks) * Alcohol or drug abuse * History of malignancy * Fertile woman * History of epilepsia * Treatment with anticoagulants * BMI \> 40 * Disease affecting central or peripheral nerve function * Dementia * History of gastrointestinal bleeding * History of hepato- or renal insufficiency * Allergy to Escitalopram

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Pain	At 24 hour	Pain during walking at 24 hour after surgery

Secondary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Cumulated pain scores	1 week	Cumulated pain scores for pain the first week after TKA
Amount of rescue analgesic	1 week	Amount of rescue analgesic the first week after TKA
Pain	1 week	Pain at rest and during walking the first week after TKA
anxiety, depression, and sleep quality	1 week	Anxiety, depression, and sleep quality - questionnaire - the first week after TKA
Escitalopram level in blood-sample	48 hours	Escitalopram level in blood-sample 48 hours after surgery
Side effects	1 week	Side effects the first week after TKA

Countries

Denmark

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026