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Are Opioids Needed After ACL Reconstruction

Are Opioids Needed: A Double-Blinded, Randomized Controlled Trial and Examination of Predictors of Opioid Use Following ACL Reconstruction

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04285853
Enrollment
98
Registered
2020-02-26
Start date
2020-09-16
Completion date
2022-09-19
Last updated
2023-10-11

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

Conditions

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture

Keywords

Opioids

Brief summary

As the public health sector continues to confront the opioid epidemic, orthopaedic surgeons must revisit pain management protocols to reduce unnecessary opioid prescriptions. The long-term goal is to reduce opioid use and residual opioids in circulation.

Detailed description

As the public health sector continues to confront the opioid epidemic, orthopaedic surgeons must revisit pain management protocols to reduce unnecessary opioid prescriptions. The long-term goal is to reduce opioid use and residual opioids in circulation. The purposes are to 1) conduct a double-blinded randomized controlled trial to determine the effectiveness of opioid versus non-opioid medications on post-surgical pain, and 2) examine predictors of opioid usage in individuals following Anterior Cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Patients will use an innovative Smartphone application to track pain and medication usage. Additionally, patients will complete quality of life and pain catastrophizing questionnaires, as well as undergo pain threshold testing, to be used in a model to determine predictors of greater post-surgical opioid use. This study will provide information on non-opioid alternatives and specific predictors of post-surgical opioid use that can be used to develop prescribing protocols. These findings will help orthopaedic surgeons make informed decisions when tailoring individualized prescriptions for patients following ACL reconstruction. Importantly, findings will be readily translatable into research to reduce opioid use in other orthopaedic surgical cohorts as well. Our ultimate goal is to lessen the burden of the opioid epidemic on not only our orthopaedic patients, but also society, by minimizing the number of opioids left in circulation.

Interventions

DRUGOxycodone

5 mg oxycodone pills every 4-6 hrs if pain level 7 or higher on Numeric rating scale 1-10

DRUGPlacebo oral tablet

Placebo tablets (both trial and rescue) will be matched to size, shape, color, and texture of oxycodone tablets.

Sponsors

Orthopedic Research and Education Foundation
CollaboratorOTHER
Emory University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Investigator)

Masking description

Both participants and PI (orthopaedic surgeon) will be blinded. Placebo pills will be closely matched to oxycodone pills, so patients will not know to which group they are allocated. The PI will be blinded to group allocation.

Intervention model description

Prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled clinical trial

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
14 Years to 40 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Males and females * Aged 14-40 years * Scheduled for primary (Anterior cruciate ligament) ACL reconstruction using quadriceps tendon autograft.

Exclusion criteria

* Revision and/or contralateral ACL reconstruction procedures * Allergies to local anesthetics * Chronic pain medication use * Weight \<50 kg, local infections * Known coagulopathies, * Liver dysfunction or renal failure

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Pain Level: Numeric Rating ScalePostoperative days 0-6Patients will record pain levels on Numeric Rating Scale 1-10, where 1 is minimal pain and 10 is associated with highest level of pain (worse outcome).

Other

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change in Pain Threshold TestingPostoperative days 0-6, 6 weeks post-surgerywill be conducted with digital pressure dolorimeter (Wagner Force One Model FDIX 50TM, Wagner Instruments). Pressure dolorimeters are devices that measure pressure/pain threshold. The device will be held perpendicular to the areas to be tested. The force will be increased at a constant rate of 1 kg/cm2. Patients will be instructed to express pain either by saying ouch or raising their hand when pain is felt. The force read on the digital dolorimeters will be recorded. This procedure will be repeated 3 times. Both right and left sides will be tested.
Change in Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS)Postoperative days 0-6, 6 weeks post-surgeryIt will be determined with the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS). Pain catastrophizing is described as an exaggerated negative mental set brought to bear during actual or anticipated painful experience. In other words, it is a feeling of helplessness. The PCS is a 13-item questionnaire that inquires about thoughts and feelings a patient experiences when in pain. Responses are recorded on a 5-point Likert scale (not at all to all the time). A total score is yielded ranging from 0-52. Higher score is associated with worse outcome.
Change in Quality of Life: Euro Quality of Life Index (Euro QoL 5-D 5-L) EQ-5DPostoperative days 0-6, 6 weeks post-surgeryQuality of life will be measured with the instrument Euro Quality of Life Index (Euro QoL 5-D 5-L) EQ-5D is a standardized measure of health status that measures five dimensions, Mobility, Self-care, Daily activities, Pain/Discomfort, Anxiety/ Depression. Each dimension can be rated at five levels: from no problems to major problems. The five dimensions can be summed into a descriptive health state with 11111 representing no problems in any of the five health dimensions and 55555 indicating major problems in any of the five health dimensions.

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Oxycodone Arm
Patients in this opioid group will receive 15 oral opioid tablets (5 mg oxycodone) Patients will also receive 8 rescue medications, in the Oxycodone arm will be placebo rescue medications. All participants will also receive the following as part of standard of care: 1. Oral non-opioid (1000 mg acetaminophen), every 8 hours. 2. Prescription of non-opioid non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication (naproxen 500 mg) to be used 2x/day post-surgery. 3. Standardized multimodal intra- and post-operative protocols, including an adductor canal peripheral nerve block. 4. Intraoperative education on post-surgical pain management. Oxycodone: 5 mg oxycodone pills every 4-6 hrs if pain level 7 or higher on Numeric rating scale 1-10
49
Placebo Arm
Patients in placebo group will receive 15 placebo tablets. All patients will also receive 8 rescue medications: Patients who randomize to the non-opioid arm will receive 5mg oxycodone rescue tablets. All participants will also receive the following as part of standard of care: 1. Oral non-opioid (1000 mg acetaminophen), every 8 hours. 2. Prescription of non-opioid non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication (naproxen 500 mg) to be used 2x/day post-surgery. 3. Standardized multimodal intra- and post-operative protocols, including an adductor canal peripheral nerve block. 4. Intraoperative education on post-surgical pain management. Placebo oral tablet: Placebo tablets (both trial and rescue) will be matched to size, shape, color, and texture of oxycodone tablets.
49
Total98

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000FG001
Overall StudyLost to Follow-up95
Overall StudyWithdrawal by Subject10

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicTotalPlacebo ArmOxycodone Arm
ADHD treatment
No
93 Participants47 Participants46 Participants
ADHD treatment
Yes
5 Participants2 Participants3 Participants
Age, Continuous21.6 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 6.3
20.6 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 5.7
22.6 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 6.9
Body mass index23.8 kg/m2
STANDARD_DEVIATION 3.7
23.6 kg/m2
STANDARD_DEVIATION 3.8
24.0 kg/m2
STANDARD_DEVIATION 3.7
Currently on treatment for depression
No
92 Participants47 Participants45 Participants
Currently on treatment for depression
Yes
6 Participants2 Participants4 Participants
Current use of alcohol
Did not provide an answer
45 Participants23 Participants22 Participants
Current use of alcohol
No
32 Participants18 Participants14 Participants
Current use of alcohol
Yes
21 Participants8 Participants13 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Hispanic or Latino
13 Participants12 Participants1 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Not Hispanic or Latino
14 Participants0 Participants14 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
71 Participants37 Participants34 Participants
Preoperative opioid use
No
97 Participants48 Participants49 Participants
Preoperative opioid use
Yes
1 Participants1 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
6 Participants3 Participants3 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
6 Participants4 Participants2 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
2 Participants1 Participants1 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
62 Participants33 Participants29 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
22 Participants8 Participants14 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
98 participants49 participants49 participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
48 Participants22 Participants26 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
50 Participants27 Participants23 Participants
Smoking status
Current Cigarette User
2 Participants0 Participants2 Participants
Smoking status
Former smoker
1 Participants0 Participants1 Participants
Smoking status
Not a smoker
68 Participants34 Participants34 Participants
Smoking status
Unknown status
27 Participants15 Participants12 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
0 / 490 / 49
other
Total, other adverse events
15 / 498 / 49
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 490 / 49

Outcome results

Primary

Pain Level: Numeric Rating Scale

Patients will record pain levels on Numeric Rating Scale 1-10, where 1 is minimal pain and 10 is associated with highest level of pain (worse outcome).

Time frame: Postoperative days 0-6

Population: Number analyzed in one or more rows differs from overall number analyzed depending on the number of patients that were able to provide data about their level of pain.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)
Oxycodone ArmPain Level: Numeric Rating ScaleStudy Day 04.6 score on a scale
Oxycodone ArmPain Level: Numeric Rating ScaleStudy Day 14.7 score on a scale
Oxycodone ArmPain Level: Numeric Rating ScaleStudy Day 23.8 score on a scale
Oxycodone ArmPain Level: Numeric Rating ScaleStudy Day 33.0 score on a scale
Oxycodone ArmPain Level: Numeric Rating ScaleStudy Day 43.0 score on a scale
Oxycodone ArmPain Level: Numeric Rating ScaleStudy Day 52.6 score on a scale
Oxycodone ArmPain Level: Numeric Rating ScaleStudy Day 62.9 score on a scale
Placebo ArmPain Level: Numeric Rating ScaleStudy Day 23.8 score on a scale
Placebo ArmPain Level: Numeric Rating ScaleStudy Day 04.5 score on a scale
Placebo ArmPain Level: Numeric Rating ScaleStudy Day 43.0 score on a scale
Placebo ArmPain Level: Numeric Rating ScaleStudy Day 15.1 score on a scale
Placebo ArmPain Level: Numeric Rating ScaleStudy Day 62.8 score on a scale
Placebo ArmPain Level: Numeric Rating ScaleStudy Day 52.9 score on a scale
Placebo ArmPain Level: Numeric Rating ScaleStudy Day 33.3 score on a scale
Other Pre-specified

Change in Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS)

It will be determined with the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS). Pain catastrophizing is described as an exaggerated negative mental set brought to bear during actual or anticipated painful experience. In other words, it is a feeling of helplessness. The PCS is a 13-item questionnaire that inquires about thoughts and feelings a patient experiences when in pain. Responses are recorded on a 5-point Likert scale (not at all to all the time). A total score is yielded ranging from 0-52. Higher score is associated with worse outcome.

Time frame: Postoperative days 0-6, 6 weeks post-surgery

Other Pre-specified

Change in Pain Threshold Testing

will be conducted with digital pressure dolorimeter (Wagner Force One Model FDIX 50TM, Wagner Instruments). Pressure dolorimeters are devices that measure pressure/pain threshold. The device will be held perpendicular to the areas to be tested. The force will be increased at a constant rate of 1 kg/cm2. Patients will be instructed to express pain either by saying ouch or raising their hand when pain is felt. The force read on the digital dolorimeters will be recorded. This procedure will be repeated 3 times. Both right and left sides will be tested.

Time frame: Postoperative days 0-6, 6 weeks post-surgery

Other Pre-specified

Change in Quality of Life: Euro Quality of Life Index (Euro QoL 5-D 5-L) EQ-5D

Quality of life will be measured with the instrument Euro Quality of Life Index (Euro QoL 5-D 5-L) EQ-5D is a standardized measure of health status that measures five dimensions, Mobility, Self-care, Daily activities, Pain/Discomfort, Anxiety/ Depression. Each dimension can be rated at five levels: from no problems to major problems. The five dimensions can be summed into a descriptive health state with 11111 representing no problems in any of the five health dimensions and 55555 indicating major problems in any of the five health dimensions.

Time frame: Postoperative days 0-6, 6 weeks post-surgery

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