Skip to content

Open-label Placebo (COLP) for Pain in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) Surgery+Surgical Treatment of Idiopathic Scoliosis

Effectiveness of Conditioning + Open-label Placebo for the Management of Pain in Children Who Undergo Surgical Treatment of Idiopathic Scoliosis

Status
Recruiting
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06365892
Enrollment
64
Registered
2024-04-15
Start date
2024-07-01
Completion date
2026-12-01
Last updated
2026-03-13

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

Conditions

Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS)

Keywords

Conditioning with Open-Label Placebo (COLP)

Brief summary

This study aims to investigate the effects of conditioning with open-label placebos on standard postoperative treatment for patients undergoing surgery for idiopathic scoliosis in a randomized controlled, 6-week trial with 64 AIS patients randomly assigned to one of two arms: Open-label Placebo (COLP) + treatment as usual TAU / TAU control. The study involves collecting data from your child's medical record. At each regular clinic visit, the patient clinical data will be collected by the research coordinator. Surveys will be collected including:• PROMIS for the age group 10 to 18 years.

Detailed description

Interventional (clinical trial): Subject will be randomly assigned using permuted blocks (block size of 4). Before usage, random assignments will be created, stored in sealed envelopes, and numbered (1, 2, etc.). There will be stratified randomization: Later on, stratification will be incorporated into the analysis. 32 people will be in the group taking the placebo pills in addition to standardized treatment and 32 people will be in the group with standardized treatment alone. Hypothesis: Open-label Placebo (COLP) \< treatment as usual (TAU) control. Secondary Aims Analysis Plan: There are three secondary aims in this study. Aim 1. To determine whether 6 weeks of Open-label Placebo (COLP) results in significantly reduced opioid consumption compared to treatment as usual. To test this aim, the investigators will conduct a t-test comparing mean opioid use over the 6 weeks of follow up. In secondary analyses, the investigators will adjust for any baseline factors including gender, age, symptom severity or type of surgery that could be a confounding variable. 1a. To determine if 6 weeks of Open-label Placebo (COLP) results in reduced opioid consumption compared to treatment as usual. Hypothesis: Open-label Placebo (COLP) \< treatment as usual (TAU) control. Secondary Aims Analysis Plan: There are three secondary aims in this study. Secondary Aim 1: Determine if there are significant differences in time to independence with physical therapy, length of stay, time to return to school, urinary retention, constipation, oxygen requirement, and number of contacts with medical team in Open-label Placebo (COLP) compared to treatment as usual (TAU). Secondary Aim 2: Determine if there is an association between preoperative pain catastrophization, kinesiophobia, positive/negative affect, anxiety, and/or depression and response to Open-label Placebo (COLP) and/or treatment as usual (TAU). Secondary Aim 3: Determine if there is an association between postoperative PROMIS scores, anxiety, and/or depression in open-label placebo (COLP) compared to treatment as usual (TAU). Primary Objectives The primary objectives of this study are to: (1) to determine whether 6 weeks of conditioning with open-label placebo (COLP) results in reduced opioid consumption (amount and duration) compared to treatment as usual (TAU) control and (2) to determine whether 6 weeks of Open-label Placebo (COLP) compared to treatment as usual (TAU) results in different clinical outcomes. Secondary Objectives * To determine whether open-label placebo (COLP) affects anxiety and/or depression. * To determine whether open-label placebo (COLP) affects length of stay, opioid side effects, time to independence with physical therapy, and/or number of contacts with medical team. * To determine if there is an association between pain catastrophizing, kinesiophobia, and clinical outcomes.

Interventions

Placebo will be supplied as a 330mg tablet (manufactured by Consolidated Midland Corporation). Patients will take placebo with each oral opioid intake and 3 additional times per day beginning on POD 1.

OTHERTreatment as usual

Each oral opioid dose is a 5mg Oxycodone tablet. Investigator shall never prescribe ibuprofen. Investigator shall always prescribe Tylenol 625mg every 8hrs (PRN).

Sponsors

University of California, San Francisco
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Masking description

Blinding of patients and providers will not be feasible due to the nature of the study.

Intervention model description

Both arms - Open-label Placebo (COLP) and Treatment As Usual (TAU)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
10 Years to 18 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

To be eligible for enrollment, patients must meet all of the following inclusion criteria: 1. Diagnosis of idiopathic spine deformity. 2. Age \>10 and \<18 years. 3. Primary procedure. 4. Guardian provides signed and dated informed consent and understand the nature of the study sufficiently to allow completion of all study assessments. 5. Patient provides assent. 6. Fusion and fusionless instrumented spine surgery.

Exclusion criteria

If any of the following

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
The total amount of opioids consumed in oral morphine equivalents (OMEs) following surgeryfrom admission to 6 weeks post-operativelyOral morphine equivalents (OMEs) are values that represent the potency of an opioid dose relative to morphine. Using OMEs provides a standardized method for converting between various opiate medications. Each oral opioid dose is a 5mg Oxycodone tablet prescribed 6 times per day pro re nata. Participants will record the number of oral opioids taken each day for 6 weeks following surgery beginning on Post-op Day 1 (POD1). This data will be collected and converted into OMEs for comparison.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Weekly level of mobility and change from baseline in mobility on the Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Numeric Rating Scale Pediatric Mobility Short Form 7a at week 6.weekly from admission to 6 weeks post-operativelythe PROMIS Pediatric Mobility SF 7a is a validated, self-reported instrument that consists of 7 items rating mobility on average over the past 7 days from 4 (With no trouble) to 0 (not able to do). Weekly level of mobility = mobility score reported at each week Change = (Week 6 Score - Baseline Score).
Weekly level of anxiety and change from baseline in anxiety levels on the Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Numeric Rating Scale Anxiety Short Form 8a at week 6.weekly from admission to 6 weeks post-operativelythe PROMIS Anxiety SF 8a is a validated, self-reported instrument that consists of 8 items rating anxiety on average over the past 7 days from 1 (never) to 5 (almost always). Weekly level of anxiety = anxiety score reported at each week Change = (Week 6 Score - Baseline Score).
Weekly level of depressive symptoms and change from baseline in depressive symptoms on the Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Numeric Rating Scale Depressive Symptoms Short Form 8a at week 6.weekly from admission to 6 weeks post-operativelythe PROMIS Depressive Symptoms SF 8a is a validated, self-reported instrument that consists of 8 items rating depressive symptoms on average over the past 7 days from 1 (never) to 5 (almost always). Weekly level of depressive symptoms = depressive symptoms score reported at each week Change = (Week 6 Score - Baseline Score).
The duration of time in days following surgery until patients establish Independence with Physical Therapyfrom admission to final physical therapy assessment, up to 6 weeksParticipants will be treated by physical therapy services after surgery until their physical therapist determines that they no longer require physical therapy services. Duration of time to independence with physical therapy is equal to the POD # where physical therapist determines formal PT is no longer required.
The length of time in days following surgery until discharge from the hospitalfrom admission to discharge, up to 6 weeksParticipants will be admitted to the hospital following surgery until they are cleared for discharge from a medical standpoint. Length of stay = POD # that patient is discharged
The length of time in days following surgery until participant returns to schoolfrom admission to date of return to school, up to 6 weeks post-operativelyParticipants will record the date on which they return to school after surgery. The POD # on date of return to school = the length of time to return to school. The amount of time it takes to return to school can be used as a proxy for whether participants are struggling with their pain or not.
Whether participants experience urinary retention following surgery.during hospitalization until discharge, up to 6 weeksParticipants will be assessed in hospital to determine whether or not they experience urinary retention post-surgery, a potential side effect of opioid consumption. The urinary retention determination will be a yes/no answer.
Whether participants experience constipation measured by the number of days between surgery and first bowel movementfrom admission to date of first bowel movement, up to 6 weeks post-operativelyParticipants will record the number of days between surgery and first bowel movement to assess whether they experience constipation, a potential side effect of opioid consumption.
Whether participants experience an oxygen requirement and the duration of the requirement following surgery.during hospitalization until discharge, up to 6 weeksParticipants will be assessed in hospital for whether or not they have an oxygen requirement and the duration of requirement. The oxygen requirement will be a yes/no answer. If yes, the number of days that oxygen is required will be recorded for the duration.

Countries

United States

Contacts

CONTACTMohammad Diab, MD
mohammad.diab@ucsf.edu415-514-1519
CONTACTTripta Rughwani
tripta.rughwani@ucsf.edu
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORMohammad Diab, MD

University of California, San Francisco

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Mar 14, 2026