Hyperalgesia in Methadone Patients: Can it be Treated?
Status:
Unknown status
Trial end date:
1969-12-31
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
In the proposed study, we will build upon our previous studies validating and characterizing
hyperalgesia in MM samples to explore it's underlying mechanism from a pharmacological
perspective. Utilizing a double-blind, placebo-controlled designs, the proposed work will
evaluate the ability of dextromethorphan , an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-antagonists to
diminish or reverse the opioid-induced hyperalgesia complicating the pain states suffered by
MM patients. Specifically, in a sample of MM patients, dextromethorphan, theorized to
interfere with the development of opioid-induced hyperalgesia will be evaluated for its
ability to ameliorate or diminish the opioid-induced hyperalgesia in these patients as
reflected by changes on pain threshold and tolerance to both cold-pressor and electrical
pain, at peak and trough methadone blood levels. The results of this work will not only
provide pharmacologic insight into the mechanisms underlying poor pain tolerance in this
at-risk population, but also direction for the medical management of pain complicated by
opioid-induced hyperalgesia.