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CompletedNCT01205256Updated Mar 3, 2016

IRB-HSR# 14145 R,S Methadone: Analgesia and Pharmacokinetics in Adolescents Undergoing Scoliosis Correction

A Phase 3 interventional study of methadone in Scoliosis, sponsored by University of Virginia. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 12 Years to 19 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2016-03-03.

Sponsored by University of Virginia · Phase 3, Interventional, and Health services research

Phase
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
11
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
12 Years to 19 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This is a pilot study to determine the pharmacokinetics of (R,S) methadone in adolescents. A total of approximately 15 patients will be required. The purpose is to determine the levels of R, S methadone at various time intervals after drug administration. Patients will receive methadone 0.25 mg/kg IV at induction and a standardized anesthetic of remifentanil and propofol. At the conclusion of surgery (45 minutes prior to the completion), the patients will receive a loading dose of morphine based on respiratory rate. A morphine PCA will be utilized for postoperative analgesia. Pharmacokinetic data will be collected in addition to VAS scores, patient and parental satisfaction with analgesia, and a functional pain assessment.

Read the detailed description

Study Procedures Following Surgery:

  • VAS scores will be recorded at intervals of 1,2,3,4,5,6,8,12,16,20,24, 36, 48 , 72 hrs (after extubation).
  • Blood samples for PK will require 5ml per sample and may be obtained from an existing IV or direct phlebotomy and will be obtained at 0min, 5min, 10 min, 15min, 20 min, 40 min, 1hr, 2hrs, 3hrs, 4hrs, 5hrs, 6hrs, 8hrs, 10 hrs, 12hrs, 24hrs, 48 hrs, 72hrs, and 96hrs after study drug administration.
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Conditions studied

  • Scoliosis

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Keywords

  • Methadone pharmacokinetics in adolescents
03

In context

Scoliosis

603 studies on the registry are indexed under Scoliosis; 141 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 11 is below the median of 44 across 350 interventional studies indexed under Scoliosis.

Browse Scoliosis studies →

Lead sponsor

University of Virginia is the lead sponsor of 672 studies on the registry; 138 are open to participants now.

Of its 60 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 41 (68%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
12 Years to 19 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Pediatric scoliosis surgery secondary idiopathic scoliosis, congenital scoliosis,
  • Age 12 - 19 inclusive
  • ASA class I-II.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Preoperative opioid therapy in previous 2 weeks
  • Known hepatic or renal impairment
  • Inability to assess pain score due to neurological impairment, hearing impairment
  • Allergy to methadone, morphine, fentanyl, propofol or remifentanil
  • Pregnant or nursing
  • Taking SSRI's, MAOI,anticonvulsants, gabapentin or lyrica
  • ASA III or greater patients are excluded
  • pre-existing chronic pain
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 3
Primary purpose
Health services research
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
11 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Methadone

    0.25mg/kg IV of racemic methadone at the induction of anesthesia.

    Drug: methadone

Interventions

  • 0.25mg/kg IV of racemic methadone at the induction of anesthesia.

    Also known as: 0.25mg/kg IV of racemic methadone

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. methadone levels

    Tmax (time to maximum methadone concentration) Cmax (maximum concentration) T1/2 (half-life) AUC last (area under the curve from time 0 to last sample point) AUC inf (area under the curve from time 0 to infinity) VZ (Volume of distribution in the terminal phase) CL (clearance)

    Time frame: 0min, 5min, 10 min, 15min, 20 min, 40 min, 1, 2hrs, 3hrs, 4hrs, 5hrs, 6hrs, 8hrs, 10 hrs, 12hrs, 24hrs, 48 hrs, 72hrs, and 96hrs.

07

Study locations

1 site
  • University of Virginia Health System
    Charlottesville, Virginia 22908, United States
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Gourlay GK, Willis RJ, Wilson PR. Postoperative pain control with methadone: influence of supplementary methadone doses and blood concentration--response relationships. Anesthesiology. 1984 Jul;61(1):19-26. PubMed 6742480 ↗
  • Gourlay GK, Wilson PR, Glynn CJ. Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of methadone during the perioperative period. Anesthesiology. 1982 Dec;57(6):458-67. doi: 10.1097/00000542-198212000-00005. No abstract available. PubMed 6128949 ↗
  • Claar RL, Walker LS. Functional assessment of pediatric pain patients: psychometric properties of the functional disability inventory. Pain. 2006 Mar;121(1-2):77-84. doi: 10.1016/j.pain.2005.12.002. Epub 2006 Feb 9. PubMed 16480823 ↗
  • Walker LS, Greene JW. The functional disability inventory: measuring a neglected dimension of child health status. J Pediatr Psychol. 1991 Feb;16(1):39-58. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/16.1.39. PubMed 1826329 ↗
  • Vinik HR, Kissin I. Rapid development of tolerance to analgesia during remifentanil infusion in humans. Anesth Analg. 1998 Jun;86(6):1307-11. doi: 10.1097/00000539-199806000-00033. PubMed 9620525 ↗
  • Davis AM, Inturrisi CE. d-Methadone blocks morphine tolerance and N-methyl-D-aspartate-induced hyperalgesia. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1999 May;289(2):1048-53. PubMed 10215686 ↗
  • Holtman JR Jr, Wala EP. Characterization of the antinociceptive and pronociceptive effects of methadone in rats. Anesthesiology. 2007 Mar;106(3):563-71. doi: 10.1097/00000542-200703000-00022. PubMed 17325516 ↗
  • Berde CB, Beyer JE, Bournaki MC, Levin CR, Sethna NF. Comparison of morphine and methadone for prevention of postoperative pain in 3- to 7-year-old children. J Pediatr. 1991 Jul;119(1 Pt 1):136-41. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(05)81054-6. PubMed 2066846 ↗
  • Shir Y, Shenkman Z, Shavelson V, Davidson EM, Rosen G. Oral methadone for the treatment of severe pain in hospitalized children: a report of five cases. Clin J Pain. 1998 Dec;14(4):350-3. doi: 10.1097/00002508-199812000-00013. PubMed 9874015 ↗
  • Dale O, Hoffer C, Sheffels P, Kharasch ED. Disposition of nasal, intravenous, and oral methadone in healthy volunteers. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2002 Nov;72(5):536-45. doi: 10.1067/mcp.2002.128386. PubMed 12426517 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Mar 3, 2016, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT01205256
Responsible party
Christopher Stemland, MD (Attending Anesthesiologist, University of Virginia) — Principal investigator
First posted
Sep 20, 2010
Start date
Mar 2009
Primary completion
Apr 2010
Completion
Apr 2010
Last update
Mar 3, 2016

Study contacts

Christopher Stemland, MD
principal investigator · UVA Anesthesiology

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Mar 2016. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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Studies of the drug tested here: Methadone

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