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CompletedNCT01294059Updated Jul 31, 2014

Effects of Milnacipran on Widespread Mechanical and Thermal Hyperalgesia of Fibromyalgia Patients

A Phase 1 interventional study of Milnacipran in Fibromyalgia, sponsored by University of Florida. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 30 Years to 65 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2014-07-31.

Sponsored by University of Florida · Phase 1, Interventional, and Basic science

Phase
Phase 1
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
51
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
30 Years to 65 Years
Sex
All
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Study summary

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FM) shares many symptoms common to chronic neuropathic pain, including the characteristic hyperalgesia of the skin (thermal, mechanical) and muscles (mechanical) found in almost all FM patients. Milnacipran, a balance norepinephrine-serotonin re-uptake inhibitor, has been found to reduce pain and improve physical function of FM patients. However, little is known about the pain mechanisms that are affected by this medication. Therefore, the investigator wants to determine the efficacy of milnacipran in reducing pain as well as mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia of FM patients during a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial. Because the investigator expects anti-hyperalgesic effects to coincide or precede with effects on clinical FM pain the proposed duration for this trial is 6 weeks.

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Conditions studied

  • Fibromyalgia

Keywords

  • Fibromyalgia
  • Hyperalgesia
  • Pain
  • Central Sensitization
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In context

Fibromyalgia

1,336 studies on the registry are indexed under Fibromyalgia; 266 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 51 is below the median of 60 across 1,035 interventional studies indexed under Fibromyalgia.

Browse Fibromyalgia studies →

Lead sponsor

University of Florida is the lead sponsor of 1,254 studies on the registry; 201 are open to participants now.

Of its 170 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 136 (80%) have results posted.

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

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
30 Years to 65 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  1. Patients with diagnosis of chronic wide-spread pain for at least 3 months, who fulfill the 1990 ACR Criteria for FM.
  2. Patients with mean pain ratings ≥ 4.0 VAS units, at Screening and Baseline visits.
  3. Patients, who are able to comprehend and satisfactorily comply with protocol requirements.
  4. Patients who have not taken any pain medications except acetaminophen within 3 days prior to the Baseline Visit (these medications if taken prior to the Screening Visit must be discontinued at Screening Visit and the Baseline Visit may be scheduled at least 7 days past the last dose of these medications).
  5. All women of childbearing potential (WOCBP) must have a negative urine pregnancy test at the Screening Visit. All women of childbearing potential participating in the study must use a medically acceptable form of contraception

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. FM patients unwilling or unable to discontinue analgesics (except Tylenol) for at least 5 drug half-lives prior to enrollment.
  2. Patient has previously failed treatment with Milnacipran for FM pain.
  3. Patients who have been treated with MAO inhibitors within 30 days prior to the Baseline Visit.
  4. Patients who received ECT within 3 months prior to the Screening Visit.
  5. Women who are pregnant or nursing, or women of childbearing potential who do not use adequate contraception, or who are judged to be unreliable in their use of contraception.
  6. Patients who have participated in any clinical trial within one month prior to the Screening Visit.
  7. Patients who have a medical condition that, in the Investigator's opinion, would expose them to an increased risk of a significant adverse event or interfere with assessments of safety and efficacy during the course of the trial.
  8. Patients with severe renal insufficiency (Creatinine clearance \< 30 ml/min)
  9. Patient has a BDI score >29
  10. Patients with any current malignancy, or any clinically significant hematological, endocrine, cardiovascular, renal, hepatic, gastrointestinal or neurological disease (including any form of epilepsy). If there is a history of such disease but the condition has been stable for at least the past year and is judged by the investigator not to interfere with the patient's participation in the study, the patient may be included.
  11. Patients with systolic blood pressure greater than 180 mm Hg or less than 90 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure greater than 105 mm Hg or less than 50 mm Hg at the Screening visit. Similarly, tachycardia of >110/min is exclusionary.
  12. Patients who require concomitant therapy with any prohibited prescription or over-the-counter medication, including aspirin (except 81 mg for heart disease) or antidepressant medications.
  13. Patients who are unable to speak, read, and understand English or are judged by the investigator to be unable or unlikely to follow the study protocol and complete all scheduled visits.
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Study design

Phase
Phase 1
Primary purpose
Basic science
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Triple (Participant, Investigator, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
51 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Placebo comparator
    Sugar pill

    One sugar pill twice daily over 6 weeks

    Drug: Milnacipran

  • Active comparator
    Milnacipran

    Milnacipran 50 mg bid over 6 weeks

    Drug: Milnacipran

Interventions

  • DrugMilnacipran

    50 mg BID Oral x 6 Weeks

    Also known as: Savella

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What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Mechanical and Heat Hyperalgesia

    Time frame: 2 week intervals

Secondary outcomes

  1. Clinical Pain

    Time frame: daily

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Study locations

1 site
  • Center for Musculoskeletal Pain Research
    Gainesville, Florida 32610, United States
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References and documents

Publications

  • Staud R, Lucas YE, Price DD, Robinson ME. Effects of milnacipran on clinical pain and hyperalgesia of patients with fibromyalgia: results of a 6-week randomized controlled trial. J Pain. 2015 Aug;16(8):750-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2015.04.010. Epub 2015 May 19. PubMed 25998206 ↗
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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jul 31, 2014, 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
NCT01294059
Lead sponsor
University of Florida
Collaborators
Forest Laboratories
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Feb 11, 2011
Start date
Nov 2009
Primary completion
Apr 2014
Completion
Apr 2014
Last update
Jul 31, 2014

Study contacts

Roland Staud, MD
principal investigator · University of Florida

Oversight

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

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This study is completed, as verified in Jul 2014. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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