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CompletedNCT01327079MethadoneUpdated Jul 26, 2018

The Use of Methadone in Newborn Infants

A Phase 1/2 interventional study of Methadone and Methadone in Premature Birth of Newborn and Critically Ill, sponsored by John van den Anker. Completed at 2 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 22 Weeks to 43 Weeks. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2018-07-26.

Sponsored by John van den Anker · Phase 1/2, Interventional, and Basic science

Phase
Phase 1/2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
60
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
22 Weeks to 43 Weeks
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This proposed investigation will test the following hypotheses: 1) Enzymatic activity of CYP2B6 characterized by the formation clearance of methadone to EDDP (CLf,EDDP), is directly related to both gestational and postnatal age; 2) variations in the CYP2B6 gene (SNPs) are associated with variable activity of the CYP2B6 enzyme (as measured by the formation clearance, CLf,EDDP), and 3) the elimination rate of methadone and its major metabolite EDDP in neonates is dependent on the glomerular filtration rate and therefore on the stage of development (defined by both gestational and postnatal age). The investigators propose to develop a PK model for methadone dosing in neonates that takes into account both developmental stage and genetic variability. The long-term goal of the proposed investigations is to improve dosing of methadone in neonates exposed to opioids in utero or post-natally, leading to improved control of their withdrawal syndrome and decreased adverse drug reactions associated with the current use of methadone in these vulnerable patients. More immediately, the investigators will develop a PK model for methadone dosing based on relevant developmental and genetic characteristics. The acquired knowledge based on the proposed study will lead to a more efficacious treatment of pain or opiate withdrawal syndrome in newborn infants with a decreased chance of adverse drug reactions.

Read the detailed description

The investigators will identify and recruit from the NICU of CNMC 60 preterm neonates uniformly distributed with respect to gestational age and encompassing GA's of from 22 to less than 43 weeks.

  • Stratified Selection by Gestational Age (GA): The study neonates will be selected to achieve balance in the following GA strata: (22-24 wks, 25-26 wks, 27-28 wks, 29-30 wks, 31-32 wks, 33-37 wks; 38-43 wks). Stratification will be done to ensure broad representation by GA. As described below, analyses will treat GA as a continuous variable.
  • Randomization will assign a newborn infant to group 1 (n=30) or group 2 (n=30).
  • Study medications: Methadone and inulin administration Blood and urine will be collected for the purposes of this research project. Blood will be drawn from the indwelling arterial catheter that already is in place for clinical purposes. The amount of blood obtained for all study related determinations will be minimized and kept at less than 3 mL/kg of blood per 48 hour period. The study will last 60 hours for group 1 and 72 hours for group.
  • DNA study 0.3ml whole blood will be collected from each subject
  • PK study Blood samples (0.2 mL per sample) will be taken in 30 newborn infants at t=0, 1, 4, 12, 36, 60 h (group 1) after the administration of one dose of methadone, and in 30 newborn infants at t=0, 2, 8, 24, 48, 72 hr (group 2) after the administration of methadone. A total of 1.5 ml of blood will be collected from each subject
  • Urine Collection Urine samples will be collected from each infant's diaper (wood pulp based study diapers) every 3-4 hours over the first 24 hour period or alternatively, from an indwelling urinary catheter placed based on clinical indications unrelated to the study protocol.
02

Conditions studied

  • Premature Birth of Newborn
  • Critically Ill

Keywords

  • NICU
  • Methadone
  • neonates
03

In context

Premature Birth

2,610 studies on the registry are indexed under Premature Birth; 507 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 60 is below the median of 84 across 1,722 interventional studies indexed under Premature Birth.

Browse Premature Birth studies →

Lead sponsor

John van den Anker is the lead sponsor of 3 studies on the registry; none are open to participants now.

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

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
22 Weeks to 43 Weeks
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

  • Newborn infants of both genders and all races who have:

    • a postnatal age of less than 3 months
    • an indwelling (peripheral or umbilical) arterial line, and
    • already treated with an opioid (morphine or fentanyl) for clinical reasons

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Neonates with severe asphyxia grade III or IV intraventricular hemorrhage,
  • Neonates with major congenital malformations or facial malformations (e.g., cleft lip and palate), neurological disorders
  • Neonates receiving continuous or intermittent neuromuscular blockers neonates will be excluded who have:

    • clinical or biochemical evidence of hepatic and renal failure (including systemic hypoperfusion
    • received drugs that are CYP2B6 substrates
    • been exposed in utero to methadone, despite the fact that they indeed receive a CYP2B6 substrate through their mother, will not be excluded but will be analyzed as a subgroup
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 1 / Phase 2
Primary purpose
Basic science
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
60 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Group 1

    Gestational age less than 29 weeks We will substitute for one study dose 0.1 mg morphine with 0.1 mg methadone, whereas if the infant has been treated with fentanyl substitute for that one study dose 1 μg fentanyl with 0.1 mg methadone. Administration of inulin: Inulin will be administered as a glucose 10%-inulin solution containing 25 gr. inulin/L, at an infusion rate of 0.6 mL/kg/h. After 24 h, the inulin clearance will be calculated.

    Drug: Methadone

  • Experimental
    Group 2

    Gestational age greater then 29 weeks We will substitute for that one study dose 0.1 mg morphine with 0.1 mg methadone, whereas if the infant has been treated with fentanyl substitute for that one study dose 1 μg fentanyl with 0.1 mg methadone. Administration of inulin: Inulin will be administered as a glucose 10%-inulin solution containing 25 gr. inulin/L, at an infusion rate of 0.6 mL/kg/h. After 24 h, the inulin clearance will be calculated.

    Drug: Methadone

Interventions

  • If the infant has been treated with morphine than substitute for that one study dose 0.1 mg morphine with 0.1 mg methadone, whereas if the infant has been treated with fentanyl substitute for that one study dose 1 μg fentanyl with 0.1 mg methadone. Administration of inulin: Inulin will be administered as a glucose 10%-inulin solution containing 25 gr. inulin/L, at an infusion rate of 0.6 mL/kg/h. After 24 h, the inulin clearance will be calculated.

    Also known as: inulin

  • If the infant has been treated with morphine than substitute for that one study dose 0.1 mg morphine with 0.1 mg methadone, whereas if the infant has been treated with fentanyl substitute for that one study dose 1 μg fentanyl with 0.1 mg methadone. Administration of inulin: Inulin will be administered as a glucose 10%-inulin solution containing 25 gr. inulin/L, at an infusion rate of 0.6 mL/kg/h. After 24 h, the inulin clearance will be calculated.

    Also known as: inulin (Sinistrin)

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Methadone PK and EDDP

    Primary outcome: Plasma and urine levels of methadone and EDDP (2-ethylidene- 1,5-dimethyl-3,3-diphenylpyrrolidine, the main metabolite of methadone). Secondary endpoints: CYP2DB6 genetic variability.

    Time frame: 36 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. DNA

    Secondary endpoints: CYP2DB6 genetic variability.

    Time frame: 36 months

07

Study locations

2 sites
  • Childrens Research Institute
    Washington D.C., District of Columbia 20010, United States
  • Childrens's Research Institute
    Washington D.C., District of Columbia 20010, United States
08

References and documents

Publications

  • van Donge T, Samiee-Zafarghandy S, Pfister M, Koch G, Kalani M, Bordbar A, van den Anker J. Methadone dosing strategies in preterm neonates can be simplified. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2019 Jun;85(6):1348-1356. doi: 10.1111/bcp.13906. Epub 2019 Apr 10. PubMed 30805946 ↗
09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jul 26, 2018, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT01327079
Lead sponsor
John van den Anker
Responsible party
John van den Anker (John van denanker, MD, PhD, Children's National Research Institute) — Sponsor-investigator
First posted
Apr 1, 2011
Start date
Dec 2010
Primary completion
Dec 2017
Completion
Dec 2017
Last update
Jul 26, 2018

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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Studies of the drug tested here: Methadone

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