ClinicalTrials.gg
RecruitingNCT03434392Updated Sep 11, 2026

QST Study: Predicting Treatment Response in Chronic Pancreatitis Using Quantitative Sensory Testing

An interventional study of Quantitative Sensory Test 1 and Quantitative Sensory Test 2 in Chronic Pancreatitis and Chronic Pain, sponsored by Anna Evans Phillips. Recruiting at 2 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-11.

Sponsored by Anna Evans Phillips · Not applicable, Interventional, and Diagnostic

From the registry’s dates

  • Started Oct 2017; still recruiting 9 years later.
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
500
Allocation
Non-randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Quantitative Sensory Testing (QST) is a novel investigative technique used in other pain conditions to evaluate patterns of chronic pain, and in this study will be used to elucidate pain patterns in patients with Chronic Pancreatitis (CP). QST uses a specific series of standardized stimulations to map the pain system. QST has the potential to change and improve the treatment paradigm for patients with CP and may eventually be able to predict response to invasive CP therapies.

Read the detailed description

In Chronic Pancreatitis (CP), clinical pain symptoms correlate poorly with pancreatic ductal morphology, response to endoscopic or surgical therapy is unpredictable, and the rationale for invasive therapies is often questioned. Quantitative sensory testing (QST) is a technique used to map the pain system based on the rationale that different neural pathways and networks can be explored using standardized stimulation and simultaneous recording of the evoked pain response by psychophysical and/or objective methods. In this study, the investigators aim to distinguish phenotypes characterized by segmental sensitization of the pancreatic viscerotome, and systemic sensitization with pathological central pain processing.

The investigators will perform QST on controls and CP subjects consisting of stimulation in several different dermatomes including pancreatic and control areas. All subjects will also answer standardized questionnaires assessing pain, depression, anxiety, and quality of life at baseline. Subjects undergoing endoscopic or surgical therapy will also undergo follow-up testing consisting of the same tests at 1, 3, and 6 months post-procedure for evaluation of changes in their pain profile.

02

Conditions studied

  • Chronic Pancreatitis
  • Chronic Pain

Keywords

  • Chronic Pain
  • Chronic Pancreatitis
  • Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction
  • Recurrent Acute Pancreatitis
  • Chronic Abdominal Pain
  • Functional Dyspepsia
03

In context

Pancreatitis, Chronic

264 studies on the registry are indexed under Pancreatitis, Chronic; 76 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 500 is above the median of 45 across 143 interventional studies indexed under Pancreatitis, Chronic.

Browse Pancreatitis, Chronic studies →

Lead sponsor

Anna Evans Phillips is the lead sponsor of 2 studies on the registry; 2 are open to participants now.

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

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

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

  1. Subjects with no pancreatic disease and no abdominal pain, or patients with a diagnosis of functional dyspepsia.

    • Subjects are 18 years or older in age
    • Subjects must be able to read and understand the study information.
    • Personally signed and dated document indicating that the subject has been informed of all pertinent aspects of the study.
    • Subject is willing and able to comply with the scheduled visits, questionnaires, treatment plan, and other study procedures.
  2. Suspected CPs Inclusion Criteria

    • Subjects are 18 years or older in age
    • Subjects with a) Indeterminate CP (Cambridge 1 or 2 on CT scan or MRI/MRCP) who have abdominal pain without prior history of AP, or b) those with acute (AP) or recurrent acute pancreatitis (RAP) who have recovered from their attack(s) of AP, whose imaging studies are either normal or show changes consistent with Cambridge classification of 1 or 2, and they have ongoing abdominal pain. Both diabetic and non-diabetic subjects will be allowed to enter the study.
    • Subjects must be able to read and understand the study information.
    • Subjects must suffer from abdominal pain suspected to be pancreatic origin with an intensity above 3 on the visual analogue scale (VAS, where 0=no pain and 10= intolerable pain), and meet the criteria for chronic pain (pain ≥ 3 days per week for at least 3 months).
    • Personally signed and dated informed consent document indicating that the subject has been informed of all pertinent aspects of the study.
    • Subjects willing and able to comply with the scheduled visits, questionnaires, and other study procedures.
  3. Definite Chronic Pancreatitis - Inclusion Criteria

    • Subjects are 18 years or older in age
    • Subjects will have a prior confirmed diagnosis of CP on CT scan or MRI/MRCP according to Cambridge Classification (grade 3 or 4). Both diabetic and non-diabetic subjects will be allowed to enter the study.
    • Subjects must be able to read and understand the study information.
    • Personally signed and dated informed consent document indicating that the subject has been informed of all pertinent aspects of the study.
    • Subjects willing and able to comply with the scheduled visits, questionnaires, and other study procedures.
  4. Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction (SOD) Type 1 or Type 2 Inclusion Criteria

    • Subjects are 18 years or older in age
    • Subjects have prior diagnosis of Type 1 or Type 2 Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction (subjects with biliary pain accompanied by biochemical features of transient biliary tract obstruction including elevated transaminases, alkaline phosphatase, or conjugated ; may also be accompanied by biliary or pancreatic ductal dilation on imaging)
    • Subjects must be able to read and understand the study information.
    • Personally signed and dated informed consent document indicating that the subject has been informed of all pertinent aspects of the study.
    • Subjects willing and able to comply with the scheduled visits, questionnaires, and other study procedures.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Subjects with no pancreatic disease and no abdominal pain, or patients with a diagnosis of functional dyspepsia.

    • Subjects with evidence or history of medical or surgical disease of importance for this study as judged by investigator.
    • Subjects suffering from painful conditions that make them unable to distinguish the pain associated with CP from chronic pain of other origins.
    • Subjects with known pregnancy at the time of enrolment.
    • Subjects who have previously undergone surgical intervention on their pancreas.
  2. Suspected CPs Exclusion Criteria

    • Subjects with evidence or history of medical or surgical disease of importance for this study as judged by investigator.
    • Subjects suffering from painful conditions other than pancreatitis or SOD type 1 or 2 that make them unable to distinguish the pain associated with pancreatitis or SOD from chronic pain of other origins.
    • Subjects with known pregnancy at the time of enrolment.
    • Subjects who have previously undergone surgical intervention on their pancreas.
  3. Definite Chronic Pancreatitis Exclusion Criteria

    • Subjects with evidence or history of medical or surgical disease of importance for this study as judged by investigator.
    • Subjects suffering from painful conditions other than pancreatitis or SOD type 1 or 2 that make them unable to distinguish the pain associated with pancreatitis or SOD from chronic pain of other origins.
    • Subjects with known pregnancy at the time of enrolment.
    • Subjects who have previously undergone surgical intervention on their pancreas.
  4. Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction (SOD) Type 1 or Type 2 Exclusion Criteria

    • Subjects with evidence or history of medical or surgical disease of importance for this study as judged by investigator.
    • Subjects suffering from painful conditions other than pancreatitis or SOD that make them unable to distinguish the pain associated with pancreatitis or SOD from chronic pain of other origins.
    • Subjects with known pregnancy at the time of enrolment.
    • Subjects who have previously undergone surgical intervention on their pancreas.
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(2)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

Bilirubin

A yellow substance made when red blood cells are broken down, which the liver clears. A high level can mean a problem with the liver or the bile ducts.

Criteria often allow more for people with Gilbert’s syndrome, a harmless inherited condition that raises bilirubin.

05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Diagnostic
Allocation
Non-randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
500 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    Healthy Controls

    Subjects with no pancreatic disease and no abdominal pain. Subjects will undergo the following Interventions: Quantitative Sensory Test 1, Quantitative Sensory Test 2, and Quantitative Sensory Test 3, They will also fill out validated questionnaires.

    Diagnostic Test: Quantitative Sensory Test 1 · Diagnostic Test: Quantitative Sensory Test 2 · Diagnostic Test: Quantitative Sensory Test 3

  • Active comparator
    Suspected CP

    Suspected Chronic Pancreatitis patients. Subjects will undergo the following Interventions: Quantitative Sensory Test 1, Quantitative Sensory Test 2, and Quantitative Sensory Test 3, They will also fill out validated questionnaires.

    Diagnostic Test: Quantitative Sensory Test 1 · Diagnostic Test: Quantitative Sensory Test 2 · Diagnostic Test: Quantitative Sensory Test 3

  • Active comparator
    Definite CP

    Definite Chronic Pancreatitis patients. Subjects will undergo the following Interventions: Quantitative Sensory Test 1, Quantitative Sensory Test 2, and Quantitative Sensory Test 3, They will also fill out validated questionnaires. A subset of these patients who undergo endotherapy as per clinical recommendation from clinical provider independent of this study will be followed for 6 months after their clinical intervention for repeat Quantitative Sensory Test 1, Quantitative Sensory Test 2, and Quantitative Sensory Test 3 and questionnaires.

    Diagnostic Test: Quantitative Sensory Test 1 · Diagnostic Test: Quantitative Sensory Test 2 · Diagnostic Test: Quantitative Sensory Test 3

  • Active comparator
    Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction or Functional Dyspepsia

    Patients with Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction Type 1 or Type 2, or who have a prior diagnosis of Functional Dyspepsia. Subjects will undergo the following Interventions: Quantitative Sensory Test 1, Quantitative Sensory Test 2, and Quantitative Sensory Test 3, They will also fill out validated questionnaires.

    Diagnostic Test: Quantitative Sensory Test 1 · Diagnostic Test: Quantitative Sensory Test 2 · Diagnostic Test: Quantitative Sensory Test 3

Interventions

  • Diagnostic testQuantitative Sensory Test 1

    Subject will give pain rating (on Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) 0-10) of single as well as multiple stimulation with round-tip non-invasive pin-prick device. Difference is recorded as Temporal Summation Score.

    Also known as: Temporal Summation

  • Diagnostic testQuantitative Sensory Test 2

    Subject will state when they first detect pain and pain detection threshold in response to pressure administration with pressure algometer. Pressure threshold recorded in kilopascals(kP). Stimulation will be repeated in pancreatic and control dermatomes. Subject will then state pain tolerance threshold at same locations. Sensitization will be characterized by ratio of pancreatic vs. control dermatome scores.

    Also known as: Segmental v Systemic Sensitization

  • Diagnostic testQuantitative Sensory Test 3

    Subject will apply dominant hand to ice-chilled water bath (36F) for up to 2 minutes. Pain score (VAS 0-10) will be assessed each 10 seconds. Pain tolerance threshold (in kP) will be assessed with algometer on non-dominant thigh before and after water bath to determine change in threshold. Difference in pain tolerance recorded as Conditioned Pain Modulation Score.

    Also known as: Conditioned Pain Modulation

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Pain Pattern Assessment as assessed by the combination of Temporal Summation score, Sensitization score, and Conditioned Pain Modulation score

    Assignment to one of four groups (Segmental Sensitization, Systemic Sensitization, Impaired Conditioned Pain Modulation, or Other) based on combination of patient-reported pain symptoms. Temporal summation pain symptoms are measured on visual analogue scales which are measured from 0 (minimum) to 10 (maximum). 10 on this scale indicates worse pain; 0 indicates no pain. Sensitization scores are measured via patient reported thresholds in kilopascals. Conditioned Pain modulation is measured also via patient reported threshold in kilopascals.

    Time frame: One-time baseline testing

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in Mean Pain score

    In Definite CP Patients undergoing endotherapy as part of regular clinical care, assessment of mean pain level for 7 days prior to endotherapy will be assessed immediately pre-procedure and again at 90 days post-procedure. A pain reduction of \>30% in 90 days after procedure will be characterized as positive response to procedure.

    Time frame: 90 days

07

Study locations

2 of 2 sites recruiting
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Phillips AE, Faghih M, Singh VK, Bick B, Yadav D, Drewes AM, Olesen SS. Widespread Hyperalgesia by Pancreatic Quantitative Sensory Testing Is Associated With Reduced Pain Response in Chronic Pancreatitis. Pancreas. 2023 Apr 1;52(4):e257-e258. doi: 10.1097/MPA.0000000000002247. Epub 2023 Nov 13. No abstract available. PubMed 37967828 ↗
  • Phillips AE, Faghih M, Singh VK, Olesen SS, Kuhlmann L, Novovic S, Bick B, Hart PA, Ramsey ML, Talukdar R, Garg PK, Yadav D, Drewes AM; Pancreatic Quantitative Sensory Testing (P-QST) Consortium. Rationale for and Development of the Pancreatic Quantitative Sensory Testing Consortium to Study Pain in Chronic Pancreatitis. Pancreas. 2021 Oct 1;50(9):1298-1304. doi: 10.1097/MPA.0000000000001912. PubMed 34860815 ↗
  • Olesen SS, Phillips AE, Faghih M, Kuhlmann L, Steinkohl E, Frokjaer JB, Bick BL, Ramsey ML, Hart PA, Garg PK, Singh VK, Yadav D, Drewes AM; Pancreatic Quantitative Sensory Testing (P-QST) Consortium. Overlap and cumulative effects of pancreatic duct obstruction, abnormal pain processing and psychological distress on patient-reported outcomes in chronic pancreatitis. Gut. 2022 Dec;71(12):2518-2525. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2021-325855. Epub 2021 Oct 21. PubMed 34675068 ↗
  • Phillips AE, Faghih M, Kuhlmann L, Larsen IM, Drewes AM, Singh VK, Yadav D, Olesen SS; Pancreatic Quantitative Sensory Testing (P-QST) Consortium. A clinically feasible method for the assessment and characterization of pain in patients with chronic pancreatitis. Pancreatology. 2020 Jan;20(1):25-34. doi: 10.1016/j.pan.2019.11.007. Epub 2019 Nov 20. PubMed 31787527 ↗

Study documents

PDFs hosted by the registry, ClinicalTrials.gov.

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

09

Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reachedSimilar studies: half by the dot; the band is the middle halfHalf of similar studies reached it by the dot; the band is the middle half, from a quarter to three quarters

Started Oct 2017 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Jun 2030, 152 months after the start.

Of 46 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Pancreatitis, Chronic, half reached primary completion within 32 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 18 and three quarters within 64. This study's planned 152 months is above that.

Counting every sponsor, half of 49 studies reached it within 32 months; a quarter within 18 and three quarters within 64.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Nov 3, 2017
First posted
Feb 15, 2018
StartActual
Oct 24, 2017
Primary completionEst.
Jun 30, 2030
CompletionEst.
Jun 30, 2031
Last update
Sep 11, 2026
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Sep 11, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03434392
Lead sponsor
Anna Evans Phillips
Responsible party
Anna Evans Phillips (Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh) — Sponsor-investigator
First posted
Feb 15, 2018
Start date
Oct 24, 2017
Primary completion
Jun 30, 2030 (estimated)
Completion
Jun 30, 2031 (estimated)
Last update
Sep 11, 2026

Study contacts

Anna Evans-Phillips, MD
Contact
evansac3@upmc.edu
412-624-4560
Apsara Mishra
Contact
apm179@pitt.edu
Anna Evans-Phillips, MD
principal investigator · University of Pittsburgh

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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