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CompletedNCT03758079Updated Nov 29, 2018

Comparison of Gabapentin With Doxepin in the Management of Uremic Pruritus

A Phase 4 interventional study of Doxepin and Gabapentin in Uremic Pruritus, sponsored by University of Balamand. Completed at 1 site in Lebanon. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 80 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2018-11-29.

Sponsored by University of Balamand · Phase 4, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Primary completion was Oct 2018, 8 years ago, and no results have been posted to the registry.
  • Registered 5 months after the study started (first participant enrolled Jun 2018, registered Nov 2018).
Phase
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
14
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 80 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This is a single blind randomized trial to compare efficacy and side effects of Gabapentin with Doxepin. Hemodialysis patients with uremic pruritus at one dialysis center of Saint George Hospital University Medical Centre were included in this study. Patients were divided into 2 groups to receive either 10 mg Doxepin daily or Gabapentin at a dose of 100mg after each hemodialysis session (increased as tolerated) for 4 weeks, after which patients were treated reversley. Pruritus severity and its effect on quality of life will be assessed by using visual analog scale (VAS), 5-D pruritus scale and dermatology life quality index (DLQI). Include patients will have to fill these forms at baseline and at end of week1, week2 and week4

Read the detailed description

Pruritus is one of the frustrating skin manifestations of advanced renal failure. Many options have been used for the management of uremic pruritus (UP) such as Pregabalin, Gabapentin, Doxepine and Desloratidine. Gabapentin, a GABAergic drug, has been found to be effective in the treatment of uremic pruritus. Doxepin, a potent antihistamine drug, is used orally or topically in many pruritic conditions such as UP, idiopathic pruritus, atopic dermatitis, neurogenic, or psychogenic pruritus and, in the management of the UP in hemodialysis patients.

No comparative head to head study between Gabapentin and Doxepine has been conducted to date. The aim of this study was to compare Gabapentin and Doxepin in treatment of uremic pruritus in hemodialysis patients.

02

Conditions studied

  • Uremic Pruritus
03

In context

Lead sponsor

University of Balamand is the lead sponsor of 4 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
18 Years to 80 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

  • prevalent patients undergoing HD with UP for at least three months
  • any medications with antipruritic effects to be discontinued one week before the study
  • Hemodialysis performed for 3-4 h thrice weekly via a low flux polysulphonedialyser [1.3-1.6 m2 surface areas] using bicarbonate and/or acetate dialysis fluid
  • well controlled Calcium, Phosphorus and iPTH levels

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • patients labeled high risk of fall (Having a score more than 16/20 using part 1 from Falls Risk Assessment Tool (FRAT)
  • patients taking drugs that interact with doxepin or gabapentin
  • patients with hepatic failure
  • patients with hyperthyroidism
  • patients with narrow angle glaucoma
  • patients with heart block or decompensated heart failure or hypotension (defined as systolic blood pressure less than 90 mmHg) or myocardial infarction in the past three months
  • history of allergy to gabapentin or doxepin
  • uncontrolled psychiatric diseases
  • pregnant patients
  • patients with psoriasis, atopic dermatitis or any other condition that can justify the pruritus
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 4
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Crossover assignment
Masking
Single (Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
14 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    Doxepin

    10 mg Doxepin daily for 4 weeks

    Drug: Doxepin

  • Active comparator
    Gabapentin

    Gabapentin 100mg after each dialysis session

    Drug: Gabapentin

Interventions

  • 10 mg Doxepin for 4 weeks

    Also known as: Silenor, Sinequan, Adapin

  • dose of 100mg after each hemodialysis session (increased as tolerated) for 4 weeks

    Also known as: Neurontin, Gralise, Gabarone, Fanatrex

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Change from baseline in Worst-itching Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at week 4

    a 10cm horizontal line marked from zero (no pruritus) to 10 (worst possible pruritus). The pruritus will be assessed subjectively and scored as follows: no pruritus (VAS score 0), mild (VAS score 1-3) with episodic and localized pruritus without disturbance in usual work and sleep, moderate (VAS score 4-7) with generalized and continuous pruritus without sleep disturbance and severe (VAS score 8-10) with generalized, continuous pruritus and sleep disturbance.

    Time frame: 1, 2, 4 weeks

  2. Change from baseline in 5-D Itch Scale score at week 4

    multidimensional questionnaire. The five dimensions are degree, duration, direction, disability and distribution. The scores of each of the five domains will be achieved separately and then summed together to obtain a total 5-D score ranging between five (no pruritus) and 25 (most severe pruritus). For the distribution domain, the number of affected body parts is tallied (potential sum 0-16) and the sum is sorted into five scoring bins: sum of 0-21⁄4score of 1, sum of 3-51⁄4score of 2, sum of 6-101⁄4score of 3, sum of 11-131⁄4score of 4 and sum of 14-161⁄4score of 5

    Time frame: 1, 2, 4 weeks

  3. Change from baseline in Dermatology life quality index (DLQI) at week 4

    10-Item questionnaire evaluating: impact of skin condition on HRQoL during the past week, symptoms and feeling, daily activities, leisure, work and school, personal relationships, treatment. A Score range from 0 to 30.

    Time frame: 1, 2, 4 weeks

Secondary outcomes

  1. side effects of each treatment

    Number of patients who report side effects while on each treatment

    Time frame: 4 weeks

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Saint George Hospital University Medical Center
    Beirut, Lebanon
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Undecided

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Nov 29, 2018, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03758079
Lead sponsor
University of Balamand
Responsible party
Julien Bachour, MD (Principle Investigator, University of Balamand) — Principal investigator
First posted
Nov 29, 2018
Start date
Jun 1, 2018
Primary completion
Oct 8, 2018
Completion
Oct 8, 2018
Last update
Nov 29, 2018

Study contacts

Roger N Haber, MD
principal investigator · University of Balamand/Saint George Hospital University Medical Center

Oversight

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

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Studies of the drugs tested here: Doxepin · Gabapentin

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