ClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT05334017Updated Mar 27, 2023

Xylometazoline and Cocaine for Nasal Vasoconstriction

A Phase 4 interventional study of Xylometazoline 0,1% and Cocaine 4% in Epistaxis, sponsored by Rigshospitalet, Denmark. Completed at 1 site in Denmark. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2023-03-27.

Sponsored by Rigshospitalet, Denmark · Phase 4, Interventional, and Prevention

Phase
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
120
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The objective of this study is to compare xylometazoline and cocaine's effect on minimizing epistaxis when administered as a local vasoconstrictor prior to nasal intubation.

The investigators hypothesize that there will be a lower bleeding score in the group receiving xylometazoline as compared with the group receiving cocaine.

Read the detailed description

When performed by trained personnel nasotracheal intubation is a safe and effective technique for attaining a secure airway in preparation for surgery of the head and neck. Upon intubation the nasal mucosa must be sufficiently lubricated and decongested in order to minimize the risk of epistaxis. For this purpose several topical agents are suggested, the most common being adrenaline, cocaine and oxymetazoline/xylometazoline in varying combinations and dosages. As such, no broad consensus or guidelines currently exist on a single recommended drug for the prevention of epistaxis induced by nasal intubation.

In 1990 Katz et. al performed a study comparing three interventions: cocaine, lidocaine with epinephrine and oxymetazoline in regard to the prevention of epistaxis on nasotracheal intubation. This study included 14 patients in each of their three groups and the authors concluded that oxymetazoline and cocaine were equally effective. However, due to their limited sample size that study was clearly inconclusive, and the investigators wish to repeat such a comparison.

The trial drug xylometazoline is commonly used in Danish operating rooms under the registered trademark Zymelin. It is an adrenergic drug typically used for decongestion of the nose and its local vasoconstrictive effect occurs after a few minutes and lasts 10-12 hours. The drug is readily available without prescription and in theory the patient could administer this themselves on their way to surgery. Oxymetazoline used by Katz et. al and xylometazoline used in Danish hospitals have similar decongestive effects as oxymetazoline is a derivative of xylometazoline. The two drugs share pharmacodynamics varying only on receptor subtype affinity in their direct action on alpha-adrenergic receptors in the arterioles of the nasal mucosa. Both drugs result in vasoconstriction that leads to decreased blood flow and thereby decongests the nose.

The second trial drug cocaine is also routinely used. It is a magistral formula used especially due to its unique combination of both vasoconstrictive and analgesic properties. It is a potent vasoconstrictor through its ability to inhibit the reuptake and metabolism of catecholamines, which then in greater concentration produce adrenergic effects. Uniquely cocaine also binds to and blocks axonal membrane sodium channels, thus interfering with the propagation of action potentials and thereby exerting an analgesic effect. When administered in doses thought to avoid systemic effects, cocaine is a safe local anesthetic agent. The recommended dosage varies considerably throughout the literature with safe doses ranging between 1.5-3.0 mg/kg.

The investigators wish to compare the effects of xylometazoline and cocaine regarding their prevention of epistaxis during and immediately after nasal intubation.

02

Conditions studied

  • Epistaxis

Browse trials for

Keywords

  • nasal intubation
  • vasoconstriction
  • epistaxis
03

In context

Epistaxis

96 studies on the registry are indexed under Epistaxis; 22 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 120 is above the median of 64 across 81 interventional studies indexed under Epistaxis.

Browse Epistaxis studies →

Lead sponsor

Rigshospitalet, Denmark is the lead sponsor of 1,007 studies on the registry; 175 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
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

  • Age ≥ 18 years
  • Scheduled for nasal intubation
  • Proficient in spoken and written Danish

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Intubation to be done on awake patient
  • Pregnancy

    • Women of must produce a negative hCG urine stix to participate
  • Known symptomatic coronary artery disease

    • As declared by patient or noted in the patient's file
  • Untreated hypertension

    • As declared by patient or noted in the patient's file
    • Not taking antihypertension drugs
  • to the active substance or to any of the of Zymelin

    • As declared by patient or noted in the patient's file
  • Closed-angle glaucoma

    • As declared by patient or noted in the patient's file
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(3)

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.

Childbearing potential

Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).

Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.

Hypersensitivity

An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.

Excipients

The other ingredients in a medicine besides the active drug, such as fillers, colours or preservatives.

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 4
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Triple (Participant, Care provider, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
120 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    Xylometazoline

    Xylometazoline 0,1% as nasal solution given immediately prior to nasal intubation

    Drug: Xylometazoline 0,1%

  • Active comparator
    Cocaine

    Cocaine 4% as nasal solution given immediately prior to nasal intubation

    Drug: Cocaine 4%

Interventions

  • DrugXylometazoline 0,1%

    1 ml of 0,1% xylometazoline diluted with 1 ml of 0,9% isotonic saline solution given as a nasal spray

    Also known as: Zymelin

  • 2 ml of 4% cocaine given as a nasal spray

    Also known as: Cocaine hydrochloride 4%

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Bleeding score

    Evaluation of epistaxis measured on a predefined scale of 0-3: 0. No sign of bleeding 1. Blood only on the tracheal tube 2. Pooling of blood in the pharynx 3. Bleeding to the extent that it complicates intubation

    Time frame: Immediately following nasal intubation

Secondary outcomes

  1. Qualitative measurements of cocaine's main metabolite benzoylecgonine in saliva

    For cocaine-group only, saliva samples will be obtained and analyzed on the DrugTest 5000 machine used by the Danish Police Force in order to evaluate pharmacokinetics.

    Time frame: Immediately prior to nasal intubation, 60 minutes after administration of cocaine and 24 hours after administration of cocaine.

  2. Quantitative measurements of cocaine in whole blood.

    In the cocaine group only, blood samples will be drawn and analyzed for the presence of cocaine in order to evaluate pharmacokinetics.

    Time frame: Immediately prior to nasal intubation, 60 minutes after administration of cocaine and 24 hours after administration of cocaine.

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital
    Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

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 Mar 27, 2023, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05334017
Responsible party
Mo Haslund Larsen (Principal investigator, Rigshospitalet, Denmark) — Principal investigator
First posted
Apr 19, 2022
Start date
Sep 8, 2022
Primary completion
Mar 21, 2023
Completion
Mar 22, 2023
Last update
Mar 27, 2023

Study contacts

Mo Haslund Larsen, MD
principal investigator · Rigshospitalet, Denmark

Oversight

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

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Mar 2023. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

Follow this study

Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.

Sign in to follow

Discussion

Questions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.

Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.

Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.

Studies of the drug tested here: Cocaine

Start the discussion