Clinical Research Directory

Autonomic Neural Blockade in Bariatric Surgery

The purpose of this research is to evaluate if autonomic nerve block (ANB- blocking pain and nausea signals) decreases pain and anti-nausea medication requirements as well as the experience of pain/nausea during the first 72 hours after sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass surgery. Participants will be randomly assigned either to the standard of care or the ANB group before surgery. As part of standard of care, in both groups, laparoscopic bariatric surgery will be initiated with local anesthetic injected into the abdominal wall. In the ANB group, participants will be given an additional injection of local anesthetic medication to block nerves on and around the stomach.

Improving Communication About Pain and Opioids

The overall goal of this protocol is to pilot test a clinician training intervention that uses standardized patients (trained actors playing patient roles) as instructors who impart communication skills to primary care clinicians. This project will conduct a pilot clinical trial of the intervention developed by the primary investigator in order to evaluate intervention feasibility and generate data to plan a subsequent fully-powered, multisite trial. Primary care clinicians will be randomized to receive either the intervention or control; 48 patients (2 per clinician) will then be recorded during clinic visits with study clinicians and will provide data on post-visit perceptions and health outcomes. Study hypotheses are that visits with clinicians who receive the intervention (versus control) will be associated with more frequent use of targeted communication skills, lower probability of high-risk opioid prescribing, higher patient-reported agreement with treatment plan, and lower pain interference 2 months later.

Pain Alleviation With Testosterone in Opioid-Induced Hypogonadism

The aim of this trial is to evaluate whether testosterone replacement results in greater improvement in pain perception, pain tolerance, sexual function, fatigue, and quality of life when compared with placebo in men with chronic spinal pain treated with opioids who have opioid-induced hypogonadism (low testosterone).

Neural Mechanisms of Meditation for Opioid-Treated Chronic Low Back Pain

The purpose of this research study is to see how a mindfulness meditation-based intervention affects pain. Specifically, we are interested in understanding the pain-relieving brain mechanisms of mindfulness meditation-based therapy for patients with opioid-treated chronic low back pain.

Auriculo-Nerve Stimulation on Post-Operative Opioid Requirement

The NSS-2 BRIDGE® device (NSS stands for Neuro-Stimulation System) is a disposable device that stimulates the branches of cranial nerves and of the superficial cervical plexus innervating the ear. Because the stimulation of the nerves of the ear by the NSS-2 BRIDGE® device (NBD®) has been shown to modulate pain pathways in rodents, decrease abdominal pain in adolescents with inflammatory bile syndrome and due to the results of our preliminary pilot study, the investigators hypothesized that this technique may also be effective in reducing the requirement for postoperative opioids and provide a non-pharmacological alternative to perioperative opioid use. To establish the role that the stimulation of the nerves of the ear may have in reducing postoperative opioid requirement, the investigators are proposing to conduct a randomized, placebo controlled study in patients undergoing open abdominal or pelvic surgery requiring at least 5 days of hospitalization. Subjects who have signed an informed consent will be randomized in 2 groups (active NBD® group or inactive NBD® group). Furthermore, since preoperative and postoperative mood disorders have been shown to increase postoperative pain levels and opioid requirement by up to 50%, the investigators further hypothesize that the stimulation of the ear nerves by the NSS-2 BRIDGE® effects may be in part mediated by a reduction of the level of anxiety, depression and catastrophizing as assessed using validated questionnaires.

Improving Pain Disability With the Use of Oral Cannabinoids

The investigators are conducting a pilot (i.e. a small study) in order to find out the effectiveness and safety of medical cannabis in the management of chronic pain. At the end of this 3 month study, investigators will gather information on how easy it is for patients to enroll and complete the entire study. The results of this pilot study will help the study team design a larger randomized controlled trial.

Leveraging Social Networks to Increase COVID-19 Testing Uptake

This two-year project will adapt and conduct a trial examining the ability of two recruitment strategies, chain-referral and credible messenger, to reach those who use opioids and other substances in order to increase their uptake of onsite point of care COVID-19 testing that will be delivered in two community based organizations (CBOs): Alliance for Positive Change and Argus Health Inc. In Phase 1, Adapt two implementation strategies to support COVID-19 testing uptake and sustainability, adapting elements of existing efficacious social network-based interventions via a CBPR approach. In Phase 2, we will examine and compare the efficacy of two sets of implementation strategies on (i) reach, (ii) testing uptake, (iii) service delivery (i.e. quarantine, medical care, contact tracing) and (iv) sustainability for individuals who use opioids and other drugs. In Phase 3, Elucidate and compare the system/organizational-, staff-, and individual-level factors that influence implementation (i.e. fidelity, acceptability, feasibility, sustainability) of the strategies to develop a plan for dissemination and scale-up in other CBOs who serve opioid and other substance using individuals in NYC.

Motivational Interviewing and Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement

The purpose of this study is to 1) examine barriers and facilitators to implementation of MI and MORE for polysubstance use and evaluate strategies for optimizing training, fidelity, and clinic uptake, and 2) evaluate patient outcomes related to the effectiveness of MORE decreasing opioid, tobacco, and other drug use.

Sex Hormones, Postoperative Pain and Opioid Use

Aim 1- To identify relationships between sex hormone levels and postoperative pain and opioid use. Aim 2: To determine whether the effects of testosterone on postoperative pain and opioid use are mediated by immune factors

Opioid Dispensing Device for Post-Operative Pain in Cancer Patients

This research study will evaluate the use of, and participants experience with, a new device called Addinex that safely stores and dispenses opioid medication. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the use of the Addinex device in cancer patients undergoing cancer-related surgery that require pain control with opioids after the surgery. Participants will be asked to answer questions about their medical history and background, fill out questionnaires, use a mobile application associated with the device, and undergo a phone interview one month after stopping use of the device. This study aims to find out how participants like using the Addinex device as opposed to a traditional pill bottle. Results of this study will help determine if the Addinex device could be useful to patients in the future after surgeries, as opposed to typical pill bottles.

QL vs LAI for Palatoplasty

This study will consist of patients ages 6-18 who are undergoing a surgery on the hard or soft palate of the mouth (palatoplasty), with removal of bone from the front of the hip (anterior iliac bone graft harvesting). The patients will be randomized to receive either a unilateral QL block by an anesthesiologist, or local anesthetic infiltration at the surgical incision by the surgeon. The primary aim will be assessing post-operative pain in the first 48 hours after surgery. Secondary outcomes will include pain medication use in the first 48 hours after surgery, block resolution time, and evaluating any complications associated with the QL block or local anesthetic infiltration.

Effects of Lemborexant on Insomnia and Its Relationship to Mood and Behavior on Opioid Use Disorder Subjects

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn about how certain medications used to treat insomnia (e.g., Lemborexant) impact sleep, mood, and behavior in men and women with Opioid Use Disorder who are taking prescribed buprenorphine. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. What is the effect of the study drug (lemborexant) on sleep outcomes? 2. What is the effect of the study drug (lemborexant) on impulsive behavior (as measured by computer test performance)? 3. What is the effect of the study drug (lemborexant) on mood and other behavior? Researchers will compare lemborexant to placebo (e.g., sugar pill) to see if participants assigned to 8 weeks of treatment with lemborexant have greater improvements on the measures listed above. Participants will take the study medication (or placebo) each night for 8 weeks and be asked to come for a total of 23 study visits. Most of these visits will be very short (15-30 minutes). The longer visits will include the screening visit (about 2-3 hrs), baseline visit (about 2.5 hrs), and the post-medication visit (about 2 hrs). Study visits will include things like taking surveys about sleep, drug use, and mood, completing urine drug testing, checking vital signs (e.g., blood pressure), and completing interviews with the study staff. Participants will also be asked to provide two blood samples (one during screening and one after taking the medication). For three two-week periods, participants will be asked to wear a watch to track sleep at home, and to keep a log of sleep and wake times.

Sleep Disordered Breathing With Opioid Use

There is an increased risk for sleep disordered breathing (SDB), sleep-related hypoventilation and irregular breathing in individuals on chronic prescription opioid medications. Almost 30% of a veteran sleep clinic population had opioid-associated central sleep apnea (CSA). The proposal aims to identity whether oxygen and acetazolamide can be effective in reducing unstable breathing and eliminating sleep apnea in chronic opioid use via different mechanisms. We will study additional clinical parameters like quality of life, sleep and pain in patients with and without opioid use. This proposal will enhance the investigators' understanding of the pathways that contribute to the development of sleep apnea with opioid use. The investigators expect that the results obtained from this study will positively impact the health of Veterans by identifying new treatment modalities for sleep apnea.

Facilitating Opioid Care Connections

In response to the opioid crisis in New York State (NYS), where the propose project will take place, the Unified Court System (UCS) developed a new treatment court model - the opioid court model (OCM) - designed around 10 practice guidelines to address the flaws of existing drug courts and reduce overdose (OD), opioid use disorder (OUD), and recidivism via rapid screening and linkage to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD). In 2018, NYS began to expand the OCM across NYS. Yet, given the innovation of the OCM, the exact barriers to implementation in disparate counties with a range of resources - and the strategies to overcome them - are largely unknown. The research team proposes to integrate evidence-based implementation strategies to refine and evaluate the Opioid Court Model Rigorous Implementation Science for Effectiveness (OCM RISE) intervention, an implementation intervention that will allow the OCM, as framed by the 10 practice guidelines, to be scaled up across NYS.

THRIVE: Culturally AdapTed Harm Reduction Intervention

The goal of this study is to develop and test a culturally adapted harm reduction intervention among Black adults who misuse opioids and/or stimulants. The questions it aims to answer include: will the culturally adapted harm reduction educational intervention increase overall knowledge of overdose and prevention/intervention techniques and increase confidence and willingness to use/teach interventions to others at-risk.

Evaluation of Medical Cannabis and Prescription Opioid Taper Support for Reduction of Pain and Opioid Dose in Patients With Chronic Non-Cancer Pain

This study will use a randomized controlled design to test whether medical marijuana use by adults on high-dose chronic opioid therapy (COT) for chronic non-cancer pain is associated with reduced opioid dose and improved pain intensity and interference when added to a 24-week behavioral intervention (POTS).

Targeting Alcohol-Opioid Co-Use Among Young Adults Using a Novel MHealth Intervention

The goal of this treatment development project is to develop and pilot an adaptive mobile health (mHealth) intervention that targets the co-use of alcohol and opioids in young adults.

Serratus vs ESP Block for Postoperative Pain in Unilateral Breast Surgery

This prospective, randomized, assessor-blinded trial compares serratus posterior superior intercostal plane block (SPSIPB) and erector spinae plane block (ESPB) for postoperative analgesia in unilateral breast surgery. 54 patients will be randomized to receive either SPSIPB or ESPB before general anesthesia. The primary outcome is postoperative pain scores within the first 24 hours. The secondary outcome is opioid consumption.

Machine-Learning Prediction and Reducing Overdoses With EHR Nudges

The goal of this cluster randomized clinical trial is to test a clinician-targeted behavioral nudge intervention in the Electronic Health Record (EHR) for patients who are identified by a machine-learning based risk prediction model as having an elevated risk for an opioid overdose. The clinical trial will evaluate the effectiveness of providing a flag in the EHR to identify individuals at elevated risk with and without behavioral nudges/best practice alerts (BPAs) as compared to usual care by primary care clinicians. The primary goals of the study are to improve opioid prescribing safety and reduce overdose risk.

Opioid Free Anesthesia-Analgesia Strategy and Surgical Stress in Elective Open Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair

Open Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) repair is a high-risk surgical procedure accompanied by intense endocrine and metabolic responses to surgical stress, with subsequent activation of the inflammatory cascade, cytokine and acute-phase protein release, and bone marrow activation. There is a proven correlation of surgical stress, which patients undergoing open AAA repair are subjected to, with patient outcome, morbidity/mortality, intensive care unit stay and overall length of stay. Modern general anesthetic techniques have been revised and rely on perioperative multimodal anesthetic and analgesic strategies for improved overall patient outcome. Based on this context of a multimodal anesthetic technique and having taken into consideration the international "opioid-crisis" epidemic, an Opioid Free Anesthesia-Analgesia (OFA-A) strategy started to emerge. It is based on the administration of a variety of anesthetic/analgesic agents with different mechanisms of action, including immunomodulating and anti-inflammatory effects. Our basic hypothesis is that the implementation of a perioperative multimodal OFA-A strategy, involving the administration of pregabalin, ketamine, dexmedetomidine, lidocaine, dexamethasone, dexketoprofen, paracetamol and magnesium sulphate, will lead to attenuation of surgical stress response compared to a conventional Opioid-Based Anesthesia-Analgesia (OBA-A) strategy. Furthermore, the anticipated attenuation of the inflammatory response, is pressumed to be associated with equal or improved analgesia, compared to a perioperative OBA-A technique.

Integrated HIV Prevention and HCV Care for PWID

The objective of this study is to compare and evaluate two strategies of delivering PrEP and Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) treatment to people who inject drugs to determine the best method of providing care. Participants will be randomized to one of two treatment arms: on-site integrated care or off-site referral to specialized care.

Opioid-Free Pain Control Regimen Following Robotic Radical Prostatectomy

The objective of this study is to conduct a randomized clinical trial to evaluate an opioid versus an opioid-free pathway of perioperative use of ketamine, ketorolac, and IV acetaminophen followed by the postoperative use of ketorolac, and oral acetaminophen for pain associated with robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy. Escalation to use of opioid treatment for the opioid-free constituents will be available if needed.

INTEGRA: A Vanguard Study of Health Service Delivery in a Mobile Health Delivery Unit

The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy of using a mobile health delivery unit ("mobile unit") to deliver "one stop" integrated health services - particularly medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and medication for HIV treatment and prevention - to people who inject drugs (PWID) with opioid use disorder (OUD) to improve uptake and use of MOUD, and uptake and use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) or pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

Better Experiences in Substance Treatment: A Brief Alcohol-focused Intervention Tailored for Patients in Opioid Agonist Treatment

This study will help determine the feasibility and acceptability of a brief opioid-informed alcohol intervention in patients receiving prescribed buprenorphine for opioid use who are currently drinking alcohol. It will also provide initial information on whether the intervention improves outcomes related to alcohol use. The results of this proof-of-concept study will inform whether a future larger clinical trial is warranted.