Clinical Research Directory

Outcome Inference in the Sensory Preconditioning Task in Opioid-Use Disorder

Background: People with addictions often find it hard to choose the long-term benefits of abstinence over the short-term effects of using drugs. Researchers think this is partly due to parts of the brain involved in certain types of learning and decision-making. Researchers want to test these basic functions using a simple task with pictures and odors. Objective: To see if performance in a learning task differs between people who have opioid-use disorder and people who don t. Eligibility: Adults 21-60 years old who are willing to fast for at least 6 hours and smell food odors. Those with an opioid-use disorder must either not use for at least 3 weeks or be in treatment. Design: Participants will have 1 visit that will take up to 5 hours. Before the visit, participants will be asked to not eat or drink anything except water for at least 6 hours. At the visit, participants will be checked for signs of intoxication. Participants will give urine and breath samples. Participants will have tests of learning and behavior. They will look at shapes on a computer screen. The shapes will be paired with different food odors. The odors will come from a sterile tube placed under the nose. Participants will have their breathing monitored with a belt around the upper abdomen. About 30 days and 60 days later, participants will be called and asked about their drug use over the past 30 days.

STTEPP: Safety, Tolerability and Dose Limiting Toxicity of Lacosamide in Patients With Painful Chronic Pancreatitis

The investigators propose to conduct a dose-escalation trial of an FDA-approved antiepileptic drug, lacosamide, added to opioid therapy in patients with chronic abdominal pain from chronic pancreatitis (CP). This pilot trial will test the feasibility of the study design and provide reassurance regarding the tolerability and safety of lacosamide used concomitantly with opioids in this patient population to reduce the condition known clinically as opioid-induced hyperalgesia (OIH).

OUD Smartphone Services

The purpose of the research is to check whether services and materials made available through a smartphone app are helpful to people who have been diagnosed with opioid use disorder (OUD). Participants are asked to use an app to submit videos of themselves taking salivary drug tests to a secure online system. The app includes reminders, rewards, and activities, as well as access to live support. Study participation lasts one year and includes about 30 minutes each week submitting videos, an hour-long interview to get started, and hour-long interviews once every three months after that over the course of the year.

Safe Prescription of Opioids in Primary Care

Opioid analgesics are commonly prescribed addictive narcotics intended for the treatment of pain. Inappropriate prescription of opioids in quantities and for conditions which lack clinical evidence contributes to the risk of misuse and addiction. The majority of opioid prescriptions are written by physicians (general practitioners) in primary health care (PHC). PHC is thus an important setting for efforts to encourage the safe and appropriate prescription of opioids. Increasing knowledge of pain treatment recommendations, risks of opioids, and guidelines for the prescription of opioids may decrease inappropriate prescription, and thereby risk of tolerance, dependence, and addiction.

Fatal Overdose Review Teams - Research to Enhance Surveillance Systems

This project seeks to address the overdose epidemic by working with overdose fatality review (OFR) teams. Current OFR practices rely on a case review model where OFR teams assess one or two overdose cases to make policy and program recommendations. However, the continued rise in overdose rates and number of preventable overdose deaths suggest a need to shift OFR teams away from case review and toward using timely population-level data to better inform their recommendations and actions. The goal of this project, Fatal Overdose Review Teams - Research to Enhance Surveillance Systems (FORTRESS), is to improve standard OFR practices by equipping OFRs with a data dashboard built on near real-time aggregate data, linked across multiple sources and presented in a way that helps identify common "overdose touchpoints," or opportunities to connect individuals at risk for overdose with evidence-based treatment. During the first project phase, the FORTRESS team will design the "Overdose Touchpoints Dashboard'' (Aim 1). The FORTRESS team will also train OFR team members in "Data-Driven Decision Making" (DDDM) to effectively use the dashboard. The FORTRESS team also includes individuals involved in developing the CDC's OFR best practice guidelines and a pilot study of OFR adherence to these guidelines, which will inform the FORTRESS team's development of an "OFR Fidelity Tool'' (Aim 2). This tool will be the first of its kind. For the second project phase, the FORTRESS team will conduct a cluster-randomized stepped-wedge trial comparing the impact of the intervention (dashboard + DDDM training) versus standard OFR practices on both implementation (Aim 3) and effectiveness outcomes (Aim 4). Implementation outcomes include implementation process fidelity (Stages of Implementation Completion), staff acceptance of harm reduction philosophies (qualitative interviews), OFR fidelity to CDC best practices (FORTRESS OFR Fidelity Tool), and usability of the Overdose Touchpoint Dashboard, (Systems Usability Scale). A statewide OFR data repository serves as a rich source of data on effectiveness outcomes, including OFR team recommendation quality and local actions to implement recommended overdose prevention strategies. The FORTRESS team will also survey OFR team members to assess changes in their attitudes toward evidence-based overdose prevention strategies. In sum, the FORTRESS team is uniquely qualified to help OFRs use more comprehensive available data to inform quality, action-oriented recommendations to reduce overdose. Funding for this project comes from the HEAL Initiative (https://heal.nih.gov/).

Optimizing Chronic Pain Care With Mindfulness and Chronic Pain Management Visits

The primary aim of this implementation-effectiveness trial is to examine the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) and patient-centered chronic pain management visits in primary care as interventions to reduce chronic pain, improve quality of life, and reduce opioid-related harms among chronic pain patients on long-term opioid therapy.

Tau PET Imaging in Opioid Use Disorder

The investigators plan to enroll up to 60 adult subjects in this study. There will be three groups of up to 20 subjects each in this study. Group 1: individuals with OUD and a history of at least one opioid-related OD in the past 5 years that required naloxone treatment reversal: OUD/OD+ Group 2: individuals with OUD without a lifetime history of opioid-related OD OUD/OD- Group 3: Healthy controls without a lifetime OUD: HCs PET/CT imaging will be used to evaluate the uptake of tau in the brain using the investigational radiotracer \[18F\]PI-2620. Each subject will have one \[18F\]PI-2620 positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scan performed.

Healthy Opioid Prescription Engagement

This study is a randomized controlled trial across 14 community pharmacies to test the efficacy of the Brief Intervention-Medication Therapy Management intervention (BI-MTM). The establishment of the BI-MTM model will result in a major impact for addressing the opioid epidemic, preventing opioid use disorder and overdose, and safeguarding patient health in a novel community-based service setting.

Cryoneurolysis Prior to Total Knee Arthroplasty

Knee osteoarthritis is a major issue worldwide with limited treatment options. Many patients receive knee joint replacement surgery which is considered effective and safe. Nonetheless the period post-surgery is characterized by moderate to severe pain inhibiting early ambulation, motivation and range of motion, compromising rehabilitation, patient satisfaction, and overall outcomes. An optimal strategy of postoperative pain treatment after knee replacement surgery has not yet been established. Recently, our research center and others have shown that is possible to target the nerves surrounding the knee with a novel treatment called cryoneurolysis. Cryoneurolysis apply low temperatures \[-20°C ; -100°C\] to a target nerve, which disrupts nerve function and provides potential pain relief. This suggest a potential for cryoneurolysis to significantly improve rehabilitation, reduce opioid intake and overall outcomes after knee replacement surgery. The primary objective of the current project is to determine the effectiveness of cryoneurolysis in its proposed ability to reduce opioid intake and postoperative pain after knee replacement surgery. The study is a randomized controlled study with two groups. Group CRYO receives cryoneurolysis prior to knee replacement surgery and group SHAM receives a sham treatment prior to knee replacement surgery. Both groups receive surgery, analgesics and postoperative rehabilitation as per usual. Efficacy of treatment is evaluated using the change in opioid intake in the CRYO group compared to the SHAM group 14 days after knee replacement surgery. Participants will also be assessed at 90 and 180 days after knee replacement surgery and will include measures on pain, quality of life and function.

Extended-release Buprenorphine Compared to Sublingual Buprenorphine in Rural Settings (RXR)

This pilot trial will explore the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of the most recently approved formulation of injectable extended-release buprenorphine (XR-BUP) for treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) in rural settings. We will randomize 144 eligible individuals with moderate to severe OUD in a 2:1 ratio to one of two medication conditions: (1) XR-BUP (128mg target), administered every 4 weeks or (2) SL-BUP (16mg-24 mg/day target).Participants will receive study medication treatment for the 14 week-intervention period, including an initial \~2-week period of induction/stabilization. The study will use a mixed-methods approach (participant assessments, study medication records, qualitative interviews) for assessing feasibility and acceptability, and results will include patient outcome data on the comparative effectiveness of XR-BUP versus SL-BUP for patients with OUD in rural settings.

Psilocybin in Cancer Pain Study

The overall objective of this study is to assess the feasibility, safety and preliminary efficacy of psilocybin-assisted therapy to alleviate opioid-refractory pain in patients with advanced-cancer. The name of the study intervention used in this research study is: Psilocybin (a tryptamine derivative)

fMRI and Opioid Abstinence

This project examines functional connectivity patterns associated with subsequent relapse to illicit opioids during treatment for OUD.

Developing a Smartphone Application to Support Veteran Opioid Use Disorder Treatment

Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) is a complex, chronic condition affecting nearly 70,000 Veterans who can experience significantly reduced quality of life (e.g., poorer social, occupational, and health-related functioning). VA clinics providing Medication treatment for OUD (MOUD; e.g., buprenorphine, methadone), the 1st-line treatment for OUD, often face challenges in also attempting to treat Veteran functional needs, which may require them to extend beyond their available resources to provide support. There is an urgent need for functionally impactful and accessible treatments for Veterans in MOUD. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a well-suited framework to support the functioning of Veterans in MOUD with over 20 years of research support. However, the traditional practice ACT requires a trained clinician to provide weekly, hour-long therapy sessions (typically for 12-16 weeks) and may be too burdensome for MOUD clinics to use alongside standard care. Fortunately, emerging research suggests that mobile health interventions (MHIs; e.g., smartphone apps) can overcome many of these pragmatic barriers. MHIs can efficiently deliver functionally-focused treatments focused on Veteran functioning in "real-world" settings, through minimally burdensome and accessible formats. Currently however, no MHI's targeting functioning exist for Veterans in MOUD. The proposed study will address this gap by developing and evaluating an early prototype of a targeted smartphone app designed to enhance the functional outcomes of Veterans receiving MOUD called "ACT to RECOVER" (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to Reach Empowerment through Commitment, Openness, and Valuing Experiences in Recovery). The study will occur in 3 phases: Phase 1: Development. Develop content for ACT to RECOVER using Veteran (n=10) and provider feedback (n=10). Phase 2: Iterative Usability Assessment. Conduct field testing (3 rounds, n=4-5 per round) to refine ACT to RECOVER format, acceptability, and usability. Phase 3: Pilot ACT to RECOVER in a Stage 1b Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT). Conduct a pilot trial to compare ACT to RECOVER (n=20) to a smartphone-based symptom monitoring control group (n=20). * (3a) Evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of each condition's app and study procedures. * (3b) Explore changes in functional (e.g., values-based living, quality of life) and clinical outcomes (e.g., illicit opioid use) which will be key outcomes in future efficacy testing.

Feasibility of Deep Brain Stimulation as a Novel Treatment for Refractory Opioid Use Disorder

The purpose of this clinical study is to investigate the safety, tolerability, and feasibility of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) of the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and ventral internal capsule (VC) for participants with treatment refractory opioid use disorder (OUD) who have cognitive, behavioral, and functional disability. This study will also provide critical information for planning subsequent clinical trials.

Alliances to Disseminate Addiction Prevention and Treatment (ADAPT)

Youth involved in the juvenile justice system (YJJ) bear a disproportionate burden of the addiction crisis. YJJ substance use (SU) is extremely prevalent, with a third of YJJ meeting criteria for a substance use disorder (SUD). The investigators seek to address the national addiction crisis at its epicenter. Despite their high need for SUD services, and the proliferation of evidence-based interventions to reduce SU, YJJ are rarely connected to needed, high-quality SU care. A care cascade model highlights gaps in YJJ achieving the full continuum of SUD care (i.e., SUD risk identification, treatment referral, treatment initiation, and treatment engagement). YJJ on community supervision/probation face a unique problem accessing SUD services; while the courts or probation may identify YJJ need for SUD care, YJJ must receive care through healthcare agencies in the community. The primary goal of the project, Alliances to Disseminate Addiction Prevention and Treatment (ADAPT) is to address this and other gaps along the care cascade for YJJ. The investigators will accomplish this goal by creating alliances between the juvenile justice system (JJ) agencies and community mental health centers (CMHCs) in eight Indiana counties. ADAPT takes a two-pronged approach. First, the investigators will employ a Learning Health System (LHS) to develop collaborative alliances between JJ agencies and CMHCs, organizations that traditionally operate independently. Second, the investigators will present local Cascade data during continuous quality improvement cycles within the LHS alliances. By offering agency representatives an opportunity to view and discuss, for example, the local rate at which YJJ with SUD risk are initiating CMHC SU services, the investigators will facilitate development of tailored, local solutions to improve the Cascade for each county's YJJ. To maximize long-term sustainability of ADAPT's JJ-CMHC alliances, the investigators will conduct this research in collaboration with leaders from an existing statewide initiative, the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI). JDAI is a juvenile justice reform effort that utilizes data-driven decision-making and is implemented in almost 300 counties across the US. If this project is successful, the JDAI infrastructure and support for this research will inform sustainment and expansion across Indiana and the nation. The investigators hypothesize that ADAPT - novel LHS alliances using Cascade data to implement localized solutions to YJJ receiving evidence-based addictions care - will positively impact SU and recidivism outcomes over time. The investigators seek to complete the following specific aims: AIM 1: Implement LHS alliances between JJ agencies and CMHCs. The investigators will establish LHS alliances: novel, collaborative partnerships between JJ agencies and CMHCs. AIM 2: Generate and track local solutions to address gaps in the Cascade for YJJ in rural Indiana counties. Quantifying local Cascade data will enable JJ agencies and CMHCs to suggest and implement tailored, evidenced-based interventions, which will be tracked through LHS quality improvement cycles. AIM 3: Assess implementation outcomes and processes. We will assess implementation outcomes, such as system alliance, among JJ and CHMC personnel using mixed methods. AIM 4: Assess the impact of ADAPT. Conduct a stepped wedge cluster randomized controlled trial to assess the impact of LHS alliances on the Cascade for YJJ. We will analyze administrative data linked across JJ and health systems to assess the long-term, community-wide effects of ADAPT on public health and safety outcomes (e.g., lower rates of SU-related outcomes and criminal recidivism).

Developing a Tailored Stigma Reduction Intervention to Increase Buprenorphine Prescribing

Buprenorphine is an evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder that also has strong potential to reduce HIV transmission in people who use drugs. Rural health care professionals are eligible and critically needed to provide these medications, but stigma currently limits provider willingness to prescribe buprenorphine, especially in regions where mortality and HIV transmission secondary to opioid use are high. In this developmental trial, the investigators will adapt, refine, and test the feasibility of a prototype brief stigma-reduction training intervention aimed at increasing buprenorphine prescribing in the rural primary care setting.

Kentucky Outreach Service Kiosk (KyOSK): Reducing HIV, HCV, and Overdose Risk

This study will test the effectiveness, implementation outcomes, and cost effectiveness of a community-tailored, harm reduction kiosk in reducing HIV, hepatitis C, and overdose risk behavior in rural Appalachia. The proposed project will take place in two counties in Appalachian Kentucky, an epicenter for the intertwined national crises of injection drug use, overdoses, and hepatitis C.

Clinical Trial on Deprescribing Associated With a Psychoeducational Program Using Virtual Reality for Patients With Chronic Pain and Central Sensitization

This clinical trial evaluates the effectiveness of the REDOCVR program, an interdisciplinary, psychoeducational intervention designed to support deprescribing of chronic pain medications in primary care. REDOCVR integrates group-based education, physical activation, and emotional regulation techniques, enhanced by immersive virtual reality (VR) content that reinforces therapeutic learning and engagement. Rather than functioning as a standalone tool, VR serves as a complementary catalyst within a person-centered, clinician-guided framework. This randomized trial adds a structured medication tapering component and runs in parallel with a complementary pilot study (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06361706), which evaluates the base REDOCVR program without supervised deprescribing. Both protocols are active and jointly contribute to an adaptive, scalable model of chronic pain care in primary care settings. Outcomes include medication use, emotional well-being, anxiety and depression, quality of life, and usability of VR.

Neurocognitive Mechanisms Underlying Smartphone-Assisted Prevention of Relapse in Opioid Use Disorder

The proposed clinical trial would evaluate the use of smartphone applications ("apps", which have well-established efficacy in reducing cigarette and alcohol use) to prevent relapse among patients receiving medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder. In addition to standard app-based self-monitoring of drug use and personalized feedback, project innovation is enhanced by the proposed use of location-tracking technology for targeted, personalized intervention when participants enter self-identified areas of high risk for relapse. Furthermore, the proposed sub-study would use longitudinal functional neuroimaging to elucidate the brain-cognition relationships underlying individual differences in treatment outcomes, offering broad significance for understanding and enhancing the efficacy of this and other app-based interventions.

Developing and Evaluating a Machine-Learning Opioid Overdose Prediction & Risk-Stratification Tool in Primary Care

This clinical trial aims to evaluate the pilot implementation of a machine-learning (ML)-driven clinical decision support (CDS) tool designed to predict opioid overdose risk within the electronic health record (EHR) system at UF Health Internal Medicine and Family Medicine clinics in Gainesville, Florida. The study will use a pre- versus post-implementation design to compare outcomes within clinics, focusing on measures such as naloxone prescribing rates and opioid overdose occurrences. Researchers will also assess the usability, acceptability, and feasibility of the CDS tool through qualitative interviews with primary care clinicians (PCPs) in the participating clinics.