AzTrials
AzTrials

Altitude SicknessPhase 3NCT01171794

Prevention of Altitude Illness With Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Study (PAINS)

A Phase 3 study testing Ibuprofen in people with Altitude Sickness, run by Stanford University at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
Search all trials

Trial summary

This is a research study on Altitude Illness. From the information collected and studied in this project we hope to learn more about Altitude Illness, including factors that may affect and prevent the development and progression of this condition. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 65 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Altitude Sickness
What is being tested?
Ibuprofen
Type of treatment
Pill or oral medicine
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
89 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
Jul 2010to Aug 2010
Phase
Phase 3
Are there results?
Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 65 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Healthy Male or female volunteer
  • Age 18-65
  • Sea-level dwelling
  • Non pregnant
  • Have not been to high altitude in the past week
  • Can arrange for their own transportation to WMRS by friday evening the weekend of their study enrollment and are available the duration of the weekend of their study enrollment

Who cannot join

  • Age <18 or >65
  • Live at altitude > Sea Level +/- 1000'
  • Pregnant
  • Taking NSAIDs, Acetazolamide, or Corticosteroids
  • Allergic to NSAIDs or Aspirin, or have had adverse reaction to them in the past
  • Traveled or planning to travel to high altitude in the week prior to their enrollment.
  • Medical history of Brain Tumor, increased intercranial pressure, pseudotumor cerebri, ventricular shunts, loss of an eye, Asthma, HACE or HAPE.
  • Cannot arrange for their own transportation to WMRS or are unavailable for the duration of the weekend of their study enrollment

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • Stanford University School of Medicine

    Stanford, California, 94305

Other trials in United States

About this study

This is a research study on Altitude Illness. From the information collected and studied in this project we hope to learn more about Altitude Illness, including factors that may affect and prevent the development and progression of this condition. We hope to learn if the commonly used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication, ibuprofen can prevent altitude illness. Possible participants in this study are healthy adults who indicated they would like to participate, learn about altitude illness, and desire to hike Barcroft Peak. Stanford University researchers hope to enroll about 100 participants.

Read the detailed description

This study was designed to bring together elements of prior studies and go one step further for definitive data on several points. The trial will employ two pharmaceutical intervention arms, which will compare placebo (the standard of care - information on prevention of altitude sickness) with the widely used NSAID ibuprofen. We will also determine Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter (ONSD) measurements via ultrasound in both the control and interventional arms. We will accomplish these objectives with a prospective, double blinded view of a large population of hikers who are ascending at their own rate in a true hiking environment: The White Mountain Research Station Owen Valley Lab (OVL) and Bancroft Station (BAR).

Primary hypothesis: Ibuprofen 600 mg TID will be superior to placebo in decreasing both the incidence and severity of AMS in high altitude travel.

Being tested
Ibuprofen, Placebo
Medical subject headings
Altitude Sickness

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • IbuprofenDrug

    Also called motrin

    3 x 200mg (600mg total) x tid and one dosing on the subsequent day ( 4 doses total)

  • PlaceboDrug

    identical number of visually identical tasteless pills as ibuprofen arm

Study groups in NCT01171794
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
ibuprofenActive comparator600mg ibu TID
Receives: Drug: Ibuprofen
placeboPlacebo comparatorvisually identical
Receives: Drug: Placebo

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Acute Mountain Sickness

    Lake Louise Criteria scores range from 0-15 with higher scores representing more severe symptoms; scores of 3 or greater with presence of a headache considered a positive diagnosis of acute mountain sickness

    Measured: 2 days

  2. Acute Mountain Sickness Severity

    Lake Louise Criteria scores range from 0-15 with higher scores representing more severe symptoms

    Measured: 2 days

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted28 Jul 2010 (estimated)
  2. Study startJul 2010
  3. Primary completionAug 2010
  4. Study completionAug 2010

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 3
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Triple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
89 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT01171794
Sponsor's protocol ID
SU-12012009-4443
Status last verified
Nov 2018
First submitted
27 Jul 2010
Last updated
13 Dec 2018
Data monitoring committee
Yes

Publications

  • Lipman GS, Kanaan NC, Holck PS, Constance BB, Gertsch JH; PAINS Group. Ibuprofen prevents altitude illness: a randomized controlled trial for prevention of altitude illness with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories. Ann Emerg Med. 2012 Jun;59(6):484-90. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2012.01.019. Epub 2012 Mar 21.

    PubMed 22440488

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 3 study testing Ibuprofen in people with Altitude Sickness, run by Stanford University at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 8 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 13 Dec 2018. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 3 studies compare the treatment with the current standard treatment or a placebo in a large group, to confirm how well it works and watch for side effects.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 20 Apr 2017). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Acute Mountain Sickness (time frame: 2 days). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT01171794, which also lists 1 linked publication.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 13 Dec 2018.

Free account

Log in to keep searching

You’ve used your 3 free searches. AzTrials is free: log in or create a free account to keep searching clinical trials and save the ones you want to follow.

Create a free accountLog in