Status:

TERMINATED

The Effect of Donepezil on Sedation and Other Symptoms

Lead Sponsor:

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Collaborating Sponsors:

Pfizer

Conditions:

Advanced Cancer

Eligibility:

All Genders

18+ years

Phase:

PHASE3

Brief Summary

Primary Objective: 1\. To determine the effectiveness of donepezil as compared to placebo for the management of opiate-induced sedation/drowsiness in patients with stable cancer pain Secondary Objec...

Detailed Description

Donepezil is currently used in the treatment of certain types of mental disorders, including Alzheimer's disease. Recent research studies have shown that donepezil helps to improve drowsiness in cance...

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

  • Patient with drowsiness/sedation caused by opiate for \> 3 days and its intensity more or equal to 3/10 (0 to 10 scale; 0 = no sedation, 10=worst possible sedation).
  • Patient receiving a regular dose of a strong opioid for the treatment of cancer pain, and no dose changes or dose change within 50% for at least 48 hours.Regular administration, defined as short acting opioids oral or parenteral every 4 hours around clock, slow release oral opioids every 12 hs or 24 hs, or transdermal opioids every 72 hours. Strong opioids include morphine, hydromorphone, methadone, fentanyl, and oxycodone.
  • Patient with relatively intact cognition defined by the Mini Mental State Examination according to age and educational level. A score of 24 or above is usually considered normal.
  • Patient willing to engage in follow up visit with a nurse by phone on day 2-7 (each day), 11 and 15 of the study and to return for follow up visit on day 8 of treatment. If patient is unable to come to clinic, assessment will be performed through telephone.
  • Sexually active females at risk of being pregnant with a negative urine pregnancy test
  • Written consent form signed.
  • Patients are 18 years or older
  • Concurrent radiation treatment (defined as 10 or less fractions for a palliative indication) is allowed
  • Concurrent chemotherapy is allowed, if the first two cycles have been well tolerated (defined as no grade 3 or 4 non-hematological toxicity)

Exclusion

  • Major contraindication to donepezil i.e. hypersensitivity to donepezil or piperidine derivatives.
  • Patients in whom a major change in opiate dose, analgesia requirements, anesthetic procedures or general anesthetic is expected over the next seven days.
  • Treatment with anti-cholinergic agents (i.e., glycopyrrolate)
  • Patients taking Methylphenidate.
  • Patients with tube feeding (due to difficulty of accurate assessing some of the symptoms such as appetite and anorexia).
  • History of ongoing arrhythmia causing a rhythm other than a sinus rhythm

Key Trial Info

Start Date :

November 1 2003

Trial Type :

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation :

ACTUAL

End Date :

July 1 2007

Estimated Enrollment :

27 Patients enrolled

Trial Details

Trial ID

NCT00352664

Start Date

November 1 2003

End Date

July 1 2007

Last Update

May 9 2016

Active Locations (1)

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Page 1 of 1 (1 locations)

1

U.T. M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Houston, Texas, United States, 77030