Acute Pain Clinical Trials 2023

What are Acute Pain Clinical Trials?

Acute pain is the sudden onset of an intense, unpleasant feeling that lasts for a few minutes up to six months. This feeling can be sharp, throbbing, stabbing, burning, or numbing.

In most cases, acute pain is the response to specific stimuli, which is why it is a symptom of an underlying cause. When the cause is addressed, the pain usually goes away. If the pain persists after treatment for longer than six months, it is considered chronic pain.

The most common causes of acute pain include tissue damage (cuts and burns), broken bones, surgery, dental work, labor, and childbirth.

**Why Is Acute Pain Being Studied Through Clinical Trials? **

Acute pain is believed to be the number one reason people visit the emergency room (ER) worldwide, with some studies suggesting 7 out of 10 patients complain of pain. In the United States, acute pain is considered a public health problem because it is challenging to assess appropriately.

Acute pain is closely tied to external factors such as social support, emotions, and distractions, and pain tolerance varies from person to person. These reasons can affect a healthcare provider’s diagnosis and the medication they use to treat a patient’s perceived pain level.

Clinical studies play a vital role in developing better diagnostic tools and measurement scales that can better quantify the pain experienced by a patient. Furthermore, trials with racially diverse participants are necessary to test the effectiveness of acute pain-relieving drugs and their side effects on different ethnic groups.

What Treatment is Available for Acute Pain?

As acute pain is considered symptomatic, doctors use various methods such as patient history, physical exam, blood tests, x-rays, ultrasounds, CT scans, and MRIs to discover the underlying cause. Based on the findings, medications are prescribed to treat the underlying cause and manage the pain.

For most situations, analgesics and anesthetics are prescribed for short-term pain reduction. The difference is given below:

• Analgesics provide pain relief without the loss of consciousness or numbness
• Anesthetics relieve pain by numbing the body and may or may not cause a loss of consciousness.

Dosages of these drugs are determined based on the pain severity and, in the case of children, their age and weight. There are a few side effects, including drowsiness, nausea, and constipation. Other complementary therapies such as anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, heat or ice packs, and bed rest are also prescribed.

What are Some Recent Acute Pain Clinical Trial Breakthroughs?

2015: A meta-analysis of over-the-counter (OTC) oral analgesics for acute pain based on Cochrane reviews from 39 randomized clinical trials to examine the effectiveness of these non-prescription drugs for short-term pain relief. Findings showed combinations of fast-acting formulations in low doses were more effective such as ibuprofen plus paracetamol, which worked for 70% of participants.

2023: This clinical trial is currently studying the effectiveness and safety of VX-548 after a bunionectomy. Sponsored by Vertex Pharmaceuticals, this trial has enrolled 274 patients and is currently in its third phase. VX-548 is a NaV1.8 inhibitor that targets specific nerve terminals to relieve pain.