Overview

Problems With Morphine Use in Patients With a Severe Brain Injury

Status:
Unknown status

Trial end date:
2008-04-01

Target enrollment:
0

Participant gender:
All

Summary

Hypothesis: During severe brain trauma (injury, surgery) the ensuing inflammatory response in the central nervous system (CNS) results in a decrease in the expression of the transporter protein p-glycoprotein (PGP) in the blood brain barrier. This loss results in the penetration into the brain of certain drugs that are normally excluded by the transporter protein. In this study the working hypothesis is that the agitation observed in patients with CNS trauma treated with morphine is related to the inflammation evoked loss of PGP in the blood brain barrier and the accumulation of the morphine metabolite 3-morphine glucuronide.

Phase:

Phase 1/Phase 2

Accepts Healthy Volunteers?

Details

Lead Sponsor:

Dalhousie University

Collaborator:

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

Treatments:

Morphine

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

- Sustained a head trauma (closed head injury or subarachnoid hemorrhage [SAH])

- Fitted with a intraventricular drainage catheter

- Currently being treated with morphine

Exclusion Criteria:

- Patient is receiving another PGP inhibitor drug other than morphine or midazolam