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Nausea and Vomiting in Postoperative Paediatric Patients With Patient-Controlled Analgesia (PCA): Morphine vs Oxycodone
POPCORN trial will compare the side effects and effectiveness of Morphine versus Oxycodone medication when prescribed for use as patient controlled analgesia (PCA) for pain relief for paediatric patients after-surgery. This trial is embedded into routine patient care using the hospital electronic medical record (EMR). Participants will be randomly assigned to either medication after they enrol in the study.
The main questions the POPCORN trial aims to answer are: * 1. Is there a difference in the usage of medication to treat nausea and vomiting for those who received oxycodone PCA versus morphine PCA for post-surgery pain relief? * 2. Is there a difference in side effects or pain relief needed between the two groups? Study activities are as follows: * Participants enrolled to study during their pre-operative consultation * Participants are randomly assigned to morphine or oxycodone * No further study-specific activities expected from participant after enrolment and randomisation * Participant receives routine medical care as planned * Clinicians record assessments as per routine care in electronic medical record (EMR) * EMR data are extracted as trial data.
Study details:
Morphine and oxycodone are commonly used intravenous (IV) opioids in adult and paediatric post-operative patients. Traditionally, morphine has been preferentially prescribed with PCA. However, IV oxycodone is rapidly becoming more popular.
Despite systematic reviews describing their use within the adult population, very little is known about the comparative side-effect profiles of morphine versus oxycodone within the paediatric post-operative population. Both options are currently in use and considered standard of care at The Royal Children's Hospital (RCH), Melbourne, Australia. However, there is limited literature to support a clinician's choice between IV oxycodone PCA versus IV morphine PCA.
The aim of this embedded randomized controlled trial is to compare the side-effect profile of IV oxycodone PCA to IV morphine PCA in post-operative paediatric patients. This is a single site, randomised, embedded trial with two intervention arms, namely IV morphine PCA and IV oxycodone PCA. The study will not be blinded due to the need for opioid syringes to be readily identifiable on the ward.
Apart from the consent and randomisation process, there will be no change to current pre-existing practices around PCA use and patient care. Adopting a health informatics approach; patient identification, consent, randomization and reporting of outcomes will be embedded within the EMR. The primary objective is to compare antiemetic use between the two intervention arms.
The secondary objectives will be a comparison of PCA side effects, efficacy and opioid use between the two arms. Outcome data must be what is already recorded as part of usual clinical care within the EMR including: antiemetic administration, respiratory depression (new oxygen and/or high dose naloxone use), urinary retention (need for in-dwelling catheter insertion), constipation (medication laxative administration), itch (RCH Itch Score (0-4 Likert scale)), nausea and vomiting, sedation (0-4 University of Michigan Scoring System), pain (Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale/Visual Analogue Scale (VAS 0-10) and total opioid consumption (mg/kg/day).
Eligibility criteria
Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. See if you qualify.
Inclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria
Eligibility
Age eligible for study : 6 and older
Healthy volunteers accepted : No
Gender eligible for study: All
Things to know
Study dates
Study start: 2024-03-13
Primary completion: 2026-03-19
Study completion finish: 2027-03-19
Study type
TREATMENT
Phase
PHASE4
Trial ID
NCT06186141
Intervention or treatment
DRUG: Morphine
DRUG: Oxycodone
Conditions
- • Patient-Controlled Analgesia
Find a site
Closest Location:
The Royal Children's Hospital
Research sites nearby
Select from list below to view details:
The Royal Children's Hospital
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Study Plan
This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.
How is the study designed?
| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
|---|---|
ACTIVE_COMPARATOR: Intravenous (IV) Morphine Patient controlled analgesia (PCA)
| DRUG: Morphine
|
ACTIVE_COMPARATOR: IV Oxycodone PCA
| DRUG: Oxycodone
|
What is the study measuring?
Primary outcome
| Primary Outcome Measure | Primary Outcome Description | Primary Outcome Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Antiemetic use | Prescription incidence and administration of any of the following to participant: Granisetron, Ondansetron, Droperidol, Metoclopramide, Cyclizine, Dexamethasone, and Promethazine | From PCA attachment to 72 hours or 4 hours after ceasing PCA, whichever is first. |
Secondary outcome
| Secondary Outcome Measure | Secondary Outcome Description | Secondary Outcome Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Incidence of Respiratory Depression | Measured as any new oxygen and/or high dose naloxone use (10mcg/kg to max of 400mcg). This will exclude administration of low dose naloxone when used to manage incidence of itch. | The time at which the PCA is first attached to the child and either up to 72 hours or 4 hours after ceasing PCA, whichever is first. |
| Incidence of Urinary Retention | Indicated by need for an in-dwelling catheter (IDC) insertion | From PCA attachment to 72 hours or 4 hours after ceasing PCA, whichever is first. |
| Reports of Itch | Measured using RCH Itch Score (0-4 Likert scale) where a higher score indicates worse pruritus/itch. 0=comfortable, no itch, 1=itches a little, doesn't interfere with activity, 2= itches more, sometimes interferes with activity, 3= itches a lot, difficult to be still/concentrate, 4= itches most terribly, impossible to sit still/concentrate | From PCA attachment to 72 hours or 4 hours after ceasing PCA, whichever is first. |
| Reports of Nausea | Measured via 0-10 visual analogue scale (VAS) scale Nausea will be measured using the nausea scale (0-10 Baxter Retching Faces scale / VAS) | From PCA attachment to 72 hours or 4 hours after ceasing PCA, whichever is first. |
| Sedation levels | Measured via University of Michigan Scoring System (0-4 scale) where a higher score indicates higher sedation level. 0= awake and alert, 1= minimally sedated, 2=moderately sedated, 3=deep sedation, 4=unrousable | From PCA attachment to 72 hours or 4 hours after ceasing PCA, whichever is first. |
| Incidence of Constipation | Recorded laxative administered is indicative. Medication laxatives only, no food laxatives. | From PCA attachment to 72 hours or 4 hours after ceasing PCA, whichever is first. |
| Reported pain levels | Measured via Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale or Visual Analogue Scale (0-10) higher is more pain. If both a pain scale and a rating are reported but don't align the higher of the two will be used. | From PCA attachment to 72 hours or 4 hours after ceasing PCA, whichever is first. |
| Total opioid consumption | All opioids administered, including any background infusions are accurately documented in the EMR. Total opioid administered will be calculated from the EMR. The total morphine equivalent dose will be calculated. | From PCA attachment to 72 hours or 4 hours after ceasing PCA, whichever is first. |
| Incidence of Vomiting | Incidence of vomiting will be measured using the documentation of number of vomiting episodes. This will be reported for each day over the study period. | From PCA attachment to 72 hours or 4 hours after ceasing PCA, whichever is first. |
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