Recruiting

Opioid Taper Intervention

Sponsor:

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Code:

NCT05788016

Conditions

Arthritis Knee

Arthritis Hip

Chronic Pain

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

opioid taper

Study Details

Brief summary:

The goal of this clinical trial is to develop an pharmacist-led preoperative opioid taper intervention for patients undergoing total knee or hip replacement who are on chronic opioids before their surgery. The main questions it aims to answer are:

  • Is the intervention feasible and acceptable to patients?
  • Does the intervention result in a decrease in opioid dose during the preoperative period?

Participants will meet with a clinical pharmacist, who will provide some basic education on pain and opioids, and will propose an opioid taper schedule. The pharmacist will then follow-up with the participant by phone each week until surgery to assess progress and adjust the taper as necessary.

Conditions

Arthritis Knee

Arthritis Hip

Chronic Pain

Study ID

NCT05788016

Start date

Jan 10, 2024

Status verified date

May, 2026

Completion date

Jul 1, 2027

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Oct 1, 2026

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • decided to pursue primary, unilateral total knee or hip arthroplasty with planned surgery date in 4-8 weeks
  • currently taking between 20 and 90 MME of oral opioids, and that dose has been stable for at least 3 months
  • have a reliable telephone number for contact
  • speaks English

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Taking opioid medications that include:

  • Buprenorphine
  • Methadone
  • Long-acting formulations of opioid pain medications (e.g., extended-release oxycodone and extended-release morphine)
  • Transdermal formations of opioid pain medications (e.g., fentanyl patches)

Study Design

Enrollment

45 participants

Anticipated

Intervention Model

Single group

Primary purpose

Supportive Care

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Pharmacist-led opioid taper intervention

The participant will attempt to taper their opioid dose by \~50% during the 4-6 week preoperative period. Participants will meet with a clinical pharmacist, who will provide some basic education on pain and opioids, and will propose an opioid taper schedule. The pharmacist will then follow-up with the participant by phone each week until surgery to assess progress and adjust the taper as necessary.

Interventions

opioid taper

The participant will attempt to taper their opioid dose by \~50% during the 4-6 week preoperative period

Primary outcome measure

  • Acceptability [ Time Frame: From enrollment until approximately 2 weeks after surgery ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Kevin R Riggs, MD

205-934-0778kriggs@uabmc.edu

Shakristal Williams

205-934-2304shakristalwilliams@uabmc.edu

Locations

UAB Hospital-Highlands

Recruiting

Birmingham, Alabama, United States, 35205

More Information

Sponsor

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Last update posted

May 29, 2026

Last verified

May, 2026

Keywords

  • Opioids

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-09. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by University of Alabama at Birmingham on 2026-05-29.