Active Projects
Studying melatonin and recovery in teens following surgery
About: The goal of the study is to learn if melatonin can help teens having spinal fusion surgery by promoting healthy sleep. Melatonin is a hormone that is produced by the brain to help with a person’s sleep cycle and can be taken as a dietary supplement that may be effective in promoting longer, higher quality sleep. This study will assess the feasibility and acceptability of melatonin for teens undergoing spinal fusion surgery, as well as determine optimal measured outcomes (sleep, pain, health-related quality of life) at short- and long-term follow-up. By examining completion rates and gathered data, the results of this pilot study can be used to support a future large-scale randomized controlled trial.
Current status: Active enrollment
Funding: National Institutes of Health: K24AR080786
Effectiveness of mHealth psychosocial intervention to prevent transition from acute to chronic pain post-surgery in adolescents
About: Acute and chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) are a major health concern across the lifespan. Adolescents undergoing invasive musculoskeletal surgeries are particularly at risk, with 20% developing CPSP and associated deterioration in health-related quality of life (HRQL). Non-pharmacological interventions are not accessible or widely used in this population despite research demonstrating the importance of psychological factors in the persistence of pain and opioid use following surgery. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of an mHealth psychosocial intervention incorporating cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) approaches to improve acute and chronic pain outcomes for adolescents.
Current status: Enrollment closed
Funding: National Institutes of Health, Help End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) Initiative: UG3HD102038 / UH3HD102038
Mechanisms of transition from acute to chronic pain in youth undergoing musculoskeletal surgery
About: Chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) has been recognized as a major health concern across the lifespan. Adolescents undergoing invasive musculoskeletal surgeries, such as spinal fusion, are particularly at risk for developing CPSP. At present, little is known about the critical recovery period during the initial weeks after spinal fusion surgery when acute postsurgical pain begins to transition to CPSP, or the mechanisms contributing to this transition. In this study, we aim to identify acute recovery patterns that predict CPSP and determine the psychosocial and psychophysical mechanisms of the relationship between acute recovery and the development of chronic postsurgical pain.
Current status: Enrollment closed
Funding: National Institutes of Health: R01AR073780
Prevalence and predictors of opioid misuse after adolescent spinal fusion surgery
About: Adolescents undergoing spinal fusion surgery experience severe acute postoperative pain and rely on opioids for pain relief. Neurobiological and psychosocial changes during adolescence increase vulnerability to chronic pain and to substance use, placing these youth at elevated risk for developing chronic postsurgical pain as well as persistent opioid use following surgery. Currently, there is a gap in understanding prevalence of opioid misuse and its associated risk factors following an opioid prescription after surgery in adolescents. The objective of this study is to prospectively collect data to characterize opioid misuse following surgery and identify risk factors for postoperative opioid misuse.
Current status: Enrollment closed
Funding: National Institutes of Health: UH3HD102038-S1