A Placebo Controlled Trial Of L-Tryptophan In Post-Operative Delirium
Summary
Post-operative delirium is a common and deleterious complication in elderly patients. The investigators have previously found lower levels of serum tryptophan in post-operative elderly patients who developed delirium in comparison to post-operative elderly patients who did not develop delirium. The investigators hypothesize that post-operative supplementation of L-tryptophan will reduce the duration and incidence of post-operative delirium. This study is a double-blinded placebo controlled trial of L-tryptophan supplementation in post-operative ICU patients 60 years and older. The primary outcome measure is the comparison of duration of post-operative delirium in subjects who receive L-tryptophan supplementation versus a similar appearing control.
Timeline
- Start
- 2008-12
- Primary completion
- 2012-12
- Completion
- 2012-12
Publications
- Background Robinson TN, Raeburn CD, Angles EM, Moss M. Low tryptophan levels are associated with postoperative delirium in the elderly. Am J Surg. 2008 Nov;196(5):670-4. doi: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2008.07.007. Epub 2008 Sep 11.
- Background Robinson TN, Raeburn CD, Tran ZV, Angles EM, Brenner LA, Moss M. Postoperative delirium in the elderly: risk factors and outcomes. Ann Surg. 2009 Jan;249(1):173-8. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0b013e31818e4776.
Drugs
| Evaluation | Drug | Modality | Dose | Route |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | amino acids | Unknown | 1 g | Other |