Efficacy of Ultra-micronized Palmitoylethanolamide (Um-PEA) in Geriatric Patients With Chronic Pain

Summary

Investigators planned to adopt the N-of-1 trial approach to objectively test the effectiveness of ultra-micronized PEA at an individual level in our older outpatients. 65 years old or older persons referring to the Geriatric Unit of the Fondazione IRCSS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico of Milan complaining of noncancer chronic pain of any origin will be eligible. Each trial will be a placebo-controlled randomized crossover trial including two um-PEA (600 mg twice a day) and placebo treatment pairs. Investigators will secondarily meta-analyse the performed N-of-1 trials to obtain an estimate of the average effect of um-PEA compared with placebo using a frequentist and Bayesian approach.

Timeline

Start

2015-10

Primary completion

2016-07

Completion

2016-07

Publications

• Germini F, Coerezza A, Andreinetti L, Nobili A, Rossi PD, Mari D, Guyatt G, Marcucci M. N-of-1 Randomized Trials of Ultra-Micronized Palmitoylethanolamide in Older Patients with Chronic Pain. Drugs Aging. 2017 Dec;34(12):941-952. doi: 10.1007/s40266-017-0506-2.
• Marcucci M, Germini F, Coerezza A, Andreinetti L, Bellintani L, Nobili A, Rossi PD, Mari D. Efficacy of ultra-micronized palmitoylethanolamide (um-PEA) in geriatric patients with chronic pain: study protocol for a series of N-of-1 randomized trials. Trials. 2016 Jul 29;17:369. doi: 10.1186/s13063-016-1496-9.

Drugs

Indications