Reversal of Opioid-induced Respiratory Depression With Opioid Antagonists
Summary
n this pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modelling study we will determine the ability of intranasal and intravenous naloxone and intravenous nalmefene to reverse opioid (fentanyl and sufentanil)- induced respiratory depression in healthy volunteers and chronic opioid users to develop dosing recommendations in case of opioid-induced respiratory depression from an opioid overdose in clinical practice and in the out-of-hospital overdose.
Timeline
- Start
- 2022-06-24
- Primary completion
- 2026-08-01
- Completion
- 2026-10-01
Outcome
Mixed primary results
paper Primary endpoints included time to reversal of diminished and elevated end-tidal carbon dioxide concentration (pCO 2 ). PMID 41642634 ↗
paper Narcan restored within 2 to 4 min across all participants but showed delayed reversal of end-tidal pCO 2 (11 to 17 min) PMID 41642634 ↗
paper with pCO 2 recovery during sufentanil exposure in just 8 opioid-naive individuals and 10 daily opioid users. PMID 41642634 ↗
Publications
- Background Algera MH, Kamp J, van der Schrier R, van Velzen M, Niesters M, Aarts L, Dahan A, Olofsen E. Opioid-induced respiratory depression in humans: a review of pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modelling of reversal. Br J Anaesth. 2019 Jun;122(6):e168-e179. doi: 10.1016/j.bja.2018.12.023. Epub 2019 Feb 1.
- Background Algera MH, Olofsen E, Moss L, Dobbins RL, Niesters M, van Velzen M, Groeneveld GJ, Heuberger J, Laffont CM, Dahan A. Tolerance to Opioid-Induced Respiratory Depression in Chronic High-Dose Opioid Users: A Model-Based Comparison With Opioid-Naive Individuals. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2021 Mar;109(3):637-645. doi: 10.1002/cpt.2027. Epub 2020 Oct 5.
- Background Dahan A, Aarts L, Smith TW. Incidence, Reversal, and Prevention of Opioid-induced Respiratory Depression. Anesthesiology. 2010 Jan;112(1):226-38. doi: 10.1097/ALN.0b013e3181c38c25.
- Background Olofsen E, van Dorp E, Teppema L, Aarts L, Smith TW, Dahan A, Sarton E. Naloxone reversal of morphine- and morphine-6-glucuronide-induced respiratory depression in healthy volunteers: a mechanism-based pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling study. Anesthesiology. 2010 Jun;112(6):1417-27. doi: 10.1097/ALN.0b013e3181d5e29d.
- Background Olofsen E, Boom M, Nieuwenhuijs D, Sarton E, Teppema L, Aarts L, Dahan A. Modeling the non-steady state respiratory effects of remifentanil in awake and propofol-sedated healthy volunteers. Anesthesiology. 2010 Jun;112(6):1382-95. doi: 10.1097/ALN.0b013e3181d69087.
- Background van Dorp E, Yassen A, Dahan A. Naloxone treatment in opioid addiction: the risks and benefits. Expert Opin Drug Saf. 2007 Mar;6(2):125-32. doi: 10.1517/14740338.6.2.125.
- Background Yassen A, Olofsen E, van Dorp E, Sarton E, Teppema L, Danhof M, Dahan A. Mechanism-based pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modelling of the reversal of buprenorphine-induced respiratory depression by naloxone : a study in healthy volunteers. Clin Pharmacokinet. 2007;46(11):965-80. doi: 10.2165/00003088-200746110-00004.
- Background Gepts E, Shafer SL, Camu F, Stanski DR, Woestenborghs R, Van Peer A, Heykants JJ. Linearity of pharmacokinetics and model estimation of sufentanil. Anesthesiology. 1995 Dec;83(6):1194-204. doi: 10.1097/00000542-199512000-00010.
- van Lemmen MA, Florian J, Li Z, van Velzen M, Olofsen E, Dahan A, Niesters M, Sarton E, van der Schrier R. Intranasal Naloxone Reversal of Opioid-induced Respiratory Depression in Opioid-naive Individuals and Self-reported Daily Opioid Users. Anesthesiology. 2026 May 1;144(5):1160-1172. doi: 10.1097/ALN.0000000000005931. Epub 2026 Feb 5.