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NCT Number: NCT06234631

Cannabidiol for Postoperative Opioid Reduction in Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty

The goal of this study is to better understand how daily treatment with cannabidiol (CBD) affects the need for opioid pain medication, as well as pain, inflammation and other related symptoms, after knee replacement surgery. The information collected in this study is necessary to help understand whether CBD may be a useful medication before and/or after surgery.

The study hypothesis is that CBD exerts opioid-sparing effects through anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anxiolytic mechanisms.

Recruiting

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Key information

Age range

18 year–80 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 2

Primary location

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States

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Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Willing and able to read, understand, and sign the informed consent (English)
  • Willingness to participate in all study measures and restrictions, including patient-reported outcomes and longitudinal follow-up
  • Scheduled for surgery: primary total knee arthroplasty
  • Primary diagnosis of osteoarthritis of the surgical knee
  • Individuals of reproductive potential must agree to use acceptable birth control (defined in manual of operating procedures). This includes currently practicing an effective form of two types of birth control for women of childbearing potential, which are defined as those, alone or in combination, that result in a low failure rate (i.e., less than 1% per year) when used consistently and correctly from the screening visit until 28 days after the last study drug administration.
  • Participants must also agree not to donate sperm or eggs during study drug administration
  • Ability to take and to swallow the study medication and be willing to adhere to the treatment regimen
  • Agreement to adhere to Lifestyle Considerations (see protocol) throughout study duration

Exclusion criteria

  • Revision or bilateral total knee arthroplasty
  • Individuals receiving or actively applying for worker's compensation or disability and other aspects associated with potential secondary gain (postoperative disability for recovery is permitted)
  • Severe physical impairment or clinically significant illness (e.g., blindness, paraplegia)
  • Co-morbid medical conditions that may significantly impair physical functional status (e.g., current non-skin malignancies, solid organ transplant in the past year)
  • Illicit drug use (other than cannabis). Unreported opioid use would be exclusionary but reported prescribed opioid use is allowed (e.g. patient denies opioid use but is found to be positive on the urine drug screen)
  • Self-reported use of cannabis products within the 7 days prior to starting study drug
  • Self-reported use of cannabis products within the 8-30 days prior to starting study drug AND either a failed drug screen or inability to confirm successful washout (Note - may be rescreened with appropriate wash-out period)
  • High daily preoperative opioid dose
  • Individuals with major neurological disorders, such as dementia, Parkinson's disease, cognitive impairment, epilepsy, history of traumatic brain injury/head injury, and seizures
  • Individuals with significant illness (e.g., cancer) and/or clinically significant labs (e.g. labs measured by complete blood count (CBC) and basic chemistry with values meaningfully outside of the normal range [abnormal levels to be reviewed by the Principal Investigator or prescribing provider])
  • Medical or psychiatric conditions that in the judgment of study personnel would preclude participation in this study (e.g., psychosis, suicidal ideation; note that stable anxiety and depression are not exclusions)
  • Pregnant or nursing women (total joint arthroplasty is typically not indicated in this group of patients)
  • Self-reported liver cirrhosis
  • Self-reported uncontrolled diabetes
  • Self-reported active hepatitis (any etiology, including infectious, autoimmune, or alcohol-related)
  • Blood pressure at screening above 180 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) systolic and/or 120 mmHg diastolic; if value exceeds the set point, potential participants will have repeat assessment within 5 minutes for up to two additional measurements.
  • Resting heart rate at screening less than 50 beats per minute (bpm) or greater than 100 bpm; if value exceeds the set point, potential participants will have repeat assessment within 5 minutes for up to two additional measurements.
  • Elevated liver enzymes and bilirubin (measured by blood test at screening)
  • Serum total bilirubin ≥ 2.5 milligrams (mg) per deciliter (dL) (mg/dL); or,
  • Alanine transaminase (ALT) or Alanine transaminase (AST) ≥ 3x upper limit normal (ULN); or,
  • Alkaline phosphatase ≥ 2x ULN
  • Severe cardiovascular disease (e.g., current unstable angina, current congestive heart failure, or current severe valvular abnormalities) that is self-reported by patient or in medical record
  • Current valproate, clobazam, or warfarin use per self-report or medical records
  • Current use of strong inducers of cytochrome p450 (CYP) enzymes CYP3A4 and CYP2C19, or CYP2C19 substrates with a narrow therapeutic index
  • Self-reported allergies to sesame oil, strawberries, opioids, or cannabis/cannabinoids and confirmed by the investigator during screening
  • Any impairment, activity, behavior, or situation that in the judgment of the study team would prevent satisfactory completion of the study protocol
  • Self-reported severe side effects to opioids precluding the use of opioids for post-surgical pain and/or clear plan not to use any opioids after surgery and confirmed by the investigator during screening
  • Participation in other clinical trials over the course of this study (note: outside of active period is permissible as determined by the investigator during screening)

Treatment and study plan

Epidiolex oral solution

Drug

Participants assigned to CBD will take the medication one hour before or two hours after eating a meal.

If participants can't tolerate the full-strength dose, the participant can decrease the dosing to 0.75 milliliter twice a day. If this is still not well tolerated, dosing can further be decreased to 0.75 milliliter once per day in the evening.

Other names: Cannabidiol

Placebo

Other

Participants will be instructed to take one hour before or two hours after eating a meal.

Primary outcomes

  1. Total postoperative opioid consumption (measured in oral morphine equivalents) during the 28 days after surgery

    Time frame: 28 days (after surgery)

Secondary outcomes

  1. The number of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs)

    Time frame: Five weeks of study treatment (Days 1 - 36)

  2. Proportion of participants with at least one treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs)

    Time frame: Five weeks of study treatment (Days 1 - 36)

  3. The Number of serious adverse events (SAEs)

    Time frame: Five weeks of study treatment (Days 1 - 36)

  4. Proportion of participants with at least one serious adverse event (SAE)

    Time frame: Five weeks of study treatment (Days 1 - 36)

  5. Number of deaths due to any cause

    Time frame: Five weeks of study treatment (Days 1 - 36)

  6. Frequency of deaths due to any cause

    Time frame: Five weeks of study treatment (Days 1 - 36)

  7. Proportion of participants that prematurely discontinue study medications because of TEAE

    Time frame: Five weeks of study treatment (Days 1 - 36)

  8. Percentage of participants that meet or exceed the thresholds of liver enzymes

    Time frame: Five weeks of study treatment (Days 1 - 36)

    Protocol eligibility exclusion includes:

    • Serum total bilirubin ≥ 2.5 milligrams (mg) per deciliter (dL) (mg/dL)
    • Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) or aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ≥ 3x upper limit normal (ULN)
    • Alkaline phosphatase ≥ 2x ULN
  9. Total postoperative opioid consumption (measured in oral morphine equivalents (OME)) during the 28 days after surgery and the pre-operative phase

    Time frame: 36 days (pre-post operative)

    This is the same outcome as the primary outcome but this secondary endpoint will address the effect of pre-operatively administered CBD and Placebo.

  10. Worst pain intensity for surgical site between groups during 7-day epochs from day of surgery through end of active intervention

    Time frame: Days 8-36 (post-surgery)

    This is a scale from 0-10 (numerical rating scale, 10 worse pain) in which the participants rate the worse pain.

  11. Anxiety based on the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS)-29+2 profile v2.1

    Time frame: pre-op days 1-7

    There are 4-questions on this survey regarding anxiety. Participants answer the questions from never (1) to always (5). Scores range from 4-20 with a higher score indicating higher levels of anxiety.

  12. Anxiety based on the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS)-29+2 profile v2.1

    Time frame: post-op days 8-36

    There are 4-questions on this survey regarding anxiety. Participants answer the questions from never (1) to always (5). Scores range from 4-20 with a higher score indicating higher levels of anxiety.

  13. Sleep disturbance on the PROMIS-29+2 v.2.1

    Time frame: pre-op days 1-7

    There are 4-questions on this survey regarding sleep disturbance with a likert type scale.

    Scores range from 4-20 with a higher score indicating higher levels of sleep disturbance.

  14. Sleep disturbance on the PROMIS-29+2 v.2.1

    Time frame: post-op days 8-36

    There are 4-questions on this survey regarding sleep disturbance with a likert type scale.

    Scores range from 4-20 with a higher score indicating higher levels of sleep disturbance.

  15. Change in Interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in the blood (University of michigan site only)

    Time frame: Baseline, up to day 36 (post -surgery)

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Kendall Dubois

CONTACT

[email protected]

734-232-0324

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Chad Brummett

Other

Collaborators

  • National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)

Registry information

Official study title

Cannabidiol for Postoperative Opioid Reduction in Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty - a Randomized, Two by Two Factorial, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial

Acronym: CORK

Important dates

Study start
2024
Primary completion
2029
Study completion
2029
First posted
Jan 31, 2024
Registry last updated
Apr 15, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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