Clinical trial Recruiting at 1 site Phase 2 Interventional Ages 18 to 50 Women only

Testing low-dose naltrexone for vulvodynia pain relief

Official title: Effectiveness of Low-doses of Naltrexone (LDN) on Pain Perception and Quality of Life in Women With Vulvodynia

Run by Medical University of Lublin · NCT05955313 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This study is testing if low-dose naltrexone can help women with vulvodynia feel less pain and improve their quality of life.

Quick facts

PhasePhase 2
Study typeInterventional
Ages18 Years to 50 Years
SexWomen only
Enrollment300 (estimated)
SponsorMedical University of Lublin
Academic / other
Locations1 site (Lublin)
StatusRecruiting
StartedMay 31, 2023
Main results expectedDecember 31, 2025
Study endsDecember 31, 2026
Registry record updatedJuly 21, 2023
Trial IDNCT05955313 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Ideal candidates for this study are women aged 18 to 50 who have been diagnosed with vulvodynia and meet specific health criteria.

Probably not a fit

Patients with severe hepatic conditions or those who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant may not benefit from this study.

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This clinical trial evaluates the effectiveness of low-dose naltrexone (LDN) in reducing chronic pain and improving quality of life in women suffering from different types of vulvodynia. The study is a randomized controlled trial with a quadruplet-blinded design, where participants are assigned to receive either LDN or a placebo over a period of four months. Participants will undergo multiple assessments, including pain perception and quality of life evaluations, using validated questionnaires and e-diaries. The trial aims to provide insights into the potential benefits of LDN for this marginalized condition.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this trial could offer a new pharmacological treatment option for women suffering from vulvodynia, significantly improving their quality of life.

How similar studies have gone: There is a growing body of evidence supporting the effectiveness of low-dose naltrexone in treating chronic pain, suggesting that this approach may yield positive results.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

1. Women from the age of 18 to the menopause or to the age of 50 (on the day of inclusion for testing).
2. Patients who are not pregnant and do not plan to become pregnant in the next 9 months from the inclusion in the study
3. Signing the patient's informed and voluntary consent to participate in the study.
4. General health of the patient (WHO = 0-2).
5. Diagnosis of vulvodynia.
6. Negative drug test found at the visit randomization.
7. Documented correct cytology result from 3 years ago (before the visit screening).
8. Stable dose of drugs acting on the central nervous system used min. 1 month before the screening visit and during the entire patient's participation in the study.
9. Acceptance or readiness to use a highly effective method of contraception from the screening visit throughout the study. Sexual abstinence is not accepted.
10. The ability to understand the principles of testing and operating electronic devices.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Severe, hepatic and renal dysfunction defined as:

   i. An ASPT or ALT result 5 times the upper limit; ii. The level of bilirubin 3 times above the upper limit of normal - excluding patients with Gilbert's syndrome; iii. EGFR result below 30 ml / min / m2, on the basis of historical studies not older than 3 years before the screening visit or from the tests performed during the screening visit according with point 12 of the Protocol, version 1.0 of March 28, 2022.
2. Abuse of alcohol (more than 14 units per week) and other stimulants. 3. Taking psychoactive substances, including drugs, except for SSRI, SNRI, SARI (Trazodone), and anticonvulsants (Gabapentin, Pregabalin, Lamotrigine) in fixed doses from the screening visit.

4\. Taking opioid drugs in the last 2 months before the screening visit (also in OTC preparations, eg Loperamide).

5\. Taking naltrexone hydrochloride and Mysimba for weight loss at any time in your life.

6\. BTA injection in the vulva in the last 4 months before the screening visit. 7. Endovascular procedures in the area of the small pelvis in the last 6 months before the screening visit.

8\. Previous surgical procedures requiring general anesthesia (with general anesthesia) in the last 2 months before the screening visit.

9\. Completed multidisciplinary therapeutic program in the treatment of vulvodynia in the last 4 months before the screening visit.

10\. Diseases of the vulva: lichen, current contact vulvovaginitis, bacterial and / or yeast infections, other dermatological diseases, recurrent genital herpes (HSV; min 4 times / year).

11\. Diagnosis of current or past serious mental disorders according to the criteria of ICD-10 and DSM-5, including psychotic and organic disorders (except depression and anxiety disorders).

12\. Gynecological abnormalities requiring medical treatment: current HSIL, CIN II / III, pelvic inflammation, mixed or solid ovarian tumors, simple ovarian cysts greater than 5 cm, abnormal vaginal inter-cycle bleeding.

13\. Pelvic venous diseases (PeVD), 4 criteria met on USG. 14. Pregnancy and lactation. 15. Spastic diseases: multiple sclerosis (MS), connective tissue diseases (Marfan syndrome and marfan-like syndromes), reactive arthritis (RA). 16. Vaginismus, Lamont scale 3-5 (gynecological examination impossible due to anxiety).

17\. Significant and / or uncorrected disability in the field of sight or hearing, making it difficult to perform psychological tests.

Where it's running

  • Terpa Limited Liability Company Limited Partnership
    Lublin, Poland
    Recruiting

Study contacts

  • Principal investigator: Ewa Baszak-Radomańska, MD, PhD — Terpa Limited Liability Company Limited partnership
  • Study coordinator: Andrzej Stepulak, Professor
  • Email: cwnr@umlub.pl
  • Phone: 448 52 98

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

  • Four-session focal shock wave therapy for vulvodynia in women

    This study looks at whether four weekly sessions of low-intensity focal shock wave therapy help women with vulvodynia in real-life clinical practice.

    Recruiting Nantes University Hospital · Nantes, Nantes · NCT07553715

  • Topical ketotifen 0.25% for secondary vestibulodynia

    This Phase 2 trial will test whether applying ketotifen 0.25% cream to the vulvar vestibule reduces pain in adult women with secondary provoked vestibulodynia.

    Recruiting at 3 sites Phase 2 Center for Vulvovaginal Disorders · Washington D.C., District of Columbia and 2 other locations · NCT07257029

  • Improving diagnosis of vestibulodynia using omics approaches

    This study is trying to find better ways to diagnose vestibulodynia in women aged 18 to 50 by looking at biological samples to see if there are specific markers that can help identify this painful condition.

    Recruiting Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo di Pavia · Pavia, Pavia · NCT06865963

  • Interventions for managing pelvic health issues in women

    This study is testing whether light therapy and physical therapy can help women with vulvar pain feel better over 14 weeks.

    Recruiting at 2 sites University of Ottawa · Ottawa, Ontario and 1 other locations · NCT06660212

  • Creating a data bank to study vaginal conditions

    This study is trying to understand how certain proteins and germs in the vagina might be linked to conditions like vulvodynia and recurrent infections by comparing women who have symptoms to those who don’t.

    Recruiting Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center · Midland, Texas · NCT01829204

How to take part

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.