Could a common steroid stop wrist fracture pain from becoming chronic?

NCT ID NCT06453447

First seen May 07, 2026 · Last updated Jun 23, 2026 · Updated 13 times

Summary

This pilot study tests whether a 14-day course of prednisone, an anti-inflammatory steroid, can prevent complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) after wrist fracture surgery. CRPS is a painful complication that can lead to long-term disability and increased opioid use. The study will enroll 40 adults at risk of CRPS, randomly giving them either prednisone or a placebo for two weeks, and track outcomes like pain resolution and opioid consumption.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for DISTAL RADIUS FRACTURES are added.

Our safety recommendation!

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use

Contacts and locations

Study contacts

  • Contact

    Email: •••••@•••••

  • Contact

    Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

Locations

  • Vancouver General Hospital

    RECRUITING

    Vancouver, British Columbia, V5Z 1M9, Canada

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

Prednisone

What this could lead to

If it works, this could point toward a simple, short-term treatment to prevent chronic pain and disability after wrist fractures.

What could go wrong

This is a very small pilot study (40 people) focused on feasibility, not proof of effectiveness. Prednisone has side effects like weight gain and mood changes.

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

complex regional pain syndrome Pain radius fracture Wrist Fractures

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.