In support of the uncommon clinical trial.

Clinical trials are important in the creation of new treatments for a range of ailments, from chronic conditions to rare diseases. However, there are some trials that, instead of evaluating the development of a drug or therapy, focus on ideas or approaches to human health that are as distinctive as the methodologies used to test them. For example, let’s have a look at two clinical trials that, through their unique setups and approaches, helped to discover new insights related to the esophagus and the appendix.

Blocked esophagus? Have a soda.

Carbonated beverages have been the basis for a few home remedies for illnesses. When I was a child, ginger ale was a go-to for stomachaches, and my pediatrician recommended small sips of cola for nausea. It wasn’t until I got older I discovered that the lack of ginger ale’s namesake and the caffeinated nature of soft drinks don’t provide much relief. Apart from nausea, though, could there be another “medicinal” use for soda?

A 2023 study set out to determine the safety and effectiveness of soda as a pre-endoscopic treatment in resolving food stuck in the esophagus, also known as food bolus impaction, instead of needing to visit an endoscopist. This focus on soda may remind you of the parental rationale that these carbonated beverages – with their carbon dioxide in the form of effervescence – can combat indigestion.

Study participants who visited a respective emergency department with food bolus impaction received a small amount of Coca-Cola^®. If, after a few hours or a day (depending on the severity of their impaction), their condition did not improve, endoscopic removal was performed.

The study result found that the use of soda for participants with complete esophageal food bolus impaction improved their condition partially or completely. Still, the study team did not recommend using soda as a standard for treating obstructions, but did note that it could be used as an initial option due to its lack of side effects, the results of the study, and the ability for individuals to potentially bypass a hospital visit.

Think you may have appendicitis? Try speed bumps!

Speed bumps, while beneficial for enforcing safe speeds, can often be seen as an annoyance by drivers for many reasons, such as the discomfort brought by riding over them. However, speed bumps may be able to indicate acute appendicitis (when the appendix becomes infected and inflamed) in the individuals that drive or are in a car while going over them. This is because the sensation of driving over the speed bump can cause intense abdominal pain in individuals with acute appendicitis. This relationship was further explored in a 2012 study.

The study participants, once hospitalized, answered a questionnaire about their appendicitis symptoms, and if, on their way to the hospital, they drove over any speed bumps. If they did, they then were asked if they felt any abdominal pain. Those with pain were marked as “speed bump positive” and those without were “speed bump negative.” The study team also followed participants that went to the operating room for presumed appendicitis and obtained a histological (the study of cells and tissues) report of participants that had their appendix removed.

Almost half of participants marked as “speed bump positive” had a confirmed case of appendicitis. A few others that were “speed bump positive” did not end up having appendicitis but instead had a ruptured ovarian cyst or colon inflammation. Though the presence of pain while riding over a speed bump cannot exclusively identify appendicitis, the correlation presented by the study’s results indicates a potential relationship. As a result, the study team recommended incorporating a questionnaire as part of a regular assessment for individuals that are visiting a doctor for possible appendicitis to answer inquiries regarding any experiences of pain while riding over a speed bump.

All kinds of clinical trials, from ones combating a long-standing disease with a potential new drug option to those trying to find solutions and improvements to everyday medical situations, are important. If you’re looking for help in recruiting for a clinical trial, no matter its objective, size, or scope, let’s connect.