Clinical trial NCT00751855: Cortisol Augmentation of Prolonged Exposure Therapy
Official title: Cortisol Augmentation of Prolonged Exposure Therapy
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: PTSD
Lead sponsor: Bronx VA Medical Center
Sponsor class: FED
First posted: 2008-09-12
Enrollment: 11
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: This study seeks to examine the efficacy of hydrocortisone administration in the augmentation of the therapeutic effects of Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy, an empirically tested treatment shown to be effective in the the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The augmentation builds on both the translation of neuroscience findings demonstrating the effects of glucocorticoids (GCs) on learning, and on empirical clinical findings from other investigators demonstrating beneficial effects of GCs in reducing traumatic memories in trauma-exposed persons.


Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Veterans who experienced a criterion A trauma while deployed, and a current diagnosis of PTSD with a minimum of 6 months
* Capable of understanding, reading and writing English

Exclusion Criteria:

* Incapable and/or unwilling to provide written informed consent prior to participation
* Unwilling and/or unable to discontinue current psychotherapy
* Regular use of psychotropic medication including antidepressants, benzodiazepines, lithium, mood stabilizers, over-the-counter supplements (melatonin, kava-kava, ephedra)
* Regular use of oral or inhaled steroids
* Significant illness (e.g., type I or II diabetes requiring the use of insulin, HIV, AIDS, seizure disorder, anemia, Lyme disease, etc.)
* The veteran, the veteran's physician, or the study physician think that the veteran's clinical state necessitates the prompt initiation of pharmacotherapy or other treatment that would preclude involvement in the study
* Morbid obesity (VMI \> 40)
* Clinically significant laboratory abnormalities as determine during medical clearance procedures
* For women, a positive pregnancy test
* Heavy smoking (more than 2 packs a day)
* Substance and/or alcohol abuse and/or dependence within the previous 6 months
* Response of 3 or 4 on the suicidality items of the HDRS or an assessed serious suicide risk
* Current psychosocial problems that might interfere with treatment compliance
* A lifetime history of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder or PTSD due to a trauma not sustained in the combat theater

Primary outcomes:
measure: Change in PTSD symptom severity as assessed by the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS)
timeFrame: Baseline (Week 0), endpoint (week 11)
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Cognitive performance (learning and retention in an episodic memory task, attention and working memory)
timeFrame: Baseline (Week 0), endpoint (week 11)
measure: Other measures of clinical outcome, psychological state and functioning
timeFrame: Approximately 1 week prior to starting therapy (Week 0) and approximately 1 week after completing 10 weeks of therapy (week 11)
measure: Biological measures associated with PTSD severity
timeFrame: Approximately 1 week prior to starting therapy (Week 0) and approximately 1 week after completing 10 weeks of therapy (week 11)
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Bronx
country: United States
facility: James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center
state: New York
Study officials:
References: