Clinical trial NCT00222794: A Clinical Trial to Examine Effects of Atomoxetine in the Treatment of Negative Symptoms in Patients With Schizophrenia
Official title: A Randomized, Parallel Group, Double Blind, Placebo Controlled, Clinical Trial of Augmentation With Atomoxetine for the Treatment of Negative Symptoms in Patients With Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: PHASE4
Conditions: Schizophrenia
Schizoaffective Disorder
Keywords: Schizophrenia
Schizo-Affective Disorder
Negative Symptoms
Atomoxetine
Strattera
Lead sponsor: University of Pittsburgh
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Stanley Medical Research Institute
First posted: 2005-09-22
Enrollment: 66
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 65
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: This study proposes to examine the effect of atomoxetine on quality of life and negative symptoms such as social withdrawal, lack of interest in things, lack of thought content, flat emotions, slowed body movements and lack of drive and motivation in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. This study also examines the safety of using atomoxetine along with the conventional antipsychotic in these patients.

Detailed description: This study proposes to examine the effect of Atomoxetine (Strattera), a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor on Negative Symptoms and Quality of Life and its safety when used in conjunction with an atypical antipsychotic agent in remitted community dwelling subjects with Schizophrenia or Schizoaffective disorder. Atomoxetine was recently approved by the FDA for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in children and adults. All subjects will receive various psychometric assessments at 2-week intervals for a period of 26 weeks. It is hypothesized that subjects treated with Atomoxetine in this 26 week random assignment, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, will have a significantly greater improvement in quality of life and social functioning.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Male or female.
* Ages 18-65 years inclusive.
* No psychiatric hospitalization in the past 30 days.
* Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) diagnosis of schizophrenia.
* Total Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) score of 80 or less on entry.
* Currently receiving a stable dose of antipsychotic(s) for at least 30 days prior to randomization.
* Receiving a stable dose of psychotropic medication for at least 30 days
* Female patients of childbearing age must be using an acceptable method of birth control.
* A minimum score of 10 on five global ratings of the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) with minimum score of at least 3 on two of the global items and a mean score of 4 or less for General Life Satisfaction on the Lehman's quality of life (QOL) interview.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Inability to give informed consent.
* Current alcohol or substance abuse or dependence within the last 6 months.
* History of narrow angle glaucoma or organic brain disease.
* Female patient of childbearing potential without adequate contraception.
* Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus (a fasting blood glucose of \>126mg/dL), uncontrolled hypertension (a systolic of \>160mm/hg and a diastolic of \>100mm/hg) or orthostatic hypotension, assessed on a case by case basis, liver disease (AST of \> 40 u/L, and ALT of \> 56 u/L), cerebrovascular disorder or myocardial infarction diagnosed 3 months prior to study entry.
* Concurrently receiving treatment with venlafaxine (Effexor), a MAO inhibitor such as Nardil (phenelzine), or Parnate (tranylcypromine), cytochrome p450 2d6 inhibitors such as fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), paroxetine (Paxil), or quinidine (Cardioquin, Quinidex Extentabs), albuterol (Ventolin, Proventil, Combivent, AccuNeb, Serevent) and all psychostimulants (dextroamphetamine and methylphenidate) currently or within the last 2 weeks.

Primary outcomes:
measure: To examine efficacy of atomoxetine as an adjunct agent in treatment of negative symptoms in subjects with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.
Secondary outcomes:
measure: To examine the effect of atomoxetine therapy on quality of life
measure: To examine safety of adjunctive treatment with atomoxetine
measure: To examine the effects of atomoxetine therapy on other domains of psychopathology (positive symptoms, depressive symptoms, general psychopathology).
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Pittsburgh
country: United States
facility: Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic
state: Pennsylvania
Study officials:
affiliation: University of Pittsburgh
name: Rohan Ganguli, MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: