Trial Outcomes & Findings for Prolonged Exposure for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) With/Without Yohimbine (NCT NCT01031979)

NCT ID: NCT01031979

Last Updated: 2018-02-07

Results Overview

The primary outcome was trauma-cued heart rate reactivity a week after the drug visit as measured by the PTSD Brief Reactivity (PBR) task. For each patient, a 3-minute trauma script was constructed containing vivid details of the target trauma and used in tandem with a standard neutral script for baseline measurement. Heart rate reactivity for each time point was the beats per minute (BPM) difference between the neutral and trauma scripts represented as a slope.

Recruitment status

COMPLETED

Study phase

PHASE2

Target enrollment

26 participants

Primary outcome timeframe

One week after drug visit

Results posted on

2018-02-07

Participant Flow

Participant milestones

Participant milestones
Measure
Yohimbime Group
Patients will take one 21.6 mg. dose of yohimbine one hour before first imaginal exposure in PE. Yohimbine: alpha-2 adrenergic receptor antagonist
Placebo Group
Patients will take a placebo one hour before first imaginal exposure in PE. Placebo: Placebo
Overall Study
STARTED
14
12
Overall Study
Completed Primary Outcome Measure
12
12
Overall Study
COMPLETED
9
8
Overall Study
NOT COMPLETED
5
4

Reasons for withdrawal

Reasons for withdrawal
Measure
Yohimbime Group
Patients will take one 21.6 mg. dose of yohimbine one hour before first imaginal exposure in PE. Yohimbine: alpha-2 adrenergic receptor antagonist
Placebo Group
Patients will take a placebo one hour before first imaginal exposure in PE. Placebo: Placebo
Overall Study
Lost to Follow-up
5
4

Baseline Characteristics

Prolonged Exposure for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) With/Without Yohimbine

Baseline characteristics by cohort

Baseline characteristics by cohort
Measure
Yohimbine Group
n=12 Participants
Patients will take one 21.6 mg. dose of yohimbine one hour before first imaginal exposure in PE. Yohimbine: alpha-2 adrenergic receptor antagonist
Placebo Group
n=12 Participants
Patients will take a placebo one hour before first imaginal exposure in PE. Placebo: Placebo
Total
n=24 Participants
Total of all reporting groups
Age, Categorical
<=18 years
0 Participants
n=99 Participants
0 Participants
n=107 Participants
0 Participants
n=206 Participants
Age, Categorical
Between 18 and 65 years
12 Participants
n=99 Participants
12 Participants
n=107 Participants
24 Participants
n=206 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
0 Participants
n=99 Participants
0 Participants
n=107 Participants
0 Participants
n=206 Participants
Age, Continuous
34.6 years
n=99 Participants
29.9 years
n=107 Participants
32.4 years
n=206 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
0 Participants
n=99 Participants
0 Participants
n=107 Participants
0 Participants
n=206 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
12 Participants
n=99 Participants
12 Participants
n=107 Participants
24 Participants
n=206 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
12 participants
n=99 Participants
12 participants
n=107 Participants
24 participants
n=206 Participants

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: One week after drug visit

The primary outcome was trauma-cued heart rate reactivity a week after the drug visit as measured by the PTSD Brief Reactivity (PBR) task. For each patient, a 3-minute trauma script was constructed containing vivid details of the target trauma and used in tandem with a standard neutral script for baseline measurement. Heart rate reactivity for each time point was the beats per minute (BPM) difference between the neutral and trauma scripts represented as a slope.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Yohimbine Group
n=14 Participants
Patients will take one 21.6 mg. dose of yohimbine one hour before first imaginal exposure in PE. Yohimbine: alpha-2 adrenergic receptor antagonist
Placebo Group
n=12 Participants
Patients will take a placebo one hour before first imaginal exposure in PE. Placebo: Placebo
Trauma-Cued Heart Rate Reactivity
71.01 beats per minute
Standard Error 3.84
75.08 beats per minute
Standard Error 3.11

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: 0 Weeks, 15 weeks

The CAPS is a structured interview for diagnosis of PTSD and is widely considered the gold-standard assessment. The CAPS produces a total score ranging from 0-136, with higher scores indicating more severe PTSD symptom severity. A 15-point decrease is considered clinically significant.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Yohimbine Group
n=12 Participants
Patients will take one 21.6 mg. dose of yohimbine one hour before first imaginal exposure in PE. Yohimbine: alpha-2 adrenergic receptor antagonist
Placebo Group
n=12 Participants
Patients will take a placebo one hour before first imaginal exposure in PE. Placebo: Placebo
Change in Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) Score
Baseline CAPS
67.33 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 24.49
65.00 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 13.01
Change in Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) Score
Week 15 CAPS (post-treatment)
25.13 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 14.93
20.62 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 10.84

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: 0 weeks, 15 weeks

The PCL is a 17-item self-report measure of PTSD symptom severity based on the DSM-IV and has adequate psychometric properties. The PCL produces a score range between 17-85, with higher scores indicating more distress related to PTSD symptoms. A 10-point decrease on the PCL is considered clinically significant.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Yohimbine Group
n=12 Participants
Patients will take one 21.6 mg. dose of yohimbine one hour before first imaginal exposure in PE. Yohimbine: alpha-2 adrenergic receptor antagonist
Placebo Group
n=12 Participants
Patients will take a placebo one hour before first imaginal exposure in PE. Placebo: Placebo
Change in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL) Score
Baseline PCL
64.00 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 12.49
60.25 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 14.53
Change in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL) Score
Week 15 PCL (post-treatment)
27.37 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 6.63
28.50 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 8.88

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: 0 weeks, 15 weeks

The BDI-II is a 21-item self-report measure that assesses depressive behavioral symptoms. It has demonstrated adequate psychometric validity, and external validity and is used widely as the dependent variable in treatment outcomes research. The BDI-II produces score ranges from 0-63, with higher scores indicating more severe depression symptom severity. A 5-point decrease on the BDI-II is considered clinically significant.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Yohimbine Group
n=12 Participants
Patients will take one 21.6 mg. dose of yohimbine one hour before first imaginal exposure in PE. Yohimbine: alpha-2 adrenergic receptor antagonist
Placebo Group
n=12 Participants
Patients will take a placebo one hour before first imaginal exposure in PE. Placebo: Placebo
Change in Becks Depression Inventory (BDI-II) Score
Baseline BDI-II
30.56 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 13.10
22.62 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 7.05
Change in Becks Depression Inventory (BDI-II) Score
Week 15 BDI-II (post-treatment)
7.00 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 5.68
7.87 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 7.97

Adverse Events

Yohimbine Group

Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 0 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths

Placebo Group

Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 0 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths

Serious adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Other adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Additional Information

Dr. Peter Tuerk

Ralph H. Johnson VAMC

Phone: (843) 789-6188

Results disclosure agreements

  • Principal investigator is a sponsor employee
  • Publication restrictions are in place