Trial Outcomes & Findings for PET and MRI Brain Imaging of Bipolar Disorder (NCT NCT01880957)

NCT ID: NCT01880957

Last Updated: 2022-07-20

Results Overview

Patients will have a Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-24 (HDRS) score obtained at baseline. Minimum score 0, maximum possible score 75; the higher the score on the scale, the more severe the degree of depression. Participants must have an HDRS score of at least 15 to be eligible. After eight weeks of medication treatment, the HDRS score will be reevaluated with the HDRS-24 (and rescanned with PET and MRI). Participants who have a 50% or greater decrease in their HDRS-24 score will be considered responders (to Lithium treatment).

Recruitment status

COMPLETED

Study phase

NA

Target enrollment

76 participants

Primary outcome timeframe

8 weeks

Results posted on

2022-07-20

Participant Flow

Dates of Recruitment: 11/2011 - 05/2017 Location: University Medical Centers (Columbia, Stony Brook University)

1. Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria must be met prior to beginning study protocols. 2. Wash-out Period: For participants in the patient group, all were required to be 3 weeks medication free before beginning the study.

Participant milestones

Participant milestones
Measure
Patients With Depression
Patients in this condition will receive lithium administered as follows: Day 1, 2 and 3, 300 mg bid; Days 4-7 lithium 300 qam and 600 qhs. Lithium level will be checked as close to Day 7 as possible and titrated to a therapeutic plasma level of 0.8-1.2 mEq/l. Subjects will not undergo lithium monotherapy if they have a documented history of at least two failed trials of lithium of at least 4 weeks duration with therapeutic blood levels for a major depressive episode Lithium
Healthy Volunteers
Participants in this group underwent baseline assessment for Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and Baseline PET and MRI Imaging. No treatment was provided for this group.
Overall Study
STARTED
47
29
Overall Study
COMPLETED
19
29
Overall Study
NOT COMPLETED
28
0

Reasons for withdrawal

Reasons for withdrawal
Measure
Patients With Depression
Patients in this condition will receive lithium administered as follows: Day 1, 2 and 3, 300 mg bid; Days 4-7 lithium 300 qam and 600 qhs. Lithium level will be checked as close to Day 7 as possible and titrated to a therapeutic plasma level of 0.8-1.2 mEq/l. Subjects will not undergo lithium monotherapy if they have a documented history of at least two failed trials of lithium of at least 4 weeks duration with therapeutic blood levels for a major depressive episode Lithium
Healthy Volunteers
Participants in this group underwent baseline assessment for Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and Baseline PET and MRI Imaging. No treatment was provided for this group.
Overall Study
Diagnosis: Unipolar Depression
12
0
Overall Study
Lost to Follow-up
11
0
Overall Study
Poor Tolerance to Lithium/Declined Treatment
5
0

Baseline Characteristics

PET and MRI Brain Imaging of Bipolar Disorder

Baseline characteristics by cohort

Baseline characteristics by cohort
Measure
Patients With Depression
n=31 Participants
Patients with Bipolar depression will receive lithium administered as follows: Day 1, 2 and 3, 300 mg bid; Days 4-7 lithium 300 qam and 600 qhs. Lithium level will be checked as close to Day 7 as possible and titrated to a therapeutic plasma level of 0.8-1.2 mEq/l. Subjects will not undergo lithium monotherapy if they have a documented history of at least two failed trials of lithium of at least 4 weeks duration with therapeutic blood levels for a major depressive episode Lithium
Healthy Volunteers
n=23 Participants
Participants in this group underwent baseline assessment for Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and Baseline PET and MRI Imaging. No treatment was provided for this group.
Total
n=54 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
31 Participants
n=99 Participants
23 Participants
n=107 Participants
54 Participants
n=206 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
0 Participants
n=99 Participants
0 Participants
n=107 Participants
0 Participants
n=206 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
15 Participants
n=99 Participants
12 Participants
n=107 Participants
27 Participants
n=206 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
16 Participants
n=99 Participants
11 Participants
n=107 Participants
27 Participants
n=206 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Hispanic or Latino
2 Participants
n=99 Participants
7 Participants
n=107 Participants
9 Participants
n=206 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Not Hispanic or Latino
23 Participants
n=99 Participants
16 Participants
n=107 Participants
39 Participants
n=206 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
6 Participants
n=99 Participants
0 Participants
n=107 Participants
6 Participants
n=206 Participants
Hamilton Depression Rating Sale
26.19 units on a scale
STANDARD_DEVIATION 5.86 • n=99 Participants
1.62 units on a scale
STANDARD_DEVIATION 2.10 • n=107 Participants
16.71 units on a scale
STANDARD_DEVIATION 13.27 • n=206 Participants

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: 8 weeks

Population: Pre-to-Post lithium treatment change in HDRS Score

Patients will have a Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-24 (HDRS) score obtained at baseline. Minimum score 0, maximum possible score 75; the higher the score on the scale, the more severe the degree of depression. Participants must have an HDRS score of at least 15 to be eligible. After eight weeks of medication treatment, the HDRS score will be reevaluated with the HDRS-24 (and rescanned with PET and MRI). Participants who have a 50% or greater decrease in their HDRS-24 score will be considered responders (to Lithium treatment).

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Patients With BPD
n=19 Participants
Participants in this group included patients with bipolar depression who were subsequently treated with Lithium. Following baseline PET and MRI scans, treatment was initiated with lithium monotherapy. In brief: days 1-3: 300mg 2x/day, days 4-7: 300mg every morning and 600mg every night; titration to a therapeutic plasma level of 0.8-1.2 mEq/l. Following eight weeks of treatment, patients were rescanned with PET and MRI and reassessed with the HDRS-24.
Prediction by Pre-treatment 5-HT1A
Data analysis to determine whether pre-treatment 5-HT1A binding potential along with pre-treatment HDRS-24 predicted treatment response (remission status).
Combinatorial Prediction Using Pre-Treatment 5-HTT & 5-HT1A
Data analysis to determine whether pre-treatment 5-HTT \& 5-HT1A binding potential along with pre-treatment HDRS-24 predicted treatment response (remission status).
Post-Lithium Treatment Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS)
-44.49 Percent Change in HDRS-24 Score
Standard Deviation 34.17

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: 8 Weeks

Population: Remission status prediction by groups: accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity. The analyzed population here must have completed both pre- and post-treatment scans for BOTH 5-HTT and 5-HT1A and have 8 weeks of HDRS-24 followup so the predictive power of each individual tracer could be assessed as well as the combination of the two tracers. This is a smaller population that each tracer individually or the outcome of the HDRS-24 scale alone.

Outcome measures were generated following LASSO linear regression analysis using pretreament HDRS-24 AND.. 1. pre-treatment 5-HTT OR 2. pretreatment 5-HT1A OR 3. the combination of both 5-HTT and 5-HT1A binding potential * to predict post-treatment response defined by a dichotomous remission status variable (remitter vs. non-remitter, where remitter is defined a priori by HDRS-24 \<10 post-treatment and a reduction of greater than or equal to 50% in HDRS-24 pre-to-post treatment). Outcome measure is reported as percent accuracy, sensitivity, or specificity in predicting remitter status outcomes.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Patients With BPD
n=14 Participants
Participants in this group included patients with bipolar depression who were subsequently treated with Lithium. Following baseline PET and MRI scans, treatment was initiated with lithium monotherapy. In brief: days 1-3: 300mg 2x/day, days 4-7: 300mg every morning and 600mg every night; titration to a therapeutic plasma level of 0.8-1.2 mEq/l. Following eight weeks of treatment, patients were rescanned with PET and MRI and reassessed with the HDRS-24.
Prediction by Pre-treatment 5-HT1A
n=14 Participants
Data analysis to determine whether pre-treatment 5-HT1A binding potential along with pre-treatment HDRS-24 predicted treatment response (remission status).
Combinatorial Prediction Using Pre-Treatment 5-HTT & 5-HT1A
n=14 Participants
Data analysis to determine whether pre-treatment 5-HTT \& 5-HT1A binding potential along with pre-treatment HDRS-24 predicted treatment response (remission status).
Prediction of Treatment Response
Prediction Accuracy = True positive + negative divided by the sum of true + false positive/negative
71.4 Percentage
85.7 Percentage
84.6 Percentage
Prediction of Treatment Response
Prediction Specificity = True negatives divided by the sum of true negative and false positive
77.8 Percentage
87.5 Percentage
87.5 Percentage
Prediction of Treatment Response
Prediction Sensitivity= True positives divided by the sum of true positive and false negative
60 Percentage
80 Percentage
60 Percentage

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: 8 Weeks

Population: Comparison of mean binding potential across patients pre-treatment, post-treatment, and controls.

Differences in mean of 5-HTT binding potential between patients with depression pre-treatment, post-treatment, compared to healthy volunteers. Broadly, binding potential is defined as the ratio of the tracer concentration in tissue to the free plasma concentration. It is a measure of the density of "available" targets (e.g. 5-HTT) \& the affinity of the ligand (tracer) to that target.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Patients With BPD
n=23 Participants
Participants in this group included patients with bipolar depression who were subsequently treated with Lithium. Following baseline PET and MRI scans, treatment was initiated with lithium monotherapy. In brief: days 1-3: 300mg 2x/day, days 4-7: 300mg every morning and 600mg every night; titration to a therapeutic plasma level of 0.8-1.2 mEq/l. Following eight weeks of treatment, patients were rescanned with PET and MRI and reassessed with the HDRS-24.
Prediction by Pre-treatment 5-HT1A
n=19 Participants
Data analysis to determine whether pre-treatment 5-HT1A binding potential along with pre-treatment HDRS-24 predicted treatment response (remission status).
Combinatorial Prediction Using Pre-Treatment 5-HTT & 5-HT1A
n=14 Participants
Data analysis to determine whether pre-treatment 5-HTT \& 5-HT1A binding potential along with pre-treatment HDRS-24 predicted treatment response (remission status).
Group Differences in 5-HTT Binding Potential
Amygdala
198.56 Weighted Mean Binding Potential
Standard Error 27.64
116.94 Weighted Mean Binding Potential
Standard Error 28.73
166.73 Weighted Mean Binding Potential
Standard Error 61.75
Group Differences in 5-HTT Binding Potential
Grey Matter of Cerebellum
93.27 Weighted Mean Binding Potential
Standard Error 17.86
88 Weighted Mean Binding Potential
Standard Error 1.87
88.70 Weighted Mean Binding Potential
Standard Error 21.71
Group Differences in 5-HTT Binding Potential
Midbrain
264.82 Weighted Mean Binding Potential
Standard Error 32.47
81.73 Weighted Mean Binding Potential
Standard Error 18.59
181.13 Weighted Mean Binding Potential
Standard Error 90.20
Group Differences in 5-HTT Binding Potential
Anterior Cingulate
131.80 Weighted Mean Binding Potential
Standard Error 26.99
187.48 Weighted Mean Binding Potential
Standard Error 60.73
130.04 Weighted Mean Binding Potential
Standard Error 30.73

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: 8 Weeks

Population: Comparison of mean binding potential across patients pre-treatment, post-treatment, and controls.

Differences in mean of 5-HT1A binding potential between patients with depression pre-treatment, post-treatment, compared to healthy volunteers. Broadly, binding potential is defined as the ratio of the tracer concentration in tissue to the free plasma concentration. It is a measure of the density of "available" targets (e.g. 5-HT1A) \& the affinity of the ligand (tracer) to that target.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Patients With BPD
n=23 Participants
Participants in this group included patients with bipolar depression who were subsequently treated with Lithium. Following baseline PET and MRI scans, treatment was initiated with lithium monotherapy. In brief: days 1-3: 300mg 2x/day, days 4-7: 300mg every morning and 600mg every night; titration to a therapeutic plasma level of 0.8-1.2 mEq/l. Following eight weeks of treatment, patients were rescanned with PET and MRI and reassessed with the HDRS-24.
Prediction by Pre-treatment 5-HT1A
n=17 Participants
Data analysis to determine whether pre-treatment 5-HT1A binding potential along with pre-treatment HDRS-24 predicted treatment response (remission status).
Combinatorial Prediction Using Pre-Treatment 5-HTT & 5-HT1A
n=13 Participants
Data analysis to determine whether pre-treatment 5-HTT \& 5-HT1A binding potential along with pre-treatment HDRS-24 predicted treatment response (remission status).
Group Differences in 5-HT1A Binding Potential
Raphe Nucleus
8.91 Weighted Mean Binding Potential
Standard Error 3.15
9.62 Weighted Mean Binding Potential
Standard Error 1.79
8.57 Weighted Mean Binding Potential
Standard Error 2.58
Group Differences in 5-HT1A Binding Potential
Parahippocampal Gyrus
12.48 Weighted Mean Binding Potential
Standard Error 2.41
14.88 Weighted Mean Binding Potential
Standard Error 3.13
15.79 Weighted Mean Binding Potential
Standard Error 3.75
Group Differences in 5-HT1A Binding Potential
Amygdala
20.8 Weighted Mean Binding Potential
Standard Error 5.26
17.86 Weighted Mean Binding Potential
Standard Error 4.39
14.01 Weighted Mean Binding Potential
Standard Error 3.41
Group Differences in 5-HT1A Binding Potential
Hippocampus
27.06 Weighted Mean Binding Potential
Standard Error 8.40
30.17 Weighted Mean Binding Potential
Standard Error 7.84
28.39 Weighted Mean Binding Potential
Standard Error 7.73

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: 8 weeks

Population: Linear regression between change in PET binding potential pre and post treatment and treatment response.

Linear regression \& correlation to assess the relationship between between change in binding potential pre- to post treatment vs. treatment response

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Patients With BPD
n=14 Participants
Participants in this group included patients with bipolar depression who were subsequently treated with Lithium. Following baseline PET and MRI scans, treatment was initiated with lithium monotherapy. In brief: days 1-3: 300mg 2x/day, days 4-7: 300mg every morning and 600mg every night; titration to a therapeutic plasma level of 0.8-1.2 mEq/l. Following eight weeks of treatment, patients were rescanned with PET and MRI and reassessed with the HDRS-24.
Prediction by Pre-treatment 5-HT1A
n=13 Participants
Data analysis to determine whether pre-treatment 5-HT1A binding potential along with pre-treatment HDRS-24 predicted treatment response (remission status).
Combinatorial Prediction Using Pre-Treatment 5-HTT & 5-HT1A
Data analysis to determine whether pre-treatment 5-HTT \& 5-HT1A binding potential along with pre-treatment HDRS-24 predicted treatment response (remission status).
Relationship Between Change in 5-HTT or 5-HT1A Binding Potential Pre- to Post Treatment and Lithium Treatment Response
R-Squared: 5-HTT Midbrain
0.061 Percent Change in Binding Potential
NA Percent Change in Binding Potential
Region not analyzed for this tracer due to lack of target.
Relationship Between Change in 5-HTT or 5-HT1A Binding Potential Pre- to Post Treatment and Lithium Treatment Response
R-Squared: 5-HT1A Raphe
NA Percent Change in Binding Potential
Region not analyzed for this tracer due to lack of target.
0.086 Percent Change in Binding Potential
Relationship Between Change in 5-HTT or 5-HT1A Binding Potential Pre- to Post Treatment and Lithium Treatment Response
R-Squared: 5-HT1A Hippocampus
NA Percent Change in Binding Potential
Region not analyzed for this tracer due to lack of target.
0.073 Percent Change in Binding Potential

Adverse Events

Patients With Depression

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

Healthy Volunteers

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. Christine DeLorenzo

Stony Brook University

Phone: (631) 638-1523

Results disclosure agreements

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