The objective of the proposed study is to test if a single IV dose of ketamine (0.5 mg/kg) decreases symptoms of PTSD.
Country United States of America
Visit trial
Status
Completed
Results Published
Start date
01 January 2009
End date
09 January 2013
Chance of happening
100%
Phase
Phase II
Design
Blinded
Type
Interventional
Generation
First
Participants
41
Sex
All
Age
21- 55
Therapy
No
Trial Details
PTSD is a debilitating anxiety disorder characterized by intrusive re-experiences of the traumatic events, avoidance of situations and stimuli that could serve as reminders of these events, and feeling jumpy or easily startled. Patients with PTSD are often also depressed, and many have significant memory impairments. Existing drug treatments are unsuccessful in a majority of patients, especially in those with combat-related PTSD. Our aim is to test the effectiveness of a potential new drug for PTSD, ketamine. For many years, intravenous ketamine has been extensively used for anesthesia. More recently, using doses lower than those used in anesthesia, a single ketamine infusion was shown to rapidly reduce depressed mood as well as anxiety in patients with severe depression. Some clinical evidence of potential efficacy in depressed patients with co-morbid PTSD also exists. Adverse effects in these studies have been limited to feeling intoxicated and having increased blood pressure during the infusion. In the present study, we expect a single ketamine infusion to reduce core PTSD symptoms. In addition, in those patients with PTSD who are depressed, we expect ketamine to reduce depressed mood. Finally, ketamine is known to impair memory function temporarily. We will also test if the extent of ketamine-induced memory impairment during the infusion can predict how well people do after the infusion. Forty patients with PTSD (with and without combat-related trauma histories) will be tested, using a design that will compare the effectiveness of intravenous ketamine to that of midazolam, another anesthetic drug without any known long-term effects on anxiety, depressed mood, and memory function. If ketamine is found to have the expected effects, future studies may explore additional benefits of repeated infusions and / or alternatives to intravenous drug administration. Our study may contribute to improved function of patients with PTSD by providing a new means to rapidly treat their debilitating symptoms.NCT Number NCT00749203
Sponsors & Collaborators
United States Department of DefenseThis company doesn't have a full profile yet, it is linked to a clinical trial.
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
This company doesn't have a full profile yet, it is linked to a clinical trial.
Measures Used
Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating ScaleA ten-item diagnostic questionnaire used to measure the severity of depressive symptoms in patients with mood disorders.
Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology
The Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (Self-Report) (QIDS-SR16) is a self-report tool designed to screen for depression and measure changes in the severity of symptoms.
Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5
The Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) is often considered the gold standard in PTSD assessment. The 30-item structured interview was developed by staff at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Centre for PTSD. CAPS can be used to make a current diagnosis, lifetime diagnosis or assess PTSD symptoms over the past week in accordance with DSM-5 criteria.