Randomized Study of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy vs Imipramine and Their Combination for Panic Disorder

February 20, 2013 updated by: Northwell Health

OBJECTIVES:

I. Determine which treatment is most effective for patients with panic disorder: cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) plus imipramine (IMI), CBT plus placebo, CBT alone, IMI alone, or placebo alone.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Detailed Description

PROTOCOL OUTLINE: This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Patients are randomized to receive one of five treatments: cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) alone, imipramine plus medical management (IMI), CBT plus IMI, pill placebo plus medical management (PLA), or CBT plus PLA.

Patients are seen by therapists for 11 sessions over 12 weeks (3 sessions during days 1-10 followed by 6 weekly sessions and 2 biweekly sessions). Each CBT session lasts approximately 1 hour, each IMI session lasts approximately 30 minutes, and patients in combined treatment see 2 therapists for a total of about 80 minutes. Oral IMI or placebo is taken daily.

Patients not responding to placebo or IMI after the initial 12 weeks are offered alternative treatment for up to 3 months or given a referral; responders continue to be treated monthly for the next 6 months. This is followed by a washout period of 6 months, after which patients receive final assessment. All therapy and assessment sessions are video- or audiotaped.

Patients are interviewed by an independent evaluator at the start of treatment and 3, 9, and 15 months later, and must keep a set of weekly self-monitoring forms. In addition, patients complete rating forms and questionnaires, and undergo carbon dioxide measurement at the start of treatment and 3, 9, and 15 months later.

At study conclusion, patients are told which medication they received and receive treatment recommendations.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment

326

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 64 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

PROTOCOL ENTRY CRITERIA:

--Disease Characteristics--

  • Principal diagnosis of panic disorder with or without mild agoraphobia, confirmed using the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule-Revised
  • At least one full or limited panic attack per week within 2 weeks prior to initial assessment and 2 weeks prior to treatment

--Prior/Concurrent Therapy--

  • Drug washout required if on anxiolytic or antidepressant medication No more than 10 benzodiazepine doses (0.5 mg alprazolam equivalent) within 2 weeks prior to treatment No more than 20 doses of benzodiazepine during baseline and acute treatment combined No more than one dose of benzodiazepine per day permitted
  • No concurrent competing treatment

--Patient Characteristics--

  • Not pregnant Negative serum pregnancy test required Effective contraception required of fertile women No psychotic, bipolar, or significant medical illnesses Not suicidal No significant substance abuse No prior nonresponse to either study treatment or related treatments No concurrent disability claims

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Masking: Double

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Investigators

  • Study Chair: Jack M. Gorman, Long Island Jewish Medical Center

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

May 1, 1998

Primary Completion (Actual)

June 1, 2005

Study Completion (Actual)

June 1, 2005

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

February 24, 2000

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 24, 2000

First Posted (Estimate)

February 25, 2000

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

February 21, 2013

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 20, 2013

Last Verified

February 1, 2013

More Information

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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