Study of Duloxetine vs Placebo in Treatment of Binge Eating Disorder With Depression

A 12-Week, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Trial of Duloxetine Versus Placebo in the Treatment of Binge Eating Disorder and Comorbid Depressive Disorder.

The purpose of this research study is to test the safety of duloxetine and see what effects (good and bad) it has on the subject's binge eating disorder and comorbid depressive disorder (depression occurring with binge eating disorder) compared to placebo (inactive pill).

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Depression; Binge Eating
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Duloxetine; Drug: Placebo

Detailed Description

This is a 12-week, double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, flexible-dose study of duloxetine 60-120 mg/day in patients with BED and comorbid depressive disorders. Patients will be randomly assigned to either duloxetine 30 mg capsules or matching placebo at the baseline visit. The initial dose of study medication will be one 30 mg duloxetine capsule/day or placebo with a planned increase to 60 mg/day (2 X 30 mg) or matching placebo at the end of week 1. Further dose increases of 30 mg up to 120 mg/day will be allowed after the end of week two based on the investigators' assessment of efficacy and tolerability. Dosing will be either once per day or twice a day depending on tolerability. Patient visits will occur at screening and baseline and at the end of weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12. Study drug will be tapered by 30 mg every 3 days at the end of the study.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 40
• Phase: Phase 4

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Ohio
    • Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, 45219
      • University of Cincinnati and Lindner Center of HOPE

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 16 years to 63 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion criteria:

• Subjects must provide written informed consent of their own free will.
• Male or female outpatients.
• Age 18-65 years, inclusive.
• Subject must meet the DSM-IV criteria for a diagnosis of a depressive disorder (major depression, dysthymia, minor depression, or brief recurrent depression) for a duration of at least 1 month preceding and during the screening period.

• Subjects must meet the DSM-IV criteria for a diagnosis of binge eating disorder (BED) for at least the last 6 months. The DSM-IV criteria are as follows:

  1. Recurrent episodes of binge eating.
  2. The binge eating episodes are associated with at least three of the following: eating much more rapidly than normal; eating until uncomfortably full; eating large amounts of food when not feeling physically hungry; eating alone because of being embarrassed by how much one is eating; feeling disgusted with oneself, depressed, or feeling very guilty after overeating.
  3. Marked distress regarding binge eating.
  4. The binge eating occurs, on average, at least two days a week for the past six months.
  5. The episodes of binge eating do not occur exclusively during the course of bulimia nervosa or anorexia nervosa.
• Subjects will have an IDS score of at least 25 at the baseline visit.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or of childbearing potential who are not using a medically acceptable, effective method of birth control. Women of childbearing potential include all pre-menopausal women biologically capable of becoming pregnant or contributing a fertilizable ovum. Medically acceptable methods of birth control include oral contraceptives, an intrauterine device, use of two combined barrier methods, or surgical sterilization.
• Patients who display significant risk for suicide.
• Patients who have received psychotherapy or behavioral therapy from a mental health professional as a part of previous treatment for MDD or obesity for at least 3 months prior to randomization.
• A DSM-IV diagnosis of alcohol or substance abuse or dependence, bulimia nervosa, or anorexia nervosa within the 6 months prior to randomization.
• Patients with a lifetime DSM-IV history of a psychotic disorder, a bipolar disorder, or dementia.
• Patients with a history of psychosurgery
• Patients with an Axis II disorder (personality disorders such as schizotypal, borderline, or antisocial), which might interfere with a diagnostic assessment, treatment, or compliance.
• Patients with clinically unstable medical disease.
• Patients with hepatic insufficiency
• Patients with end-stage renal disease or severe renal impairment
• Patients with a history of seizures, including febrile seizures in childhood.
• Patients requiring treatment with any drug which might interact adversely with or obscure the action of the study medication.
• Patients with a known hypersensitivity to duloxetine or any of the inactive ingredients of duloxetine (Cymbalta).
• Patients with uncontrolled narrow-angle glaucoma.
• Patients with clinically relevant abnormal laboratory results, specifically including hypokalemia.
• Patients who have received monoamine oxidase inhibitors, tricyclics, antipsychotics, lithium, or fluoxetine within four weeks prior to randomization.
• Patients who have received other psychoactive medications (including appetite suppressants) or any anti-obesity medications within one week prior to randomization.
• Patients who have received investigational medications or depot neuroleptics within three months prior to randomization.
• Patients previously enrolled in this study or who have previously been treated with duloxetine.
• Subject considered by the investigator as unable to be followed up throughout the entire duration of the study.
• Patients taking medications that inhibit the P450-2D6 hepatic isoenzyme

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Triple

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Duloxetine Group; Start with 30 mg duloxetine hydrochloride capsule/day to be increased up to 120 mg per day.	Drug: Duloxetine; 30 mg/day - 120 mg/day; Other Names: Cymbalta
Placebo Comparator: Placebo Group; Sugar pill with matching dosage as Duloxetine	Drug: Placebo; identical to study drug; Other Names: Sugar pill

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Binge Eating Days	The mean number of binge days (days when the participant had one or more binge eating episodes) per week in the interval between visits (total number of binge days in the interval divided by number of days in the interval, then multiplied by 7).	12 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Weekly Episodes	The weekly frequency of binge episodes after baseline (number of binge eating days during the 12-week period divided by 7)	12 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Cincinnati
• Collaborators: Eli Lilly and Company
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Erik B Nelson, MD, University of Cincinnati

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: October 1, 2006
• Primary Completion (Actual): October 1, 2009
• Study Completion (Actual): October 1, 2009

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 23, 2008
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 5, 2008
• First Posted (Estimate): February 6, 2008

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 21, 2017
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 20, 2017
• Last Verified: September 1, 2012

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavioral Symptoms; Mental Disorders; Mood Disorders; Signs and Symptoms, Digestive; Hyperphagia; Depression; Depressive Disorder; Bulimia; Feeding and Eating Disorders; Binge-Eating Disorder; Physiological Effects of Drugs; Neurotransmitter Agents; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Peripheral Nervous System Agents; Analgesics; Sensory System Agents; Psychotropic Drugs; Neurotransmitter Uptake Inhibitors; Membrane Transport Modulators; Antidepressive Agents; Dopamine Agents; Serotonin and Noradrenaline Reuptake Inhibitors; Duloxetine Hydrochloride
• Other Study ID Numbers: Nelson #2