Assessing Neuropsychiatric Symptoms Including Depression, Anxiety, Irritability, and Suicidal Thoughts or Behavior in Subjects Quitting Smoking on Varenicline Tartrate or Placebo

An Experimental Medicine, Randomized, Double-Blind Study Assessing Neuropsychiatric Symptoms In Quitting Smokers Treated With Varenicline Tartrate Or Placebo

Study objective is to compare neuropsychiatric adverse events in subjects treated with varenicline or placebo in a controlled setting where both groups are experiencing nicotine withdrawal.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Smoking Cessation
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: varenicline; Drug: placebo

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 110
• Phase: Phase 4

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Texas
    • Austin, Texas, United States, 78759
      • Pfizer Investigational Site
    • San Antonio, Texas, United States, 78217
      • Pfizer Investigational Site

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 75 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• smokers who smoke >10 cigarettes/day and who have at least a moderate level of addiction as measured by the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (score >5)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Any neuropsychiatric disease including depression, history of suicidal thoughts or behavior, bipolar disorder.
• Any unstable medical condition

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
Placebo Comparator: placebo	Drug: placebo; 1 mg tablets twice daily by mouth (after one week of uptitration: 0.5mg once daily for three days, 0.5mg twice daily for four days)
Experimental: varenicline	Drug: varenicline; 1 mg tablets twice daily by mouth (after one week of uptitration: 0.5mg once daily for three days, 0.5mg twice daily for four days); Other Names: Chantix, Champix

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change From Baseline in the Profile of Mood States (POMS): Total Mood Disturbance (TMD)	POMS TMD were responses to 65 items in 6 subscales (Tension-Anxiety, Depression-Dejection, Anger-Hostility, Vigor, Fatigue, and Confusion), on 'How you feel right now?' (scale:0=not at all, 1=a little, 2=moderately, 3=quite a bit, 4=extremely). All items were rated in the same direction except for Relaxed and Efficient in the Tension-Anxiety and Confusion subscales. TMD was the sum of the scores of all 6 subscales but weighting Vigor negatively. Summary results (TMD scores) were presented as transformed T-scores ranging from 30 (less disturbance) to 80 (more disturbance).	Baseline A (Week 0) to Week 2 (Period AB), Week 4 (Period AC), Week 12 or relapse (Period AD), and Week 12 (Period AE). Baseline B (Week 2) to Week 4 (Period BC), Week 12 or relapse (Period BD), and Week 12 (Period BE).
Change From Baseline in the Profile of Mood States (POMS): Tension-Anxiety Subscale	POMS Tension-Anxiety subscale data were responses to 9 items regarding 'How you feel right now?' on a scale of 0=not at all, 1=a little, 2=moderately, 3=quite a bit, and 4=extremely. All items were rated in the same direction except for Relaxed. Summary results (subscale scores) were presented as transformed T-scores ranging from 30 (less disturbance) to 80 (more disturbance).	Baseline A (Week 0) to Week 2 (Period AB), Week 4 (Period AC), Week 12 or relapse (Period AD), and Week 12 (Period AE). Baseline B (Week 2) to Week 4 (Period BC), Week 12 or relapse (Period BD), and Week 12 (Period BE).
Change From Baseline in the Profile of Mood States (POMS): Depression-Dejection Subscale	POMS Depression-Dejection subscale data responses to 15 items regarding 'How you feel right now?' on a scale of 0=not at all, 1=a little, 2=moderately, 3=quite a bit, and 4=extremely. Summary results (subscale scores) were presented as transformed T-scores ranging from 30 (less disturbance) to 80 (more disturbance).	Baseline A (Week 0) to Week 2 (Period AB), Week 4 (Period AC), Week 12 or relapse (Period AD), and Week 12 (Period AE). Baseline B (Week 2) to Week 4 (Period BC), Week 12 or relapse (Period BD), and Week 12 (Period BE).
Change From Baseline in the Profile of Mood States (POMS): Anger-Hostility Subscale	POMS Anger-Hostility subscale data were responses to 12 items regarding 'How you feel right now?' on a scale of 0=not at all, 1=a little, 2=moderately, 3=quite a bit, and 4=extremely. Summary results (subscale scores) were presented as transformed T-scores ranging from 30 (less disturbance) to 80 (more disturbance).	Baseline A (Week 0) to Week 2 (Period AB), Week 4 (Period AC), Week 12 or relapse (Period AD), and Week 12 (Period AE). Baseline B (Week 2) to Week 4 (Period BC), Week 12 or relapse (Period BD), and Week 12 (Period BE).
Change From Baseline in the Profile of Mood States (POMS): Vigor Subscale	POMS Vigor subscale data were responses to 8 items regarding 'How you feel right now?' on a scale of 0=not at all, 1=a little, 2=moderately, 3=quite a bit, and 4=extremely. Summary results (subscale scores) were presented as transformed T-scores ranging from 30 (less disturbance) to 80 (more disturbance).	Baseline A (Week 0) to Week 2 (Period AB), Week 4 (Period AC), Week 12 or relapse (Period AD), and Week 12 (Period AE). Baseline B (Week 2) to Week 4 (Period BC), Week 12 or relapse (Period BD), and Week 12 (Period BE).
Change From Baseline in the Profile of Mood States (POMS): Fatigue Subscale	POMS Fatigue subscale data were responses to 7 items regarding 'How you feel right now?' on a scale of 0=not at all, 1=a little, 2=moderately, 3=quite a bit, and 4=extremely. All items were rated in the same direction. Summary results (subscale scores) were presented as transformed T-scores ranging from 30 (less disturbance) to 80 (more disturbance).	Baseline A (Week 0) to Week 2 (Period AB), Week 4 (Period AC), Week 12 or relapse (Period AD), and Week 12 (Period AE). Baseline B (Week 2) to Week 4 (Period BC), Week 12 or relapse (Period BD), and Week 12 (Period BE).
Change From Baseline in the Profile of Mood States (POMS): Confusion Subscale	POMS Confusion subscale data were responses to 7 items regarding 'How you feel right now?' on a scale of 0=not at all, 1=a little, 2=moderately, 3=quite a bit, and 4=extremely. All items were rated in the same direction except for Efficient. Summary results (subscale scores) were presented as transformed T-scores ranging from 30 (less disturbance) to 80 (more disturbance).	Baseline A (Week 0) to Week 2 (Period AB), Week 4 (Period AC), Week 12 or relapse (Period AD), and Week 12 (Period AE). Baseline B (Week 2) to Week 4 (Period BC), Week 12 or relapse (Period BD), and Week 12 (Period BE).
Change From Baseline in the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS): Total Score	The MADRS measures the overall severity of depressive symptoms and is a 10-item checklist. Each item was rated on a scale of 0 to 6, for a total score range of 0 (low severity of depressive symptoms) to 60 (high severity of depressive symptoms).	Baseline A (Week 0) to Week 2 (Period AB), Week 4 (Period AC), Week 12 or relapse (Period AD), and Week 12 (Period AE). Baseline B (Week 2) to Week 4 (Period BC), Week 12 or relapse (Period BD), and Week 12 (Period BE).
Change From Baseline in the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A): Total Score	HAM-A measures treatment-related changes in generalized anxiety symptoms and is a 14-item questionnaire. Each item was scored from 0 (not present) to 4 (very severe) and a lower score indicated less affected. Total scores ranged from 0 (not affected) to 56 (very severely affected).	Baseline A (Week 0) to Week 2 (Period AB), Week 4 (Period AC), Week 12 or relapse (Period AD), and Week 12 (Period AE). Baseline B (Week 2) to Week 4 (Period BC), Week 12 or relapse (Period BD), and Week 12 (Period BE).
Change From Baseline in the Overt Aggression Scale (Modified) (OAS-m): Aggression Total Score	The OAS-m contains 3 scales: Aggression (Questions [Q]1 to 4), Irritability (Q5 to 6), and Suicidality (Q7 to 7b). Aggression total score was calculated by summing the weighted scores in Q1 to 4. Scores for each question ranged from 0 (no events) to 5 (very severe events). Total scores ranged from 0 (no aggression) to any number with no upper limit depending on the frequency of agressive behaviour in a week.	Baseline A (Week 0) to Week 2 (Period AB), Week 4 (Period AC), Week 12 or relapse (Period AD), and Week 12 (Period AE). Baseline B (Week 2) to Week 4 (Period BC), Week 12 or relapse (Period BD), and Week 12 (Period BE).
Change From Baseline in the Overt Aggression Scale (Modified) (OAS-m): Irritability Total Score	The OAS-m contains 3 scales: Aggression (Questions [Q]1 to 4), Irritability (Q5 to 6), and Suicidality (Q7 to 7b). Irritability total score was calculated by summing the items in Q5 to 6. Scores for each question ranged from 0 (not at all) to 5 (extreme). Total scores ranged from 0 (no irritability) to 10 (extreme irritability).	Baseline A (Week 0) to Week 2 (Period AB), Week 4 (Period AC), Week 12 or relapse (Period AD), and Week 12 (Period AE). Baseline B (Week 2) to Week 4 (Period BC), Week 12 or relapse (Period BD), and Week 12 (Period BE).
Change From Baseline in the Overt Aggression Scale (Modified) (OAS-m): Suicidality Total Score	The OAS-m contains 3 scales: Aggression (Questions [Q]1 to 4), Irritability (Q5 to 6), and Suicidality (Q7 to 7b). Suicidality total score was calculated by summing the items Q7 to 7b. Scores for Q7 ranged from 0 (none) to 6 (very extreme) and scores for Q7a to 7b ranged from 0 (none) to 5 (extreme). Total scores ranged from 0 (no suicidal tendency) to 16 (extreme/very extreme suicidal tendency).	Baseline A (Week 0) to Week 2 (Period AB), Week 4 (Period AC), Week 12 or relapse (Period AD), and Week 12 (Period AE). Baseline B (Week 2) to Week 4 (Period BC), Week 12 or relapse (Period BD), and Week 12 (Period BE).
Change From Baseline in the Social Dysfunction and Aggression Scale (SDAS): Total Score	The SDAS contains 11 items with 5 possible responses: 0=not present, 1=doubtful or very mild, 2=mild to moderate, 3=severe, and 4=extremely severe. The SDAS was collected 3 times a day during the inpatient abstinence period (BC). Total scores ranged from 0 (not present) to 44 (extremely severe).	Baseline B (Week 2) to Week 4 (Period BC)
Change From Baseline in the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale - Version 11 (BIS-11): Total Score	The BIS-11 is a 30-item self-report questionnaire designed to assess general impulsiveness taking into account the multifactorial nature of the construct. Possible responses to each item were: 1=rarely/never, 2=occasionally, 3=often, and 4=almost always/always. Scores of Items 1, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 20, 29 and 30 were reversed when calculating the total score. Total score ranged from 30 (less impulsive) to 120 (more impulsive).	Baseline A (Week 0) to Week 2 (Period AB), Week 4 (Period AC), Week 12 or relapse (Period AD), and Week 12 (Period AE). Baseline B (Week 2) to Week 4 (Period BC), Week 12 or relapse (Period BD), and Week 12 (Period BE).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change From Baseline in the Minnesota Nicotine Withdrawal Scale (MNWS): Total Score	The MNWS total score contains 9 items (urge to smoke; depressed mood; irritability, frustration, or anger; anxiety; difficulty concentrating; restlessness; increased appetite; difficulty going to sleep; difficulty staying asleep). Each item was rated from 0 to 4 where 0=not at all, 1=slight, 2=moderate, 3=quite a bit, and 4=extreme. Total scores were the average score for all 9 items and ranged from 0 (no withdrawal symptoms) to 4 (extreme withdrawal symptoms).	Baseline A (Week 0) to Week 2 (Period AB), Week 4 (Period AC), Week 12 or relapse (Period AD), and Week 12 (Period AE). Baseline B (Week 2) to Week 4 (Period BC), Week 12 or relapse (Period BD), and Week 12 (Period BE).
Change From Baseline in the Minnesota Nicotine Withdrawal Scale (MNWS): Negative Affect Domain Subscale	The MNWS negative affect domain subscale contains 4 items (depressed mood; irritability, frustration, or anger; anxiety; difficulty concentrating). Each item was rated from 0 to 4 where 0=not at all, 1=slight, 2=moderate, 3=quite a bit, and 4=extreme. Scores were the average from all 4 items and ranged from 0 (no negative affect) to 4 (extreme negative affect).	Baseline A (Week 0) to Week 2 (Period AB), Week 4 (Period AC), Week 12 or relapse (Period AD), and Week 12 (Period AE). Baseline B (Week 2) to Week 4 (Period BC), Week 12 or relapse (Period BD), and Week 12 (Period BE).
Change From Baseline in the Minnesota Nicotine Withdrawal Scale (MNWS): Insomnia Domain Subscale	The MNWS insomnia domain subscale contains 2 items (difficulty going to sleep; difficulty staying asleep). Each item was rated from 0 to 4 where 0=not at all, 1=slight, 2=moderate, 3=quite a bit, and 4=extreme. Scores were the average of the 2 items and ranged from 0 (no insomnia) to 4 (extreme insomnia).	Baseline A (Week 0) to Week 2 (Period AB), Week 4 (Period AC), Week 12 or relapse (Period AD), and Week 12 (Period AE). Baseline B (Week 2) to Week 4 (Period BC), Week 12 or relapse (Period BD), and Week 12 (Period BE).
Change From Baseline in the Minnesota Nicotine Withdrawal Scale (MNWS): Urge to Smoke Subscale	The MNWS urge to smoke subscale contains 1 item (urge to smoke) rated from 0 to 4 where 0=not at all, 1=slight, 2=moderate, 3=quite a bit, and 4=extreme. Scores ranged from 0 (no urge to smoke) to 4 (extreme urge to smoke).	Baseline A (Week 0) to Week 2 (Period AB), Week 4 (Period AC), Week 12 or relapse (Period AD), and Week 12 (Period AE). Baseline B (Week 2) to Week 4 (Period BC), Week 12 or relapse (Period BD), and Week 12 (Period BE).
Change From Baseline in the Minnesota Nicotine Withdrawal Scale (MNWS): Restlessness Subscale	The MNWS restlessness subscale contains 1 item (restlessness) rated from 0 to 4 where 0=not at all, 1=slight, 2=moderate, 3=quite a bit, and 4=extreme. Scores ranged from 0 (no restlessness) to 4 (extreme restlessness).	Baseline A (Week 0) to Week 2 (Period AB), Week 4 (Period AC), Week 12 or relapse (Period AD), and Week 12 (Period AE). Baseline B (Week 2) to Week 4 (Period BC), Week 12 or relapse (Period BD), and Week 12 (Period BE).
Change From Baseline in the Minnesota Nicotine Withdrawal Scale (MNWS): Increased Appetite Subscale	The MNWS increased appetite subscale contains 1 item (increased appetite) rated from 0 to 4 where 0=not at all, 1=slight, 2=moderate, 3=quite a bit, and 4=extreme. Scores ranged from 0 (no increased appetite) to 4 (extreme increased appetite).	Baseline A (Week 0) to Week 2 (Period AB), Week 4 (Period AC), Week 12 or relapse (Period AD), and Week 12 (Period AE). Baseline B (Week 2) to Week 4 (Period BC), Week 12 or relapse (Period BD), and Week 12 (Period BE).
Number of Participants Exceeding Thresholds for the Profile of Mood States (POMS): Total Score	POMS total mood disturbance (TMD) summary results were presented as transformed T-scores ranging from 30 (less disturbance) to 80 (more disturbance). Participants exceeding the threshold had an increase from baseline of 1 standard deviation of the TMD baseline T-score plus 1 or more.	Baseline A (Week 0) to Week 2 (Period AB), Week 4 (Period AC), Week 12 or relapse (Period AD), and Week 12 (Period AE). Baseline B (Week 2) to Week 4 (Period BC), Week 12 or relapse (Period BD), and Week 12 (Period BE).
Number of Participants Exceeding Thresholds for the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS): Total Score	The MADRS measures the overall severity of depressive symptoms. Total score ranged from 0 (low severity of depressive symptoms) to 60 (high severity of depressive symptoms). Participants exceeding the threshold had a MADRS total score of more than 14 out of 60. MADRS total scores exceeding 14 may represent clinically notable effective symptomatology.	Baseline A (Week 0) to Week 2 (Period AB), Week 4 (Period AC), Week 12 or relapse (Period AD), and Week 12 (Period AE). Baseline B (Week 2) to Week 4 (Period BC), Week 12 or relapse (Period BD), and Week 12 (Period BE).
Number of Participants Exceeding Thresholds for the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A): Total Score	HAM-A measures treatment-related changes in generalized anxiety symptoms. Total scores ranged from 0 (not affected) to 56 (very severely affected). Participants exceeding the threshold had a HAM-A total score of more than or equal to 14 out of 56. HAM-A total scores of more than or equal to 14 may reflect clinically noteworthy levels of anxiety.	Baseline A (Week 0) to Week 2 (Period AB), Week 4 (Period AC), Week 12 or relapse (Period AD), and Week 12 (Period AE). Baseline B (Week 2) to Week 4 (Period BC), Week 12 or relapse (Period BD), and Week 12 (Period BE).
Number of Participants Exceeding Thresholds for the Overt Aggression Scale (Modified) (OAS-m): Agression Total Score	The OAS-m contains 3 scales: Aggression, Irritability, and Suicidality. Aggression total score ranged from 0 (no aggression) to any number with no upper limit depending on the frequency of agressive behaviour in a week. Participants exceeding the threshold had an OAS-m Aggression total score of more than or equal to 3 out of any number with no upper limit depending on the frequency of agressive behaviour in a week. OAS-m Aggression total scores of more than or equal to 3 reflect clinically important aggression.	Baseline A (Week 0) to Week 2 (Period AB), Week 4 (Period AC), Week 12 or relapse (Period AD), and Week 12 (Period AE). Baseline B (Week 2) to Week 4 (Period BC), Week 12 or relapse (Period BD), and Week 12 (Period BE).
Number of Participants Exceeding Thresholds for the Overt Aggression Scale (Modified) (OAS-m): Irritability Total Score	The OAS-m contains 3 scales: Aggression, Irritability, and Suicidality. Irritability total score ranged from 0 (no irritability) to 10 (extreme irritability). Participants exceeding the threshold had an OAS-m Irritability total score of more than or equal to 2 out of 10. OAS-m Irritability total scores of more than or equal to 2 reflect clinically important irritability.	Baseline A (Week 0) to Week 2 (Period AB), Week 4 (Period AC), Week 12 or relapse (Period AD), and Week 12 (Period AE). Baseline B (Week 2) to Week 4 (Period BC), Week 12 or relapse (Period BD), and Week 12 (Period BE).
Number of Participants Exceeding Thresholds for the Overt Aggression Scale (Modified) (OAS-m): Suicidality Total Score	The OAS-m contains 3 scales: Aggression, Irritability, and Suicidality. Suicidality total score ranged from 0 (no suicidal tendency) to 16 (extreme/very extreme suicidal tendency). No threshold criterion was determined for OAS-m Suicidality total score.	Baseline A (Week 0) to Week 2 (Period AB), Week 4 (Period AC), Week 12 or relapse (Period AD), and Week 12 (Period AE). Baseline B (Week 2) to Week 4 (Period BC), Week 12 or relapse (Period BD), and Week 12 (Period BE).
Number of Participants Exceeding Thresholds for the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale - Version 11 (BIS-11): Total Score	The BIS-11 is designed to assess general impulsiveness taking into account the multifactorial nature of the construct. Total score ranged from 30 (less impulsive) to 120 (more impulsive). Participants exceeding the threshold had a BIS-11 total score more than or equal to 70 out of 120. BIS-11 total scores of more than or equal to 70 could reflect clinically important and potentially pathological impulsivity.	Baseline A (Week 0) to Week 2 (Period AB), Week 4 (Period AC), Week 12 or relapse (Period AD), and Week 12 (Period AE). Baseline B (Week 2) to Week 4 (Period BC), Week 12 or relapse (Period BD), and Week 12 (Period BE).
Number of Participants Exceeding Thresholds for the Social Dysfunction and Aggression Scale (SDAS): Total Score	SDAS total scores ranged from 0 (not present) to 44 (extremely severe). Participants exceeding the threshold had a SDAS total score of more than 6 out of 44.	Baseline B (Week 2) to Week 4 (Period BC)
Number of Participants With Carbon Monoxide Confirmed Daily Smoking Cessation	Participants who reported no smoking and no use of other nicotine-containing products since the last study visit (on the Nicotine Use Inventory, which was used to collect the information of cigarette or other nicotine use during the study) and who did not have carbon monoxide of more than 10 parts per million at any time from Week 9 to Week 12	Week 9 to Week 12
Number of Participants With 7-day Point Prevalence of Abstinence (Smoking Cessation)	Participants who reported no smoking and no use of other nicotine-containing products since the last study visit (during treatment) in the previous 7 days and who did not have carbon monoxide of more than 10 parts per million for that observation (if measured).	Week 5 to Week 13
Change From Baseline in the Number of Cigarettes Smoked Per Day		Baseline (Week 0) to Week 2

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Pfizer

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Garza D, Murphy M, Tseng LJ, Riordan HJ, Chatterjee A. A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled pilot study of neuropsychiatric adverse events in abstinent smokers treated with varenicline or placebo. Biol Psychiatry. 2011 Jun 1;69(11):1075-82. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2010.12.005. Epub 2011 Feb 3.

Helpful Links

• To obtain contact information for a study center near you, click here.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: September 1, 2008
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 1, 2009
• Study Completion (Actual): August 1, 2009

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 9, 2008
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 9, 2008
• First Posted (Estimate): September 10, 2008

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): August 31, 2010
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 24, 2010
• Last Verified: August 1, 2010

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: nicotine withdrawal, smoking cessation, varenicline
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Physiological Effects of Drugs; Neurotransmitter Agents; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Cholinergic Agents; Nicotinic Agonists; Cholinergic Agonists; Varenicline
• Other Study ID Numbers: A3051115