Methylphenidate to Treat Methamphetamine Dependence (MPH)

Sustained-Release Methylphenidate for Management of Methamphetamine Dependence

This 4-year study will investigate the effectiveness of methylphenidate for initiating and sustaining abstinence in methamphetamine dependent individuals. Approximately 90 participants seeking treatment for methamphetamine dependence will be enrolled in the study for an initial 2 weeks to establish clinic compliance. During this compliance phase, participants will receive incentives for clinic attendance. After meeting clinic attendance requirements, participants will be randomized to placebo (n = 45) or active study medication (n = 45) conditions, and given 18mg/daily of study drug or placebo for one week, followed by 36mg/daily study drug/placebo for a second week. Finally, participants will be stabilized on 54mg/daily study drug/placebo for the remainder of the study. Placebo participants will be given placebo medications prepared to appear identical to the active medication. In addition, after randomization, all participants will receive motivational incentives for methamphetamine-negative urine tests and begin weekly cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) provided for the duration of the study.

Study Overview

• Status: Unknown
• Conditions: Methamphetamine Dependence
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: methylphenidate; Drug: Methylphenidate

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 90
• Phase: Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • California
    • Los Angeles, California, United States, 90025
      • UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs Outpatient Clinical Research Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 55 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Be seeking treatment for their MA use disorder;
2. Be between 18-55 years of age;
3. Meet DSM-IV-TR criteria for MA dependence as assessed by the Mini International Neuropsychological Interview (MINI);

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Have any history or evidence suggestive of seizures or brain injury;
2. Have any known hypersensitivity or previous medically adverse reaction to methylphenidate;
3. Have a neurological or psychiatric disorder, such as psychosis, bipolar illness, motor tics, Tourette's syndrome, or major depression; organic brain disease or dementia; marked anxiety, tension and agitation; or any psychiatric disorder that would require ongoing treatment or that would make study compliance difficult;
4. Have evidence of clinically significant heart disease or hypertension as determined by medical history or physical examination, including pre-existing heart failure, recent myocardial infarction, ventricular arrhythmia, cardiomyopathy, serious heart rhythm abnormalities, and coronary artery disease.
5. Have a family history in first-degree relatives of early cardiovascular morbidity or mortality, as determined by medical history;
6. Have evidence of an untreated or unstable medical illness including: neuroendocrine, autoimmune, renal, hepatic, or active infectious disease (other than HIV);
7. Have clinically significant abnormal vital signs;
8. Have clinically significant abnormal hematology or chemistry laboratory tests [e.g. liver function tests (total bilirubin, ALT, AST, and alkaline phosphatase), kidney function tests (creatinine and BUN)];
9. Have a baseline ECG that demonstrates clinically significant abnormalities;
10. Have known preexisting severe gastrointestinal narrowing,
11. Be pregnant or nursing. Females must either be unable to conceive (i.e., surgically sterilized, sterile, or post-menopausal) or use a reliable form of contraception including hormonal (oral, Depo-Provera or Nuva-ring), intra-uterine devise, sterilization or double barrier method (simultaneous use of two barrier methods such as condom, diaphragm, spermicide);
12. A history of glaucoma;
13. Use of some medications such as Clonidine, coumarin anticoagulants, anticonvulsants (Phenobarbital, phenytoin, primidone), vasopressor agents, and some antidepressants (tricyclics and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors),. Also, current use of an MAO inhibitor, or use within 14 days of enrollment;
14. Have any other medical condition that would, in the opinion of the study physician, make participation difficult or unsafe.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: active medication (methylphenidate); Condition receiving active medication: 18mg/day during week 1; 36mg/day during week 2; 54mg/day during remainder of study	Drug: methylphenidate; 18mg/day in week 1; 36mg/day in week 2; 54mg/day in week 3 - participants randomized to either active medication (methylphenidate) or placebo matched to active drug; Other Names: Concerta
Placebo Comparator: Placebo; Condition randomly assigned to receive placebo, provided to appear identical to active medication	Drug: Methylphenidate; 18mg/day for week 1; 36mg/day for week 2; 54mg/day for remainder of study - participants randomized to either active medication (methylphenidate) or placebo; Other Names: Placebo

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
percentage of methamphetamine-negative urine samples compared across two conditions	14-week study duration

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Retention: number of days retained in treatment from randomization to the last scheduled clinic visit	14 week study duration

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of California, Los Angeles
• Investigators: Study Director: Maureen Hillhouse, Ph.D., UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: October 1, 2010
• Primary Completion (Anticipated): July 1, 2014
• Study Completion (Anticipated): July 1, 2014

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 6, 2010
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 6, 2010
• First Posted (Estimate): January 7, 2010

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): May 20, 2014
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 19, 2014
• Last Verified: May 1, 2014

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: clinical trial; methamphetamine; double blind; methylphenidate; abstinence; random assignment; reduction in methamphetamine use
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Physiological Effects of Drugs; Neurotransmitter Agents; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Neurotransmitter Uptake Inhibitors; Membrane Transport Modulators; Dopamine Agents; Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors; Central Nervous System Stimulants; Methylphenidate
• Other Study ID Numbers: 1R01DA025084 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)