VA Augmentation and Switching Treatments for Improving Depression Outcomes (VAST-D)

April 25, 2018 updated by: VA Office of Research and Development

CSP #576 - VA Augmentation and Switching Treatments for Improving Depression Outcomes (VAST-D)

The overall purpose is to determine research based 'next-steps' for outpatients with major depressive disorder who have not had satisfactory outcomes to standard 'first-step' treatments. The primary objective is to compare the acute (up to 12 weeks) treatment effectiveness of augmenting an antidepressant with aripiprazole or with bupropion-slow release (SR) vs. switching treatment to bupropion-SR monotherapy on symptom remission in Veterans with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) who have not achieved optimal response after an adequate trial on antidepressant (a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor [SSRI] or serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor [SNRI] or mirtazapine) monotherapy. The secondary objectives are to compare the acute (up to 12 weeks) and long term (up to 36 weeks) efficacy, safety, effects on functioning, suicidality, quality of life, anxiety and other associated symptoms, costs and cost-effectiveness of each of the three treatments.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

The overall aim of VAST-D is to enhance treatment outcomes for representative outpatients diagnosed with nonpsychotic major depressive disorder (MDD) and treated in primary or psychiatric VA care settings. In particular, VAST-D is designed to determine the comparative effectiveness of different treatment options for participants with MDD who fail to have a satisfactory outcome to treatment with their initial antidepressants.

These options may be conceptualized as representing two overall treatment strategies: 1) Medication Switch - switching from the initial antidepressant to another antidepressant medication, specifically bupropion-SR and 2) Medication Augmentation - augmenting the initial antidepressant with a second antidepressant, specifically bupropion-SR or a second generation antipsychotic, specifically aripiprazole. VAST-D's primary goal is to determine which of these 3 treatment strategies is most likely to lead to remission. Other key objectives include comparisons of response, time to remission, time to response, relapse, anxiety symptoms, suicidal ideation and behaviors, side effects, tolerability, quality of life, health related costs and satisfaction with participation in the study.

VAST-D will enroll 1518 total patients of both genders and all ethnic/racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. All patients will meet Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-IV-TR (text revised) criteria for nonpsychotic MDD. The diagnostic criteria for eligibility will be established by clinical interview supplemented with the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Final determination for eligibility will be made by the study clinician. Only participants with a suboptimal outcome to a well documented, adequately delivered (dose and duration), trial with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) or a serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) or mirtazapine will be eligible for the study. Failure to achieve an adequate outcome will be ascertained by a score on the 16-item Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology - Clinician rated (QIDS-C16) scale >= 16 (considered severe depression) after at least 6 weeks of treatment or QIDS-C16 >= 11 (considered moderately severe depression) after at least 8 weeks of treatment. Otherwise, the inclusion criteria are broad and the exclusion criteria are few; participants with most comorbid general medical or psychiatric disorders are generally included to provide a broadly representative sample.

Participants will be randomized (1:1:1 ratio) to switch to bupropion-SR alone (n=506), current antidepressant plus bupropion-SR (n=506), or current antidepressant plus aripiprazole (n=506). Treatment will be guided by clinician-rated symptom measures (the PHQ-9) and global side effects measures (the Frequency, Intensity, and Burden of Side Effects Rating or FIBSER) obtained at each treatment visit. Acute treatment visits will occur at baseline and at weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 to ensure delivery of appropriate and yet vigorous and tolerable pharmacotherapy. Participants who tolerate the acute treatment and achieve adequate response at 12 weeks will enter the 24-week Continuation Treatment phase, during which the initial treatment will continue and visits will occur every four weeks subsequently until patients have been followed for 36 weeks post-randomization. The QIDS-C16 will be administered at baseline and at each follow-up visit by an independent evaluator (who will be blinded to treatment assignment) to measure symptoms of depression for the study outcomes of remission, response and relapse. Neither the participant nor the treating clinician will be blinded to treatment.

Primary hypotheses:

Primary hypothesis 1.a: Remission rate from major depressive disorder will be higher in patients whose treatment is augmented with bupropion-SR (antidepressant + bupropion-SR) compared to those switched to bupropion-SR monotherapy.

Primary Hypothesis 1.b: Remission rate from major depressive disorder will be higher in patients whose treatment is augmented with aripiprazole (antidepressant + aripiprazole) compared to those switched to bupropion-SR monotherapy.

Secondary hypotheses:

Secondary Hypothesis 2.a: Remission rate will be greater in patients whose treatment is augmented with bupropion-SR (antidepressant + bupropion-SR) than in those augmented with aripiprazole (antidepressant + aripiprazole).

Secondary Hypothesis 2.b: Relapse rate (within 36 weeks of the initiation of treatment) will be lower in patients whose antidepressant is augmented with bupropion-SR (antidepressant + bupropion-SR) than in those whose antidepressant is switched to bupropion-SR monotherapy.

Secondary Hypothesis 2.c: Relapse rate (within 36 weeks of the initiation of treatment) will be lower in patients whose treatment is augmented with aripiprazole (antidepressant + aripiprazole) vs. those switched to bupropion-SR monotherapy.

Secondary Hypothesis 2.d: Relapse rate (within 36 weeks of the initiation of treatment) will be lower in patients whose treatment is augmented with bupropion-SR (antidepressant + bupropion-SR) than in patients whose treatment was augmented with aripiprazole (antidepressant + aripiprazole).

Secondary Hypothesis 2.e: The proportion of patients who develop akathisia, other akathisia-like side effects (e.g., tremor, irritability, motor restlessness) and extrapyramidal side effects will be greater in the patients whose antidepressant treatment is augmented with aripiprazole (antidepressant + aripiprazole) compared to patients whose treatment is augmented with bupropion-SR (antidepressant + bupropion-SR), or switched to bupropion-SR monotherapy.

Secondary Hypothesis 2.f: The relative costs (direct and indirect) of augmenting an antidepressant with aripiprazole (antidepressant + aripiprazole) will be greater than the costs of antidepressant augmentation with bupropion-SR (antidepressant + bupropion-SR), and the costs of antidepressant augmentation with bupropion-SR (antidepressant + bupropion-SR) will be greater than the costs of switching to bupropion-SR monotherapy, and augmentation and monotherapy with bupropion-SR will be more cost-effective than aripiprazole augmentation.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

1522

Phase

  • Phase 3

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Alabama
      • Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States, 35404
        • Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center, Tuscaloosa, AL
    • Arizona
      • Phoenix, Arizona, United States, 85012
        • Phoenix VA Health Care System, Phoenix, AZ
      • Tucson, Arizona, United States, 85723
        • Southern Arizona VA Health Care System, Tucson
    • California
      • Loma Linda, California, United States, 92357
        • VA Loma Linda Healthcare System, Loma Linda, CA
      • Long Beach, California, United States, 90822
        • VA Long Beach Healthcare System, Long Beach, CA
      • Palo Alto, California, United States, 94304-1290
        • VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA
      • San Diego, California, United States, 92161
        • VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA
      • San Francisco, California, United States, 94121
        • San Francisco VA Medical Center, San Francisco, CA
    • Colorado
      • Denver, Colorado, United States, 80220
        • VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Denver, CO
    • Connecticut
      • West Haven, Connecticut, United States, 06516
        • VA Connecticut Healthcare System West Haven Campus, West Haven, CT
    • District of Columbia
      • Washington, District of Columbia, United States, 20422
        • Washington DC VA Medical Center, Washington, DC
    • Florida
      • Miami, Florida, United States, 33125
        • Miami VA Healthcare System, Miami, FL
      • Tampa, Florida, United States, 33612
        • James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital, Tampa, FL
    • Georgia
      • Decatur, Georgia, United States, 30033
        • Atlanta VA Medical and Rehab Center, Decatur, GA
    • Illinois
      • Hines, Illinois, United States, 60141-5000
        • Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL
    • Indiana
      • Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, 46202-2884
        • Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN
    • Maryland
      • Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21201
        • Baltimore VA Medical Center VA Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD
    • Minnesota
      • Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55417
        • Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN
    • Missouri
      • Kansas City, Missouri, United States, 64128
        • Kansas City VA Medical Center, Kansas City, MO
      • Saint Louis, Missouri, United States, 63106
        • St. Louis VA Medical Center John Cochran Division, St. Louis, MO
    • Nebraska
      • Omaha, Nebraska, United States, 68105-1873
        • Omaha VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System, Omaha, NE
    • New Mexico
      • Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States, 87108-5153
        • New Mexico VA Health Care System, Albuquerque, NM
    • North Carolina
      • Asheville, North Carolina, United States, 28805
        • Asheville VA Medical Center, Asheville, NC
      • Salisbury, North Carolina, United States, 28144
        • Salisbury W.G. (Bill) Hefner VA Medical Center, Salisbury, NC
    • Ohio
      • Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, 45220
        • Cincinnati VA Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
      • Cleveland, Ohio, United States, 44106
        • Louis Stokes VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH
    • Pennsylvania
      • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19104
        • Philadelphia VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA
      • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 15240
        • VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System University Drive Division, Pittsburgh, PA
    • Tennessee
      • Memphis, Tennessee, United States, 38104
        • Memphis VA Medical Center, Memphis, TN
    • Texas
      • Temple, Texas, United States, 76504
        • Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, TX
    • Virginia
      • Salem, Virginia, United States, 24153
        • Salem VA Medical Center, Salem, VA
    • Washington
      • Tacoma, Washington, United States, 98493
        • VA Puget Sound Health Care System American Lake Division, Tacoma, WA
    • West Virginia
      • Clarksburg, West Virginia, United States, 26301
        • Clarksburg Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center, Clarksburg, WV
    • Wisconsin
      • Madison, Wisconsin, United States, 53705
        • William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI
      • Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States, 53295-1000
        • Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center, Milwaukee, WI

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 and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • DSM-IV diagnosis of single or recurrent, non-psychotic, major depressive disorder
  • Currently taking a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) or mirtazapine for major depressive disorder
  • Need for "next-step" treatment based on documented suboptimal outcome from current antidepressant treatment for major depressive episode (at least 6 weeks treatment with a QIDS-C16 >= 16 or at least 8 weeks with a QIDS-C16 >= 11; and at least 3 weeks at a stable "optimal" dose
  • Age: 18 years of age or older

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Prior inadequate response after an adequate treatment trial or clear cut intolerance to either of the study medications (aripiprazole or bupropion)
  • Current treatment with bupropion, aripiprazole or any other antipsychotic agent
  • Lifetime history of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or psychosis not otherwise specified
  • Current diagnosis of Dementia
  • Current diagnosis of an eating disorder or a seizure disorder
  • High suicide risk currently requiring acute intervention (other than outpatient treatment of depression)
  • Unstable, serious medical condition or one requiring acute medical treatment, or anticipation of hospitalization for extended care
  • Requiring immediate hospitalization for psychiatric disorders
  • Physiologic substance dependence requiring detoxification (excluding nicotine) in the past 30 days (substance abuse is not an exclusion criteria)
  • Taking any concomitant medication that contraindicates any of treatment options or augmenting agents known to have an antidepressant effect
  • Concurrent or recent participation (within the last 30 days) in another conflicting clinical trial with a mental health, investigational drug, or medical device intervention
  • Female - pregnant or lactating or planning to become pregnant
  • Patient was not able or willing to provide informed consent; or changed mind about participating prior to randomization
  • Patient was not referred to the study

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
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Switching: Bupropion-SR
Drug: Switching: Bupropion-SR
Bupropion-SR (Dose: 150 mg - 400 mg taken per day orally for up to 36 weeks): Initiating with bupropion-SR dose of 150 mg, then increasing dose per protocol up to 400 mg (200 mg BID), maintaining or decreasing dose for up to 36 weeks depending on response and side effect profile through the acute and continuation phases.
Active Comparator: Augmenting: Antidepressant + Bupropion-SR
Drug: Augmenting: Antidepressant + Bupropion-SR

Current antidepressant (either a SSRI or a SNRI or mirtazapine): Continue the dose prescribed at time of enrollment, or adjust depending on response or side effect profile for up to 36 weeks.

And

Bupropion-SR (Dose: 150 mg - 400 mg taken per day orally for up to 36 weeks): Initiating with bupropion-SR dose of 150 mg, then increasing dose per protocol up to 400 mg (200 mg BID), maintaining or decreasing dose for up to 36 weeks depending on response and side effect profile through the acute and continuation phases.
Active Comparator: Augmenting: Antidepressant + Aripiprazole
Drug: Augmenting: Antidepressant + Aripiprazole

Current antidepressant (either a SSRI or a SNRI or mirtazapine): Continue the dose prescribed at time of enrollment or adjust depending on response or side effect profile for up to 36 weeks.

And

Aripiprazole (Dose: 2 mg - 15 mg taken orally once per day for up to 36 weeks): Initiating with aripiprazole dose of 2 mg for one week, then increasing dose per protocol up to 15 mg, maintaining or decreasing dose for up to 36 weeks depending on response and side effect profile through the acute and continuation phases.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Rate of Protocol Remission of Symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder
Time Frame: During acute phase (12 weeks)
Remission of symptoms of major depression during the acute treatment phase (12 weeks) defined as a sustained clinician-rated Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms (QIDS-C16) of <= 5 for two consecutive visits.
During acute phase (12 weeks)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Rate of Protocol Relapse of Symptoms of Major Depression After Achieving Remission in the Acute Phase
Time Frame: Within 36 weeks after randomization (initiation of treatment)
Relapse in symptoms of major depression defined as a QIDS-C16 => 11 among those achieving remission in the acute phase.
Within 36 weeks after randomization (initiation of treatment)
Rate of Protocol Response as Reduction in Symptoms of Major Depression (>= 50% Reduction in QIDS-C)
Time Frame: During acute phase (up to 12 weeks)
Response measured as reduction in symptom score for major depression defined as: 1. a reduction in QIDS-C16 of 50% or greater
During acute phase (up to 12 weeks)
Rate of Protocol Response Measured as a Change in Clinical Global Impression (CGI) - Improvement Scale
Time Frame: During acute phase (up to 12 weeks)
Clinical assessment of a participant's level of depression and treatment response assessed by the Clinical Global Impression - Improvement (CGI -I) Scale, a 7-point clinician rating scale of improvement from baseline in severity of depression (Guy 1976). A secondary outcome measure of response was defined as achieving a score of 2 (much improved) or 1 (very much improved).
During acute phase (up to 12 weeks)

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

VA Office of Research and Development

Investigators

  • Study Chair: Somaia Mohamed, PhD, VA Connecticut Healthcare System West Haven Campus, West Haven, CT
  • Study Chair: Sidney Zisook, MD, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

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

December 1, 2012

Primary Completion (Actual)

August 1, 2015

Study Completion (Actual)

June 1, 2016

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

August 5, 2011

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 18, 2011

First Posted (Estimate)

August 22, 2011

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 29, 2018

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 25, 2018

Last Verified

April 1, 2018

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 576

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

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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