Trial Outcomes & Findings for Pre-Treatment Positron Emission Topography Scanning for Increasing Success in Antidepressant Treatment (NCT NCT00456014)

NCT ID: NCT00456014

Last Updated: 2019-03-19

Results Overview

Remission in this study is defined as both a ≥50% decrease in the 24-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) Score and a final 24-item HDRS score \<10. Remission of depressive symptoms was calculated for the 28 completers of the SSRI phase.

Recruitment status

COMPLETED

Study phase

NA

Target enrollment

37 participants

Primary outcome timeframe

Measured at Week 8

Results posted on

2019-03-19

Participant Flow

From September 2006 to May 2012, participants were recruited through online or print advertisements, and through referrals from neighboring outpatient clinics.

MDD subjects who were currently on ineffective medication trial only enrolled if they were able to tolerate a medication washout.

Participant milestones

Participant milestones
Measure
Open Standardized Treatment
Participants will take escitalopram through standardized dosing over an 8 week trial. Non-remitters will be offered entry into a second open treatment phase with standardized treatment with desipramine. In phase 1, participants will receive escitalopram beginning at 10mg daily for 4 weeks, increasing to 20mg if non-response at week 4 or 6. If participants experience intolerable side-effects, they will be switched to an alternative SSRI, sertraline. Non-remitters after 8 weeks may enter a second phase of standardized treatment, switching from escitalopram to desipramine, dosed by blood level according to a treatment protocol. Those with intolerable side-effects to desipramine will be switched to an alternative tricyclic antidepressant, nortriptyline.
SSRI Phase
STARTED
37
SSRI Phase
COMPLETED
28
SSRI Phase
NOT COMPLETED
9
Tricyclic Phase
STARTED
4
Tricyclic Phase
COMPLETED
1
Tricyclic Phase
NOT COMPLETED
3

Reasons for withdrawal

Withdrawal data not reported

Baseline Characteristics

Pre-Treatment Positron Emission Topography Scanning for Increasing Success in Antidepressant Treatment

Baseline characteristics by cohort

Baseline characteristics by cohort
Measure
SSRI
n=37 Participants
The single arm of this study involves patients with current MDD who will all receive open standardized treatment with escitalopram. There are not multiple arms nor multiple patient groups.
Age, Categorical
<=18 years
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
Age, Categorical
Between 18 and 65 years
36 Participants
n=5 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
1 Participants
n=5 Participants
Age, Continuous
37.35 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 13.61 • n=5 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
22 Participants
n=5 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
15 Participants
n=5 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
37 participants
n=5 Participants

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: Measured at Week 8

Population: 28 of 38 participants completed the SSRI phase. Only those 28 participants were assessed for remission status. 1 participant who is counted as a non-remitter had a spontaneous remission following his MRI.

Remission in this study is defined as both a ≥50% decrease in the 24-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) Score and a final 24-item HDRS score \<10. Remission of depressive symptoms was calculated for the 28 completers of the SSRI phase.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
1 - SSRI
n=28 Participants
Participants will take escitalopram.
Remission of Depressive Symptoms
Participants achieving remission
14 participants
Remission of Depressive Symptoms
Participants failing to achieve remission
14 participants

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: Measured over 8 weeks

Population: Depressed participants who did not remit during the SSRI phase advanced to the tricyclic phase of the study. Five participants started treatment with desipramine, one of which also had a trial with nortriptyline. Two participants started tricyclic treatment with nortriptyline.

Participants who did not achieve remission during the SSRI phase advanced to the tricyclic phase of the study. Participants were treated with either desipramine or nortriptyline. Seven participants started the tricyclic phase. Four completed the tricyclic phase. The completers (n=4) were analyzed for remission status.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
1 - SSRI
n=4 Participants
Participants will take escitalopram.
Remission of Depressive Symptoms - Tricyclic Phase
Number Achieving Remission
1 participants
Remission of Depressive Symptoms - Tricyclic Phase
Numbering Failing to Remit
3 participants

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: Measured at Week 8

Population: Percent improvement of depressive symptoms was calculated for the 28 completers of the SSRI phase. 25 of the 28 SSRI participants completed a trial of escitalopram. 3 of 28 SSRI participants had intolerable side-effects to escitalopram, and were therefore switched to sertraline, and completed a trial of sertraline instead.

Mean % improvement from baseline to end of treatment trial using the 24-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Percent improvement of depressive symptoms was calculated for the 28 completers of the SSRI phase. The higher the score on the 24-item HDRS, the greater the depression severity. Minimum score on the scale is 0, and maximum score is 74. Subscales are not used for this analysis.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
1 - SSRI
n=28 Participants
Participants will take escitalopram.
Improvement in Scores on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale - SSRI Phase
Escitalopram Improvement
45.46 % improvement in depression symptoms
Standard Deviation 55.95
Improvement in Scores on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale - SSRI Phase
Sertraline Improvement
30.01 % improvement in depression symptoms
Standard Deviation 21.87

Adverse Events

1 - SSRI

Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 0 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths

Serious adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Other adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Additional Information

Ramin V. Parsey, MD, PhD

Stony Brook University School of Medicine

Phone: 631-444-3084

Results disclosure agreements

  • Principal investigator is a sponsor employee
  • Publication restrictions are in place