Trial Outcomes & Findings for Cognitive Remediation With D-Cycloserine (NCT NCT01399866)

NCT ID: NCT01399866

Last Updated: 2018-09-26

Results Overview

Participants assigned to receive D-cycloserine + CET will achieve better maintenance of tobacco abstinence, as assessed with self-report and saliva cotinine measurements, than those who receive placebo + CET at week 6 follow up visits

Recruitment status

COMPLETED

Study phase

PHASE3

Target enrollment

150 participants

Primary outcome timeframe

Up to 6 weeks

Results posted on

2018-09-26

Participant Flow

One hundred fifty participants were enrolled (signed consent), but only 98 were found eligible and started study procedures. Eighty one participants started smoking cessation CBT, and 62 finished and were randomized to receive either D-cycloserine or identical placebo added to exposure treatment to prevent relapse to smoking.

Participants received their choice of nicotine patch or varenicline (0.5 mg per day for 3 days, 0.5 mg bid for 4 days, 1 mg bid for 4 wks) and weekly cognitive behavioral therapy for smoking cessation.

Participant milestones

Participant milestones
Measure
Placebo
50 mg capsule,single dose, twice, one week apart, by mouth Placebo
D-cycloserine
50 mg capsule,single dose, twice, one week apart, by mouth D-cycloserine: 2 single weekly doses, 50 mg capsule
Overall Study
STARTED
32
30
Overall Study
COMPLETED
28
28
Overall Study
NOT COMPLETED
4
2

Reasons for withdrawal

Withdrawal data not reported

Baseline Characteristics

Cognitive Remediation With D-Cycloserine

Baseline characteristics by cohort

Baseline characteristics by cohort
Measure
Placebo
n=32 Participants
50 mg capsule,single dose, twice, one week apart, by mouth Placebo
D-cycloserine
n=30 Participants
50 mg capsule,single dose, twice, one week apart, by mouth D-cycloserine: 2 single weekly doses, 50 mg capsule
Total
n=62 Participants
Total of all reporting groups
Age, Continuous
47.1 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 11.4 • n=5 Participants
48.4 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 12.4 • n=7 Participants
47.7 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 11.8 • n=5 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
19 Participants
n=5 Participants
22 Participants
n=7 Participants
41 Participants
n=5 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
13 Participants
n=5 Participants
8 Participants
n=7 Participants
21 Participants
n=5 Participants

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: Up to 6 weeks

Participants assigned to receive D-cycloserine + CET will achieve better maintenance of tobacco abstinence, as assessed with self-report and saliva cotinine measurements, than those who receive placebo + CET at week 6 follow up visits

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Placebo
n=32 Participants
50 mg capsule,single dose, twice, one week apart, by mouth Placebo
D-cycloserine
n=30 Participants
50 mg capsule,single dose, twice, one week apart, by mouth D-cycloserine: 2 single weekly doses, 50 mg capsule
Effect of D-cycloserine + Cue-exposure Treatment on Continuous Abstinence From Tobacco Smoking.
9 percentage of participants
30 percentage of participants

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: 6 weeks

Recently abstinent smokers assigned to receive D-cycloserine + CET will have less physiologic (skin conductance) reactivity to smoking cues at the Post-Extinction Assessment than those who receive placebo + CET. Subjects were presented with 2 blocks of audio recordings, one smoking-related script and one neutral script unrelated to smoking. Assessment of skin conductance was made after each audio recording was presented. The skin conductance mean was obtained for each script (smoking vs neutral). Differences in responsivity (skin conductance) to smoking cues (smoking script) was compared between subjects who received D-cycloserine + CET and subjects who received placebo + CET.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Placebo
n=32 Participants
50 mg capsule,single dose, twice, one week apart, by mouth Placebo
D-cycloserine
n=30 Participants
50 mg capsule,single dose, twice, one week apart, by mouth D-cycloserine: 2 single weekly doses, 50 mg capsule
Effect of D-cycloserine + Cue-exposure Treatment on Skin Conductance
0.14 change in microSiemens
Standard Deviation 0.46
0.18 change in microSiemens
Standard Deviation 0.31

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: 6 weeks

Recently abstinent smokers assigned to receive D-cycloserine + CET will have less physiologic (heart rate) reactivity to smoking cues at the Post-Extinction Assessment than those who receive placebo + CET. Subjects were presented with 2 blocks of audio recordings, one smoking-related script and one neutral script unrelated to smoking. Heart rate measurement was obtained after each audio recording was presented. The heart rate mean was obtained for each script (smoking vs neutral). Differences in responsivity (heart rate) to smoking cues (smoking script) was compared between subjects who received D-cycloserine + CET and subjects who received placebo + CET.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Placebo
n=32 Participants
50 mg capsule,single dose, twice, one week apart, by mouth Placebo
D-cycloserine
n=30 Participants
50 mg capsule,single dose, twice, one week apart, by mouth D-cycloserine: 2 single weekly doses, 50 mg capsule
Effect of D-cycloserine + Cue-exposure Treatment on Heart Rate
-0.13 change in beats per minute
Standard Deviation 2.64
0.98 change in beats per minute
Standard Deviation 2.34

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: 6 weeks

Recently abstinent smokers assigned to receive D-cycloserine + CET will have less physiologic (electromyogram) reactivity to smoking cues at the Post-Extinction Assessment than those who receive placebo + CET. Subjects were presented with 2 blocks of audio recordings, one smoking-related script and one neutral script unrelated to smoking. Electromyogram of the corrugator (EMGc)measurement was obtained after each audio recording was presented. The EMGc mean was obtained for each script (smoking vs neutral). Differences in responsivity (EMGc) to smoking cues (smoking script) was compared between subjects who received D-cycloserine + CET and subjects who received placebo + CET.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Placebo
n=32 Participants
50 mg capsule,single dose, twice, one week apart, by mouth Placebo
D-cycloserine
n=30 Participants
50 mg capsule,single dose, twice, one week apart, by mouth D-cycloserine: 2 single weekly doses, 50 mg capsule
Effect of D-cycloserine + Cue-exposure Treatment on Electromyogram
0.25 change in micro volts
Standard Deviation 1.02
0.46 change in micro volts
Standard Deviation 1.52

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: 6 weeks

Recently abstinent smokers assigned to receive D-cycloserine + CET will have less craving at the Post-Extinction Assessment than those who receive placebo + CET The scale used to measure craving was a Visual Analogue Scale 0 (no desire at all) - 7 (unable to resist) Subjects were presented with 2 blocks of audio recordings, one smoking-related script and one neutral script unrelated to smoking. Craving level was obtained after each audio recording was presented. The craving mean was obtained for each script (smoking vs neutral). Differences in craving level response to smoking cues (smoking script) was compared between subjects who received D-cycloserine + CET and subjects who received placebo + CET.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Placebo
n=32 Participants
50 mg capsule,single dose, twice, one week apart, by mouth Placebo
D-cycloserine
n=30 Participants
50 mg capsule,single dose, twice, one week apart, by mouth D-cycloserine: 2 single weekly doses, 50 mg capsule
Effect of D-cycloserine + Cue-exposure Treatment on Craving
2.28 change in units on a scale
Standard Deviation 2.30
1.44 change in units on a scale
Standard Deviation 1.87

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: Baseline and week 6

Recently abstinent smokers assigned to receive D-cycloserine + CET will have less attentional bias (Smoking Stroop task) toward smoking cues at the Post-Extinction Assessment than those who receive placebo + CET The Emotional Stroop uses smoking-related words and neutral words to measure attentional bias toward smoking related cues. Attentional bias is a central feature of many cognitive theories of addiction and can be measured with an emotional analog of the Stroop task. In this task, participants name the colors in which words are printed, and the words vary in their relevance to smoking. Extensive research has shown that patients are often slower to name the color of a word associated with concerns relevant to their clinical condition due to distraction by the meaning of the word(Williams, Mathews et al. 1996). The Stroop interference Score is obtained by subtracting Reaction Time (RT) to smoking minus the Reaction Time to neutral

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Placebo
n=32 Participants
50 mg capsule,single dose, twice, one week apart, by mouth Placebo
D-cycloserine
n=30 Participants
50 mg capsule,single dose, twice, one week apart, by mouth D-cycloserine: 2 single weekly doses, 50 mg capsule
Effect of D-cycloserine + Cue-exposure Treatment on Attentional Bias Toward Smoking Cuesmeasured With the Emotional Stroop Task
35.27 Stroop interference Score
Standard Deviation 74.93
50.30 Stroop interference Score
Standard Deviation 74.85

Adverse Events

Placebo

Serious events: 1 serious events
Other events: 24 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths

D-cycloserine

Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 24 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths

Serious adverse events

Serious adverse events
Measure
Placebo
n=32 participants at risk
50 mg capsule,single dose, twice, one week apart, by mouth Placebo
D-cycloserine
n=30 participants at risk
50 mg capsule,single dose, twice, one week apart, by mouth D-cycloserine: 2 single weekly doses, 50 mg capsule
Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders
compression fracture
3.1%
1/32
0.00%
0/30

Other adverse events

Other adverse events
Measure
Placebo
n=32 participants at risk
50 mg capsule,single dose, twice, one week apart, by mouth Placebo
D-cycloserine
n=30 participants at risk
50 mg capsule,single dose, twice, one week apart, by mouth D-cycloserine: 2 single weekly doses, 50 mg capsule
General disorders
Anorexia
6.2%
2/32
13.3%
4/30
General disorders
Blurred vision
9.4%
3/32
10.0%
3/30
Gastrointestinal disorders
Constipation
18.8%
6/32
20.0%
6/30
Psychiatric disorders
Depressen mood
28.1%
9/32
30.0%
9/30
Gastrointestinal disorders
Diarrhea
28.1%
9/32
6.7%
2/30
General disorders
Dizziness
9.4%
3/32
13.3%
4/30
General disorders
Dry mouth
28.1%
9/32
23.3%
7/30
General disorders
Enuresis
9.4%
3/32
6.7%
2/30
General disorders
Fever
6.2%
2/32
3.3%
1/30
General disorders
Headache
12.5%
4/32
10.0%
3/30
General disorders
Hypersalivation
6.2%
2/32
6.7%
2/30
General disorders
Insomnia
25.0%
8/32
23.3%
7/30
Psychiatric disorders
Irritability
34.4%
11/32
30.0%
9/30
General disorders
Malaise
21.9%
7/32
13.3%
4/30
Gastrointestinal disorders
Nausea
15.6%
5/32
6.7%
2/30
Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders
Skin rash
15.6%
5/32
13.3%
4/30
Psychiatric disorders
Restlessness
6.2%
2/32
23.3%
7/30
General disorders
Drowsiness
18.8%
6/32
16.7%
5/30
Respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
Sore throat
12.5%
4/32
20.0%
6/30
General disorders
Stiffness
9.4%
3/32
13.3%
4/30
Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders
Urticaria
6.2%
2/32
16.7%
5/30
Gastrointestinal disorders
Vomiting
6.2%
2/32
6.7%
2/30
General disorders
Other
43.8%
14/32
50.0%
15/30

Additional Information

A. Eden Evins, MD, MPH. Director of the MGH-Harvard Center for Addiction Medicine

Massachusetts General Hospital - Harvard Medical School

Phone: 6176434679

Results disclosure agreements

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