Skip to content

New Approaches to Cocaine Abuse Medications (A) - 6

New Approaches to Cocaine Abuse Medications (A)

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT00000271
Enrollment
111
Registered
1999-09-21
Start date
1995-01-31
Completion date
2002-10-31
Last updated
2017-07-05

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Cocaine-Related Disorders, Substance-Related Disorders

Keywords

Desipramine, cocaine, depression

Brief summary

The purpose of this study is to measure the effect of desipramine in cocaine abusers selected for major depression or dysthymia.

Detailed description

This is a randomized, 12-week, double-blind, 'placebo-controlled trial of outpatients meeting DSM-III-R criteria for cocaine dependence and major depression or dysthymia (by SCID interview). Participants were treated with desipramine, up to 300 mg per day, or matching placebo. All patients received weekly individual manual-guided relapse prevention therapy. Weekly outcome measures included the Clinical Global Impression Scale, self-reported cocaine use and craving, urine toxicology, and the Hamilton Depression Scale.

Interventions

DRUGDesipramine

Participants were treated with desipramine, up to 300 mg per day, or matching placebo. All participants received weekly individual manual-guided relapse prevention therapy.

DRUGPlacebo

Participants were treated with matching placebo. All participants received weekly individual manual-guided relapse prevention therapy.

Sponsors

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
CollaboratorNIH
New York State Psychiatric Institute
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 60 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion: 1. Meets DSM-IV criteria for current cocaine dependence. 2. Used cocaine at least one day in the past month. 3. Currently meets DSM-IV criteria for Major Depression or Dysthymia. 4. Depressive disorder is either: 1. primary (antedates earliest lifetime substance abuse or 2. persistent during 6 months of abstinence in the past or 3. at least 3 months duration in the current episode 5. Age 18-60. 6. Able to give informed consent and comply with study procedures. Exclusion: 1. Meets DSM-IV criteria for past mania (i.e. bipolar disorder), schizophrenia or any psychotic disorder other than transient psychosis due to drug abuse. 2. History of seizures. 3. History of allergic reaction to desipramine or imipramine. 4. Chronic organic mental disorder. 5. Significant current suicidal risk. 6. Pregnancy, lactation or failure in sexually active female patients to use adequate contraceptive methods. 7. Unstable physical disorders which might make participation hazardous such as hypertension, hepatitis or diabetes. 8. Coronary vascular disease as indicated by history or suspected by abnormal ECG or history or cardiac symptoms. 9. Cardiac conduction system disease as indicated by QRS duration \>0.11. 10. Current use of other prescribed psychotropic medications within the last 2 weeks. 11. History of failure to respond to a previous adequate trial of desipramine or another tricyclic antidepressant. 12. Currently meets criteria for another substance dependence disorder (DSM-IV) other than nicotine, marijuana or alcohol.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Cocaine UseWeekly over a 12 week period.Clinical Global Impression Scale, self-reported cocaine use and craving, urine toxicology.
DepressionBi-weekly over a 12 week period.Hamilton Depression Scale

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026