Psychosis, Schizoaffective, Schizophrenia
Conditions
Keywords
Smoking cessation, schizophrenia, schizoaffective, psychosis, varenicline, champix, chantix, nicotine dependence
Brief summary
This is a 15 week trial to determine (1) the safety and tolerability of varenicline when used for smoking cessation/reduction in individuals with schizophrenia; (2) if treatment with varenicline affects the symptoms of schizophrenia.
Detailed description
Researchers are looking to recruit a total of 50 subjects at Riverview and Forensic Psychiatric Hospitals who would like to reduce or quit smoking cigarettes. This open label pilot study will gather information regarding the safety and tolerability of varenicline in subjects who have been diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Consenting subjects will be prescribed varenicline as follows: varenicline 0.5 mg/d for days 1 to 3, 0.5 mg twice daily for days 4 to 7, then 1 mg twice daily through week 12. The research team will meet with the subject once a week for twelve weeks and the subject will be interviewed and asked to complete questionnaires about his/her psychiatric symptoms, tobacco use and nicotine dependence. The measures used include the FTND, PANSS, CGI-I, CGI-S, ESRS, UKU, BARS, WSWS, QSU-brief, mCEQ, and the OAS-M. The CGI-SS will also be completed throughout the study as well as once weekly for three weeks following the completion of the study (Post-Study follow-up visits 1-3).
Interventions
DRUGVarenicline
Varenicline 0.5 mg/d for days 1 to 3, 0.5 mg twice daily for days 4 to 7, then 1 mg twice daily through week 12. Administration of twice daily dosing should be at least 8 hours apart.
Sponsors
Provincial Health Services Authority British Columbia
University of British Columbia
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
19 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Inpatients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder * Individuals between the ages of 19 and 65 years of age * Individuals that had smoked 10 cigarette/day or more during the previous year, and had no period of smoking abstinence longer than 3 months in the past year * Individuals that are not expected to be discharged from hospital within 4 months.
Exclusion criteria
* Clinically significant allergic reactions to the study medication * Clinically significant abnormalities in the screening laboratory values * Subjects at significant risk of self-harm * Previous treatment with varenicline * Women who are pregnant, breast-feeding, or of child-bearing potential not using adequate contraception * Men not using adequate contraception * Use of medications that might interfere with the study medication evaluation * Nicotine replacement * Nortriptyline * Clonidine
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Changes in the symptoms of the primary illness. These outcomes will be measured at study visits 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12. | 12 weeks |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Safety and tolerability, nicotine dependence, and smoking cessation/reduction. These outcomes will be measured at study visits 1-12. | 12 weeks |
Outcome results
None listed