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Examining the Role of the Orexin System in Sleep and Stress in Persons With Opioid Use Disorder

Examining the Role of the Orexin System in Sleep and Stress in Persons With Opioid Use Disorder

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04287062
Enrollment
138
Registered
2020-02-27
Start date
2020-11-20
Completion date
2025-08-15
Last updated
2026-08-25

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

Conditions

Opioid-use Disorder, Sleep Disturbance

Brief summary

This study is designed to elucidate the role of the orexin neurotransmitter system in sleep disturbance and circadian rhythms of stress that might in turn influence relapse behaviors in persons on medication-assisted treatments (MAT) who are in early recovery from opioid use disorder (OUD). Briefly, the study will enroll recently abstinent OUD patients (N=200) maintained on either extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX), buprenorphine, or methadone. Within each MAT group, participants will be randomized to either suvorexant or placebo. The study is expected to have a 20% treatment attrition rate which will result in N=160 completers in the entire study. Patients will be recruited from and treated at Ashley Addiction Treatment, Addiction Treatment Services at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Man Alive, or community providers.

Interventions

DRUGSuvorexant

Dual orexin receptor antagonist

DRUGPlacebos

Weight and color matched placebo

Sponsors

Johns Hopkins University
Lead SponsorOTHER
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
CollaboratorNIH

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
21 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Between the ages of 21-65, inclusive. * Past 30-day sleep disturbance as evidenced by a Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Total Score \>5. * Enrolled in either outpatient methadone-maintenance, buprenorphine-maintenance, or XR-NTX treatment for OUD. * Willingness to be maintained on a protocolized dose starting between 60-130mg methadone or 380mg XR-NTX for the duration of the study. * At least two weeks of continuous abstinence from illicit opioids as evidenced by self-report and urine drug screens collected as part of routine care. * Willing to comply with the study protocol, which will include weekly study visits, daily actigraphy and ecological momentary assessments. * Use of birth control throughout study. * Have no clinically significant chronic medical disorders or conditions that are judged by the investigators to prevent participation.

Exclusion criteria

* Serious mental illnesses that are unstable and could affect study participation (thought disorders, hallucinations, delusions, thoughts of harm to self/others). * Current moderate to severe substance use disorder other than OUD. * Current illicit stimulant use, including cocaine and methamphetamine. * Pregnant or breast feeding. * Have a known allergy to the study medications. * Past 30-day prescribed use of suvorexant. * Current use of a benzodiazepine or other schedule IV medication for insomnia. * Use of Cytochrome P450 3A inhibitors. * Current narcolepsy, sleep paralysis, or restless leg syndrome as assessed by medical history * Apnea-hypopnea index \> 30. * Use of glucocorticoid medications and any medication that would alter the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. * Past 30-day suicidal behavior as assessed by the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS). * Have circumstances that would interfere with study participation (e.g., impending jail; severe clinical issues).

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Total Sleep Time21 nightsMean total number of minutes slept per night as measured by actigraphy and self-reported sleep diary. Mean total sleep time will be collected over a seven-night period in weeks 1, 4, and 8 of the trial.
Total Wake Time After Sleep Onset21 nightsMean total number of minutes awake between initial sleep onset and final morning awakening, measured by actigraphy and self-reported sleep diary. Mean wake after sleep onset will be collected over a seven-night period in weeks 1, 4, and 8 of the trial.
Change in Perceived Stress Scale 4 (PSS-4) score21 days (collected over a seven-day period in weeks 1, 4, and 8 of the trial)Mean daily scores on the PSS-4 (a four item scale self-reported scale than measures stress using a 0-4 Likert scale; total range of PSS-4 scores is 0-16; lower scores indicate lower daily stress relative to higher scores, which indicate higher daily stress). Mean PSS-4 scores will be collected over a seven-day period in weeks 1, 4, and 8 of the trial.

Countries

United States

Contacts

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORAndrew S Huhn, PhD

Johns Hopkins University

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Aug 26, 2026