NCT00262223

Brief Summary

This treatment intervention trial is designed for men and women with either alcohol misuse (e.g. hazardous or binge drinking) or alcohol use disorders (alcohol abuse or dependence) and comorbid PTSD. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two treatments (a cognitive behavioral treatment intervention called "Seeking Safety" + Medication ("Zoloft") or Seeking Safety + placebo) and will be evaluated at baseline, at completion of the treatment (12 sessions over 12 weeks), and again at 6 months and 12 months post-treatment.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
69

participants targeted

Target at P50-P75 for phase_2

Timeline
Completed

Started May 2006

Longer than P75 for phase_2

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

December 5, 2005

Completed
1 day until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

December 6, 2005

Completed
5 months until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

May 1, 2006

Completed
7.2 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

July 1, 2013

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

July 1, 2013

Completed
1.2 years until next milestone

Results Posted

Study results publicly available

September 16, 2014

Completed
Last Updated

March 3, 2020

Status Verified

February 1, 2020

Enrollment Period

7.2 years

First QC Date

December 5, 2005

Results QC Date

August 14, 2014

Last Update Submit

February 22, 2020

Conditions

Keywords

Co-morbid alcohol dependence and PTSDAlcohol and other drug use disordersTreatment outcome

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

  • Heavy Drinking Days/Week

    Baseline, End-of-treatment, 6-month follow-up and 12-month follow-up

  • PTSD Symptom Severity / Clinician Administered PTSD Scale

    Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) is a 17-item, semi-structured interview of PTSD symptoms. Range of scores is 0-136. Five rationally derived severity score ranges for interpreting CAPS total score have been proposed: 0-19 = asymptomatic/few symptoms, 20-39 = mild PTSD/subthreshold, 40-59 = moderate PTSD/threshold, 60-79 = severe PTSD symptomatology, and \>80 = extreme PTSD symptomology (Weathers et. al., 2001). A 15-point change in CAPS total severity score has been proposed as a marker of clinically significant change (Weathers et. al., 2001).

    Baseline, End-of-treatment, 6-month follow-up and 12-month follow-up

Study Arms (2)

1) Seeking Safety + Sertraline

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Seeking Safety + Sertraline

Behavioral: Seeking SafetyDrug: Sertraline

2) Seeking Safety + Placebo

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Seeking Safety + Placebo;

Behavioral: Seeking SafetyDrug: Pill placebo

Interventions

Seeking SafetyBEHAVIORAL

Seeking Safety cognitive-behavioral treatment intervention for comorbid PTSD and substance use disorders

1) Seeking Safety + Sertraline2) Seeking Safety + Placebo

An anti-depressant medication, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) type

Also known as: Zoloft
1) Seeking Safety + Sertraline
2) Seeking Safety + Placebo

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years - 65 Years
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Males and females who are a minimum of 18 years and maximum of 65 years.
  • Participants meet Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Diploma in Social Medicine IV (DSM-IV) criteria for current alcohol misuse, abuse or dependence.
  • Participants must have current alcohol use over past 90 days defined by more than or equal to 2 heavy drinking days or more than or equal to 14 drinks over 30 consecutive days or abstinence less than or equal to 21 consecutive days.
  • Participants meet criteria for full or subthreshold PTSD. Subthreshold PTSD criteria differs from full PTSD in that the individual meets cluster C (numbing) OR cluster D (hyperarousal) whereas full PTSD requires that the individual meets both cluster C and D.
  • Participants demonstrate no gross organic mental syndrome.
  • Participants are capable of giving informed consent and capable of complying with study procedures.
  • Participants speak English.

You may not qualify if:

  • Individuals who are at significant risk for suicide based on their current mental state or history.
  • Participants who are currently severely depressed.
  • Participants with a history of psychosis or mania.
  • Participants with organic mental syndrome.
  • Participants physiologically dependent on any substance other than alcohol (excluding nicotine or caffeine or medically stable and managed methadone).
  • Participants with comorbid substance abuse disorder who require detoxification treatment.
  • Participants with unstable or significant physical disorders (e.g., uncontrolled hypertension, poorly-controlled diabetes, alanine aminotransferase/aspartate aminotransaminase (AST/ALT) three times the upper limit of normal) that would increase the risk of study participation.
  • Participants with a known history of seizures (not related to alcohol withdrawal).
  • Participants with moderate to severe alcohol withdrawal that would require pharmacological intervention.
  • Participants currently taking prescribed psychotropic medication that is contraindicated for use with sertraline (e.g. antidepressant medications except for mirtazapine or trazodone when used for the treatment of insomnia ) and/or psychotropic medications where the participant has not achieved a stabilized regimen. Participants that are stable on medications that are not contraindicated with the use of sertraline (e.g., Methadone or Adderall) will not be excluded.
  • A history of an allergic reaction to sertraline.
  • Women who are currently pregnant or are trying to get pregnant or are nursing or are pre-menopausal and sexually active but not using effective birth control.
  • Participants refusing to be audio or videotaped.

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

City College, City University of New York

New York, New York, 10031, United States

Location

Related Publications (2)

  • Hien DA, Levin FR, Ruglass LM, Lopez-Castro T, Papini S, Hu MC, Cohen LR, Herron A. Combining seeking safety with sertraline for PTSD and alcohol use disorders: A randomized controlled trial. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2015 Apr;83(2):359-69. doi: 10.1037/a0038719. Epub 2015 Jan 26.

  • Ruglass LM, Pedersen A, Cheref S, Hu MC, Hien DA. Racial differences in adherence and response to combined treatment for full and subthreshold post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol use disorders: A secondary analysis. J Ethn Subst Abuse. 2016 Oct-Dec;15(4):434-448. doi: 10.1080/15332640.2015.1056927. Epub 2015 Sep 30.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Stress Disorders, Post-TraumaticAlcoholismSubstance-Related Disorders

Interventions

Sertraline

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Stress Disorders, TraumaticTrauma and Stressor Related DisordersMental DisordersAlcohol-Related DisordersChemically-Induced Disorders

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

1-NaphthylamineAminesOrganic ChemicalsNaphthalenesPolycyclic Aromatic HydrocarbonsHydrocarbons, AromaticHydrocarbons, CyclicHydrocarbonsPolycyclic Compounds

Results Point of Contact

Title
Denise A. Hien, Ph.D.
Organization
The City College of New York

Study Officials

  • Denise A. Hien, PhD

    City College of New York & New York State Psychiatric Institute/Columbia University

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

PI is Sponsor Employee
No
Restrictive Agreement
No

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
phase 2
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
DOUBLE
Who Masked
PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

December 5, 2005

First Posted

December 6, 2005

Study Start

May 1, 2006

Primary Completion

July 1, 2013

Study Completion

July 1, 2013

Last Updated

March 3, 2020

Results First Posted

September 16, 2014

Record last verified: 2020-02

Locations