Treatment for Nicotine Addiction in Women

Nicotine Dependence Clinical Trial

Official title:

COMT Inhibition as a Novel Treatment for Nicotine Addiction in Women

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT02448654
• Other study ID #: 1504015628
• Secondary ID: 1R21DA038253-01A
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: October 23, 2015
• Est. completion date: June 30, 2019

Study information

• Verified date: November 2020
• Source: Yale University
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this study is to use a medication tolcapone and or placebo to test if the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal lessens , and or changes in smoking urges, and mental reasoning in female smokers over a 72 hour period.

Description:

The proposed trail will be use a double-blind, placebo-controlled design to conduct the first randomized controlled trial of the COMT inhibitor, tolcapone, in nicotine dependent women. This study will determine if tolcapone is superior to placebo by attenuation the severity of nicotine withdrawal and smoking urges during short-term abstinence. Withdrawal severity will be assessed by a self-report scale and cognitive assessment, including a sustained-attention task. Smoking urges will be assessed by a self-report scale.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 36
• Est. completion date: June 30, 2019
• Est. primary completion date: June 30, 2019
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Female
• Age group: 18 Years to 45 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Must be 18yrs to 45yr old woman, read and write in English.

• Must smoke at least 5 or more cigarettes a day

• FTND score at least 4 or higher

• A CO reading of 10 or higher during screening

• Must be in good health as verified by medical history, screening exam, screen laboratory tests.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Excluded if using psychotropic medications, have contraindications to tolcapone use (e.g.. liver problems, allergy to tolcapone, history of no traumatic rhabdomyolysis or hyperpyrexia, confusion possibly related to medication), have other substance use disorder, are pregnant or breast feeding, have a current psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, homicidal or suicidal ideation, have current (past month) substance use disorder, other than nicotine dependence, or are unable to fulfill the scheduled visits and procedures.

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Nicotine Dependence
• Tobacco Use Disorder

Intervention

Drug:
• Tolcapone
Tolcapone will be compared to sugar pill
• Sugar Pill
The sugar pill (placebo) will be compared to tolcapone

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	Veterans Administration Hospital	West Haven	Connecticut

Sponsors (3)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Yale University	National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), US Department of Veterans Affairs

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Withdrawal Symptoms (MNWS Score)	The MNWS was the 8 item version, using VAS scales for each item (1-100), and MNWS score calculated as an average of all items (range of possible scores for MWNS at each timepoint was 0-100, with higher MNWS scores at each timepoint indicating more withdrawal symptoms (worse outcome). Timepoints reflect 1.) the baseline (beginning of the trial, not yet receiving any pills, not yet being asked to abstain from smoking; calculated as average of scores from two visits: ad libitum baseline visit and pill day 1 measure which was collected prior to administration of pills) and 2.) the abstinence period (tolcapone or placebo pill days 6-8, during the 60-hr abstinence phase; calculated as average of scores from 3 visits: pill days 6, 7, and 8). Greater increases in scores (increases in withdrawal symptoms) during abstinence period compared to baseline reflects a worse outcome; reduced or stable scores (decreases or a lack of increases in withdrawal symptoms) during the abstinence period compa	Baseline (ad libitum baseline and pill day 1 (pre-pill)); Abstinent Period (pill days 6, 7, 8)
Primary	Smoking Urges (BQSU Factor 1)	The Brief Questionnaire on Smoking Urges (BQSU) is a 10 item scale. Factor 1 reflects the urge to smoke for its rewarding properties. Factor 1 is calculated as the sum of five items (items 1, 3, 6, 7, 10), with each item score ranging from 1-7, so Factor 1 scores range from 5-35. Higher scores reflect higher smoking urges and represent a worse outcome. Timepoints reflect 1.) baseline (beginning of trial, not yet receiving pills, not yet abstaining from smoking; calculated as average of scores from ad libitum baseline visit and pill day 1 which was collected prior to administration of pills) and 2.) abstinence period (pill days 6-8, during 60-hr abstinence phase; calculated as average of scores from pill days 6, 7, and 8). Greater increases in scores (increases in smoking urges) during abstinence period compared to baseline reflects a worse outcome; decreases or a lack of increases in smoking urges during the abstinence period compared to baseline reflects a better outcome.	Baseline (ad libitum baseline and pill day 1 (pre-pill)); Abstinent Period (pill days 6, 7, 8)
Primary	Smoking Choice Paradigm: Amount Earned ($)	The Smoking Choice Paradigm was done once at the end of the trial (Pill Day 8, at the end of the 60 hr abstinence period). Subjects are given forced choice options between 2 puffs of their own-brand cigarette vs. a token with a monetary value, spaced over a 90 minute period. The maximum amount subjects can earn from this task ranges from $0 to $7.50 (10 forced choice opportunities: smoke 2 puffs vs. earn 75 cent at each choice opportunity). Higher earnings reflect choice of the tokens over smoking, so this reflects a better outcome (i.e., reduced smoking choice).	Pill-Day 8 (end of trial)