Cortisol in the Treatment of Phobias

Phobia Clinical Trial

Official title:

The Efficacy of Cortisol in Combination With Behavioral Therapy in the Treatment of Phobias

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT00451750
• Other study ID #: 2007DR3069
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• First received: March 21, 2007
• Last updated: January 11, 2010
• Start date: May 2007
• Est. completion date: September 2009

Study information

• Verified date: January 2010
• Source: University of Zurich
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: Switzerland: SwissmedicSwitzerland: Ethical committee, Zürich Switzerland
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The aim of this prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study is to investigate if glucocorticoid treatment, in combination with exposure therapy, helps to reduce phobic fear in patients with phobia.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 40
• Est. completion date: September 2009
• Est. primary completion date: September 2009
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Both
• Age group: 18 Years to 55 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Female and male patients with a specific phobia (fear of heights) according to DSM-IV criteria.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Severe acute or chronic somatic diseases

• Psychiatric disorder other than specific phobia

• Topic glucocorticoid therapy (for large skin parts)

• Inhaled glucocorticoids

• Psychotropic medication

• Pregnancy

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor), Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Phobia
• Phobic Disorders

Intervention

Drug:
• Cortisol
20 mg for 3 times

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Switzerland	University of Basel	Basel

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of Zurich	University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Switzerland, 

References & Publications (1)

Soravia LM, Heinrichs M, Aerni A, Maroni C, Schelling G, Ehlert U, Roozendaal B, de Quervain DJ. Glucocorticoids reduce phobic fear in humans. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006 Apr 4;103(14):5585-90. Epub 2006 Mar 27. — View Citation

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	visual analog scales for fear and acrophobia questionnaires		1 month	No