Social Anxiety DisorderEarly Phase 1NCT02083926
Ketamine Infusion for Social Anxiety Disorder
A Early Phase 1 study testing Ketamine and Saline in people with Social Anxiety Disorder, run by Yale University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is common and causes significant impairment. First-line treatments for Social Anxiety Disorder are only partially effective. Many SAD patients experience little or inadequate symptom relief with available treatments. Ketamine is a potent NMDA receptor antagonist. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 65 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Social Anxiety Disorder
- What is being tested?
- Ketamine and Saline
- Type of treatment
- Injection or infusion
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 18 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 2 Jan 2015to 27 Sep 2016
- Phase
- Early Phase 1
- Are there results?
- Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 65 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Adult between the ages of 18 and 65 years
- Meet DSM IV criteria for Social Anxiety Disorder by structured clinical interview (SCID) and have a LSAS >60 with or without co-morbid MDD
Who cannot join
- Positive pregnancy test
- History of substance abuse disorder within the last 6 months or positive urine toxicology on screening (within the previous 6 months).
- History of pervasive developmental disorder or psychotic disorder by DSM-IV-TR criteria
- Medical comorbidity that significantly increases the risks associated with ketamine infusion (e.g. untreated hypertension, significant cardiovascular disease)
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Connecticut Mental Health Center
New Haven, Connecticut, 06519
About this study
- Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is common and causes significant impairment.
- First-line treatments for Social Anxiety Disorder are only partially effective. Many SAD patients experience little or inadequate symptom relief with available treatments.
- Ketamine is a potent NMDA receptor antagonist. Ketamine represents an agent with a potentially novel mechanism of action for the treatment of anxiety disorders.
- Ketamine has demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of psychiatric disorders closely related to Social Anxiety Disorder including Major Depression, Bipolar Depression and possibly Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.
Ketamine represents the possibility to provide rapid symptom relief to patients with SAD and may provide the mechanism for future drug development to treat SAD more rapidly and effectively.
Read the detailed description
Roughly one-third to one-half of patients with generalized SAD do not experience significant clinical benefit from current evidence-based treatment for SAD such as pharmacotherapy with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) or venlafaxine and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Failure of anxiety relief in patients with SAD is a source of substantial morbidity, distress, and decreases in quality of life. Novel pharmacological treatments are needed to improve patient outcomes with SAD.
Converging lines of evidence from neuroimaging and pharmacological studies support the importance of glutamate abnormalities in the pathogenesis of SAD. In a Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) study, an elevated glutamate to creatinine ratio was found in the anterior cingulate cortex of SAD patients when compared to healthy controls. Elevated thalamic glutamine levels have been demonstrated in patients with SAD. Pre-clinical rodent studies have also established a strong link between glutamate regulation and anxiety.
Ketamine is a potent antagonist of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, a major type of glutamate receptor in the brain. Ketamine is routinely used for anesthetic induction because of its dissociative properties. However in research studies, ketamine is effective treatment in reducing symptoms in depressive and possibly anxiety disorders. In multiple controlled clinical studies, ketamine has produced a rapid antidepressant effect in unipolar and bipolar depression. Ketamine's anti-depressant effects peak 1-3 days following infusion. Ketamine's antidepressant effect is observed long after ketamine has been metabolized and excreted by the body and after ketamine's sedative and dissociative effects have dissipated.
The results of several clinical studies suggest that ketamine may also have significant anxiolytic effects. Patients with major depressive disorder given a single ketamine infusion have shown strong and significant reductions in comorbid anxiety symptoms. A trial including 11 depressed patients demonstrated a significant reduction in anxiety symptoms (Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A)) following ketamine infusion. This improvement is supported by one of the earlier placebo-controlled trials of ketamine which demonstrated that the psychic anxiety item was one of 4 (out of 21) items on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) demonstrating significant improvement after ketamine infusion.
The investigators goal is to conduct a randomized, placebo-controlled crossover study to explore the efficacy and time course of action of intravenous ketamine in the treatment of SAD.
- Conditions
- Social Anxiety Disorder
- Being tested
- Ketamine, Saline
- Keywords
- Social Anxiety Disorder, SAD, Ketamine
- Medical subject headings
- Phobia, Social
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
KetamineDrug
Also called Ketalar
Ketamine (a single 0.5mg/kg intravenously over 40 minutes).
SalineOther
Also called Placebo
Saline (a single 0.5mg/kg intravenously over 40 minutes).
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Ketamine infusion | Experimental | A ketamine infusion was given on day 0 (28) at a dose of 0.5mg/kg over 40 minutes. Assessments were conducted pre-infusion, 3-h post-infusion, and days 1 (1+28), 2 (2+28), 3 (3+28), 5 (5+28), 7 (7+28), 10 (10+28) and 14 (14+28) post-infusion. Receives: Drug: Ketamine |
| Saline infusion | Experimental | A saline infusion was given on day 0 (28) at a dose of 0.5mg/kg over 40 minutes. Assessments were conducted pre-infusion, 3-h post-infusion, and days 1 (1+28), 2 (2+28), 3 (3+28), 5 (5+28), 7 (7+28), 10 (10+28) and 14 (14+28) post-infusion. Receives: Other: Saline |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Visual Analogue Scale for Anxiety Symptoms (VAS-anxiety)
Instrument that tries to measure anxiety, that is believed to range across a continuum of values and cannot easily be directly measured.We used a straight horizontal line of 100 mm in length. The ends were defined as the extreme limits of the parameter to be measured (anxiety); oriented from the left (no anxiety) to the right (worst anxiety ever felt). The patient marks on the line the point that they feel represents their perception of their current state.The VAS score is determined by measuring in millimeters from the left hand end of the line to the point that the patient marks.
We examined Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for anxiety symptoms at screening, 1 hour prior to infusion, 1, 2 and 3 hours after infusion, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14 days following a single ketamine/saline infusion.
Measured: Day 1 (1+28)
Liebowitz Social Anxiety Score (LSAS)
Clinician-administered scale for the assessment of fear and avoidance found in social phobia (SAD); it has 24 items divided into 2 subscales, 13 for performance anxiety, and 11 for social situations each rated from 0 to 3 (0=none,1=mild,2=moderate,3=definite). The sum scores for Fear and Avoidance results in an overall score (max 144 points). There are 4 clinician subscales: fear of social interaction, fear of performance, avoidance of social interaction and avoidance of performance 0 to 30= SAD is unlikely 30 to 60=SAD is probable 60 to 90=SADis very probable >90= SAD highly probable
Measured: Day 1 (1+28)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted11 Mar 2014 (estimated)
- Study start2 Jan 2015
- Primary completion27 Sep 2016
- Study completion27 Sep 2016
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Publications (6)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Social Anxiety DisorderStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Yale UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Early Phase 1
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Quadruple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 18 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Yale University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Patterson Trust Mentored Research Award: Clinical, Health Services and Policy Research
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Michael H. Bloch, MD, MS, Principal investigator, Yale University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02083926
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 1310012947
- Status last verified
- Feb 2021
- First submitted
- 5 Mar 2014
- Last updated
- 18 Mar 2021
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Abdallah CG, Averill LA, Collins KA, Geha P, Schwartz J, Averill C, DeWilde KE, Wong E, Anticevic A, Tang CY, Iosifescu DV, Charney DS, Murrough JW. Ketamine Treatment and Global Brain Connectivity in Major Depression. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2017 May;42(6):1210-1219. doi: 10.1038/npp.2016.186. Epub 2016 Sep 8.
PubMed 27604566Aitken RC. Measurement of feelings using visual analogue scales. Proc R Soc Med. 1969 Oct;62(10):989-93. doi: 10.1177/003591576906201005. No abstract available.
PubMed 4899510Davey HM, Barratt AL, Butow PN, Deeks JJ. A one-item question with a Likert or Visual Analog Scale adequately measured current anxiety. J Clin Epidemiol. 2007 Apr;60(4):356-60. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2006.07.015. Epub 2006 Dec 27.
PubMed 17346609Freitas-Ferrari MC, Hallak JE, Trzesniak C, Filho AS, Machado-de-Sousa JP, Chagas MH, Nardi AE, Crippa JA. Neuroimaging in social anxiety disorder: a systematic review of the literature. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2010 May 30;34(4):565-80. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2010.02.028. Epub 2010 Mar 4.
PubMed 20206659Glue P, Medlicott NJ, Harland S, Neehoff S, Anderson-Fahey B, Le Nedelec M, Gray A, McNaughton N. Ketamine's dose-related effects on anxiety symptoms in patients with treatment refractory anxiety disorders. J Psychopharmacol. 2017 Oct;31(10):1302-1305. doi: 10.1177/0269881117705089. Epub 2017 Apr 26.
PubMed 28441895Taylor JH, Landeros-Weisenberger A, Coughlin C, Mulqueen J, Johnson JA, Gabriel D, Reed MO, Jakubovski E, Bloch MH. Ketamine for Social Anxiety Disorder: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Crossover Trial. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2018 Jan;43(2):325-333. doi: 10.1038/npp.2017.194. Epub 2017 Aug 29.
PubMed 28849779
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 18 Mar 2021. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Ketamine Infusion for Social Anxiety Disorder
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02083926
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 1310012947
- Conditions
- Social Anxiety Disorder
- Keywords
- Social Anxiety Disorder, SAD, Ketamine
- Phase
- Early Phase 1
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 18 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Yale UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Patterson Trust Mentored Research Award: Clinical, Health Services and Policy Research
- Study start
- 2 Jan 2015 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 27 Sep 2016 (actual)
- Study completion
- 27 Sep 2016 (actual)
- First posted
- 11 Mar 2014 (estimated)
- Results
- Posted 18 Mar 2021
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
- Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is common and causes significant impairment.
- First-line treatments for Social Anxiety Disorder are only partially effective. Many SAD patients experience little or inadequate symptom relief with available treatments.
- Ketamine is a potent NMDA receptor antagonist. Ketamine represents an agent with a potentially novel mechanism of action for the treatment of anxiety disorders.
- Ketamine has demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of psychiatric disorders closely related to Social Anxiety Disorder including Major Depression, Bipolar Depression and possibly Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.
Ketamine represents the possibility to provide rapid symptom relief to patients with SAD and may provide the mechanism for future drug development to treat SAD more rapidly and effectively.
Detailed description
Roughly one-third to one-half of patients with generalized SAD do not experience significant clinical benefit from current evidence-based treatment for SAD such as pharmacotherapy with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) or venlafaxine and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Failure of anxiety relief in patients with SAD is a source of substantial morbidity, distress, and decreases in quality of life. Novel pharmacological treatments are needed to improve patient outcomes with SAD.
Converging lines of evidence from neuroimaging and pharmacological studies support the importance of glutamate abnormalities in the pathogenesis of SAD. In a Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) study, an elevated glutamate to creatinine ratio was found in the anterior cingulate cortex of SAD patients when compared to healthy controls. Elevated thalamic glutamine levels have been demonstrated in patients with SAD. Pre-clinical rodent studies have also established a strong link between glutamate regulation and anxiety.
Ketamine is a potent antagonist of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, a major type of glutamate receptor in the brain. Ketamine is routinely used for anesthetic induction because of its dissociative properties. However in research studies, ketamine is effective treatment in reducing symptoms in depressive and possibly anxiety disorders. In multiple controlled clinical studies, ketamine has produced a rapid antidepressant effect in unipolar and bipolar depression. Ketamine's anti-depressant effects peak 1-3 days following infusion. Ketamine's antidepressant effect is observed long after ketamine has been metabolized and excreted by the body and after ketamine's sedative and dissociative effects have dissipated.
The results of several clinical studies suggest that ketamine may also have significant anxiolytic effects. Patients with major depressive disorder given a single ketamine infusion have shown strong and significant reductions in comorbid anxiety symptoms. A trial including 11 depressed patients demonstrated a significant reduction in anxiety symptoms (Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A)) following ketamine infusion. This improvement is supported by one of the earlier placebo-controlled trials of ketamine which demonstrated that the psychic anxiety item was one of 4 (out of 21) items on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) demonstrating significant improvement after ketamine infusion.
The investigators goal is to conduct a randomized, placebo-controlled crossover study to explore the efficacy and time course of action of intravenous ketamine in the treatment of SAD.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Quadruple blind (participant, care provider, investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Ketamine infusion | Experimental | Drug: KetamineA ketamine infusion was given on day 0 (28) at a dose of 0.5mg/kg over 40 minutes. Assessments were conducted pre-infusion, 3-h post-infusion, and days 1 (1+28), 2 (2+28), 3 (3+28), 5 (5+28), 7 (7+28), 10 (10+28) and 14 (14+28) post-infusion. |
| Saline infusion | Experimental | Other: SalineA saline infusion was given on day 0 (28) at a dose of 0.5mg/kg over 40 minutes. Assessments were conducted pre-infusion, 3-h post-infusion, and days 1 (1+28), 2 (2+28), 3 (3+28), 5 (5+28), 7 (7+28), 10 (10+28) and 14 (14+28) post-infusion. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 65 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Adult between the ages of 18 and 65 years
- Meet DSM IV criteria for Social Anxiety Disorder by structured clinical interview (SCID) and have a LSAS >60 with or without co-morbid MDD
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Positive pregnancy test
- History of substance abuse disorder within the last 6 months or positive urine toxicology on screening (within the previous 6 months).
- History of pervasive developmental disorder or psychotic disorder by DSM-IV-TR criteria
- Medical comorbidity that significantly increases the risks associated with ketamine infusion (e.g. untreated hypertension, significant cardiovascular disease)
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| KetamineAlso: KetalarKetamine (a single 0.5mg/kg intravenously over 40 minutes). | Drug | Ketamine infusion |
| SalineAlso: PlaceboSaline (a single 0.5mg/kg intravenously over 40 minutes). | Other | Saline infusion |
Primary outcome
Visual Analogue Scale for Anxiety Symptoms (VAS-anxiety)
Time frame: Day 1 (1+28)
Instrument that tries to measure anxiety, that is believed to range across a continuum of values and cannot easily be directly measured.We used a straight horizontal line of 100 mm in length. The ends were defined as the extreme limits of the parameter to be measured (anxiety); oriented from the left (no anxiety) to the right (worst anxiety ever felt). The patient marks on the line the point that they feel represents their perception of their current state.The VAS score is determined by measuring in millimeters from the left hand end of the line to the point that the patient marks. We examined Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for anxiety symptoms at screening, 1 hour prior to infusion, 1, 2 and 3 hours after infusion, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14 days following a single ketamine/saline infusion.
Liebowitz Social Anxiety Score (LSAS)
Time frame: Day 1 (1+28)
Clinician-administered scale for the assessment of fear and avoidance found in social phobia (SAD); it has 24 items divided into 2 subscales, 13 for performance anxiety, and 11 for social situations each rated from 0 to 3 (0=none,1=mild,2=moderate,3=definite). The sum scores for Fear and Avoidance results in an overall score (max 144 points). There are 4 clinician subscales: fear of social interaction, fear of performance, avoidance of social interaction and avoidance of performance 0 to 30= SAD is unlikely 30 to 60=SAD is probable 60 to 90=SADis very probable >90= SAD highly probable
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 18 Mar 2021.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
- Background: PubMed 27604566Abdallah CG, Averill LA, Collins KA, Geha P, Schwartz J, Averill C, DeWilde KE, Wong E, Anticevic A, Tang CY, Iosifescu DV, Charney DS, Murrough JW. Ketamine Treatment and Global Brain Connectivity in Major Depression. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2017 May;42(6):1210-1219. doi: 10.1038/npp.2016.186. Epub 2016 Sep 8.
- Background: PubMed 4899510Aitken RC. Measurement of feelings using visual analogue scales. Proc R Soc Med. 1969 Oct;62(10):989-93. doi: 10.1177/003591576906201005. No abstract available.
- Background: PubMed 17346609Davey HM, Barratt AL, Butow PN, Deeks JJ. A one-item question with a Likert or Visual Analog Scale adequately measured current anxiety. J Clin Epidemiol. 2007 Apr;60(4):356-60. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2006.07.015. Epub 2006 Dec 27.
- Background: PubMed 20206659Freitas-Ferrari MC, Hallak JE, Trzesniak C, Filho AS, Machado-de-Sousa JP, Chagas MH, Nardi AE, Crippa JA. Neuroimaging in social anxiety disorder: a systematic review of the literature. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2010 May 30;34(4):565-80. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2010.02.028. Epub 2010 Mar 4.
- Background: PubMed 28441895Glue P, Medlicott NJ, Harland S, Neehoff S, Anderson-Fahey B, Le Nedelec M, Gray A, McNaughton N. Ketamine's dose-related effects on anxiety symptoms in patients with treatment refractory anxiety disorders. J Psychopharmacol. 2017 Oct;31(10):1302-1305. doi: 10.1177/0269881117705089. Epub 2017 Apr 26.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 28849779Taylor JH, Landeros-Weisenberger A, Coughlin C, Mulqueen J, Johnson JA, Gabriel D, Reed MO, Jakubovski E, Bloch MH. Ketamine for Social Anxiety Disorder: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Crossover Trial. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2018 Jan;43(2):325-333. doi: 10.1038/npp.2017.194. Epub 2017 Aug 29.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Michael H. Bloch, MD, MS principal investigator
Yale University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A Early Phase 1 study testing Ketamine and Saline in people with Social Anxiety Disorder, run by Yale University at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 18 Mar 2021. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
What does this phase mean?
Early Phase 1 (sometimes called Phase 0) studies give a very small amount of a treatment to a few people, mainly to see how the body handles it.
Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.
Are results available for this study?
Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 18 Mar 2021). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Visual Analogue Scale for Anxiety Symptoms (VAS-anxiety) (time frame: Day 1 (1+28)). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT02083926, which also lists 6 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 18 Mar 2021.