Journal
DRUG AND ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE
Volume 130, Issue 1-3, Pages 150-157Publisher
ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2012.10.024
Keywords
Cocaine; Norepinephrine; Atomoxetine; Dependence; Treatment; Clinical trial
Categories
Funding
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) [R01 DA022191]
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Background: Cocaine abuse continues to be a significant public health problem associated with morbidity and mortality. To date, no pharmacotherapeutic approach has proven effective for treating cocaine use disorders. Preclinical and clinical evidence suggests that noradrenergic activity may play a role in mediating some effects of cocaine and may be a rational target for treatment. Methods: This double blind, placebo-controlled randomized, parallel group, 12-week outpatient clinical trial enrolled cocaine dependent individuals seeking treatment to examine the potential efficacy of the selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, atomoxetine (80 mg/day; p.o.; n = 25), compared to placebo (n = 25). Subjects were initially stratified on cocaine use (<15 days or >= 15 days of the last 30), age and race using urn randomization. Attendance, medication adherence and study compliance were reinforced with contingency management, and weekly counseling was offered. An array of measures (vital signs, laboratory chemistries, cognitive and psychomotor tests, cocaine craving and urine samples for drug testing) was collected throughout the study and at follow-up. Results: Survival analysis revealed no differences in study retention between the two groups, with approximately 56% of subjects completing the 12-week study (Cox analysis chi(2) = .72; p = .40; Hazard Ratio 1.48 [95% CI 0.62-3.39]). GEE analysis of the proportion of urine samples positive for benzoylecgonine, a cocaine metabolite, revealed no differences between the atomoxetine and placebo groups (chi(2) = 0.2, p = .66; OR = 0.89 [95% CI 0.41-1.74]). Atomoxetine was generally well tolerated in this population. Conclusions: These data provide no support for the utility of atomoxetine in the treatment of cocaine dependence. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available