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Completed

NCT Number: NCT03702166

Network Dysregulation Among Individuals With Comorbid Tinnitus and PTSD

Evaluation of the overlap between tinnitus-related distress and symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), to identify functional covariance among resting-state networks among individuals with tinnitus and PTSD

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Key information

Conditions

Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic Ear Diseases Hearing Disorders Mental Disorders Nervous System Diseases Neurologic Manifestations Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Sensation Disorders Signs and Symptoms Stress Disorders, Traumatic Tinnitus Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders

Age range

18 year–60 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

UT Health San Antonio

San Antonio, Texas, 78229, United States

About this study

The purpose of this study is to characterize tinnitus and PTSD symptomatically, neurobiologically, and causally, applying causal modeling to psychometric and neurofunctional data. We will enroll 30 individuals with both tinnitus and PTSD. Participants will be asked to complete baseline assessments of subjective tinnitus distress, PTSD, depression, and resting-state fMRI at baseline. Individuals with comorbid tinnitus and PTSD who are eligible for the study will receive 12 sessions of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) over a 6- to 15-week period. CPT is a trauma-focused treatment for PTSD that guides individuals on how to recognize and challenge thoughts that are erroneous and dysfunctional. One-month follow-up assessments of tinnitus-related distress, PTSD, depression, and anxiety will be conducted, along with resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Adult military Veterans (age 18-60) who deployed in support of combat operations post-9/11 seeking behavioral health treatment for PTSD and/or tinnitus
  • Diagnosis of PTSD determined by the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale - Interview - Version 5 (CAPS-5)
  • Ability to speak and read English
  • Meets criteria for tinnitus and considers their tinnitus bothersome, as defined by a score on the Tinnitus Functional Index of 32 or greater

Exclusion criteria

  • Currently receiving evidence based treatment for PTSD
  • Current suicidal ideation severe enough to warrant immediate attention (as determined by the Depressive Symptoms Index- Suicidality Subscale and corroborated by a clinical risk assessment by a credentialed provider
  • Psychiatric hospitalization in the last 12 months
  • Current and severe alcohol use warranting immediate intervention based on clinical judgment
  • Current manic episode or psychotic symptoms requiring immediate stabilization or hospitalization (as determined by the manic and psychosis modules of the MINI)
  • Evidence of a moderate or severe traumatic brain injury (as determined by the inability to comprehend the baseline screening questionnaires)
  • Neurobiological disorders
  • Meniere's disease, temporomandibular joint disorders
  • History of seizures
  • History of penetrating head trauma or neurosurgery
  • Metal objects implanted in the head, ferrous metal filings in the eye
  • Inflammation of the brain
  • Cardiac pacemaker
  • Implanted medical pump or cardiac lines
  • Heart disease
  • Currently taking certain types of medication for depression or seizures (tricyclic antidepressants or neuroleptics which lower seizure threshold)

Treatment and study plan

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)

Behavioral

CPT is a cognitive behavioral treatment for PTSD consisting of 12 one-hour sessions. CPT is delivered in three phases: education, processing, and challenging.

Other names: CPT

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in Score on Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for the DSM-5 (CAPS-5)

    Time frame: Baseline and Week 15

    The CAPS-5 is structured interview that assesses the DSM-5 criteria for PTSD. Each item is rated on a severity scale ranging from 0 (Absent) to 4 (Extreme/incapacitating) and combines information about frequency and intensity for each of the 20 symptoms. Total scores range from 0-80 with a lower score indicating less symptoms of PTSD. Subscales were not utilized in analyses.

  2. Change in Score on the PTSD Check List-5 (PCL-5)

    Time frame: Baseline and Week 15

    The PCL-5 is a 20-item self-report measure designed to assess PTSD symptoms. The PCL-5 evaluates how much participants have been bothered by PTSD symptoms in the past month (for baseline and follow up assessments) as a result of a specific life event. Each item of the PCL-5 is scored on a five point scale ranging from 0 ("not at all") to 4 ("extremely). Possible total score range is 0-80, with a lower score indicating less PTSD symptoms. Subscales were not utilized in analyses.

  3. Change in Score on the Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI)

    Time frame: Baseline and Week 15

    The TFI has 25 items that are used to calculate eight subscales that address the intrusiveness of tinnitus, the sense of control the patient has, cognitive interference, sleep disturbance, auditory issues, relaxation issues, quality of life, and emotional distress related to tinnitus. The same 25 items are used to calculate the total score, which was used for the purpose of this study. For the total score, the 25 scale items are scored 0-10 (those scored as a percentage are converted to a score of 1-10). Scores are totaled giving a potential range of 0-250 with a higher score indicating that tinnitus interferes more with the subject. The total score is then divided by the number of questions answered to give a mean score. The mean score is multiplied by 10 to provide an overall TFI score within a 0-100 range, where a lower score indicates that the tinnitus does not interfere with the subjects well-being as much.

  4. Tinnitus Acceptance Questionnaire (TAQ)

    Time frame: Baseline and Week 15

    The TAQ captures the extent to which individuals accept their tinnitus, and attempts to avoid or control tinnitus, as well as a patient's ability to pursue valued life activities and meaningful goals regardless of tinnitus. 12 questions are scored from 0 = Never true to 6= Always true. Total scores on the TAQ range from 0-72, with a lower score indicating higher acceptance of symptoms.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Depression Symptom Index Suicide Subscale (DSI-SS)

    Time frame: Baseline and Week 15

    The DSI-SS will be used to assess current suicidal ideation. The DSI-SS is a 4-item self-report measure of suicidal ideation that focuses on ideation, plans, perceived control over ideation, and impulses for suicide. Each item is rated on a 4 point scale, and the scores totaled for a potential range of 4-16, where a higher score indicates more severe degrees of suicide ideation.

  2. Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)

    Time frame: Baseline and Week 15

    The PHQ-9 is a widely used and well-validated instrument for measuring the severity of depressive symptoms. It consists of 9 items that assess both affective and somatic symptoms related to depression and depressive disorders that correspond to the diagnostic criteria for Major Depressive Disorder, outlined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders- 5th Edition (DSM-V, 2013). Each question is rated with a score of 0-3:

    0 = Not at all, 1 = Several days, 2 = More than half the days, 3 = Nearly every day. Scores are the total for the nine questions with a possible range of 0-27, where a lower score indicates minimal depression and a higher score indicates severe depression.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2019
Primary completion
2020
Study completion
2020
First posted
Oct 10, 2018
Registry last updated
May 26, 2021

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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