Yale University

Utility of crossover designs in clinical trials: efficacy of desipramine vs. placebo in opioid-dependent cocaine abusers.

TitleUtility of crossover designs in clinical trials: efficacy of desipramine vs. placebo in opioid-dependent cocaine abusers.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2002
AuthorsFeingold, Alan, Alison Oliveto, Richard Schottenfeld, and Thomas R. Kosten
JournalThe American journal on addictions / American Academy of Psychiatrists in Alcoholism and Addictions
Volume11
Issue2
Pagination111-23
Date Published2002 Spring
ISSN1055-0496
KeywordsAdult, Analgesics, Opioid, Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic, Buprenorphine, Clinical Trials as Topic, Cocaine-Related Disorders, Cross-Over Studies, Desipramine, Double-Blind Method, Female, Humans, Male, Methadone, Middle Aged, Narcotics, Opioid-Related Disorders, Placebos, Time Factors, Treatment Outcome
AbstractThe utility of the crossover design in substance abuse research was examined in a 26-week, double-blind clinical trial that evaluated the efficacy of desipramine (0 or 150 mg/day) in 109 male and female cocaine- and opiate-dependent patients maintained on buprenorphine (12 mg/day) or methadone (65 mg/day). After being stabilized on buprenorphine or methadone (weeks 1-2), half of the patients were randomly assigned to receive desipramine for the first half of the trial and placebo for the second, with the order reversed for the second half. Analyses using hierarchical linear models (HLM) indicated that desipramine reduced the use of opiates only when administered at the start (rather than the middle) of the trial, whereas cocaine use was reduced when desipramine was introduced at either time.
DOI10.1111/j.1475-6773.2011.01335.x
Alternate JournalAm J Addict

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