Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Not Applicable

Completed

Conditions: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Interventions: Drug: Placebo
Drug: Omega-3 Fatty Acid

Registration Number: NCT00644423

Lead Sponsor: Durham VA Medical Center

Brief Summary: An increasing literature shows that omega-3 fatty acids provide numerous health benefits, including a variety of psychiatric symptoms and disorders including stress, anxiety, cognitive impairment, mood disorders (major depression and bipolar disorder) and schizophrenia. Omega-3 fatty acids may additionally represent a promising treatment strategy in patients with PTSD. Moreover, given its beneficial cardiovascular effects, adjunctive omega-3 fatty acids may also benefit the general health status of these veterans, who frequently present with a variety of comorbid medical disorders.

Detailed Description: See brief summary

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: COMPLETED

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 18

Inclusion Criteria

Veterans 18-65 years of age, any ethnic group, either sex.
Ability to participate fully in the informed consent process.
Current diagnosis of PTSD .
No anticipated need to alter medications for the 10-week duration of the study.

Exclusion Criteria

Serious unstable medical illness, history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) with loss of consciousness greater than 30 minutes, or history of cerebrovascular accident, prostate or breast cancer.
Current active suicidal and/or homicidal ideation, intent or plan.
Use of aspirin, warfarin or other anticoagulant therapy, as omega-3 fatty acids may increase bleeding time. Other concomitant medications for medical conditions will be addressed on a case-by-case base and determined if exclusionary.
Regular use of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation within the last 3 months (cod liver oil, other fish oil, flaxseed).
Regular consumption of more than one serving of fatty fish per week.
Substance dependence within the last 4 weeks (other than nicotine dependence).
Current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) diagnosis of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder, or cognitive disorder due to a general medical condition other than TBI.
Female patients who are pregnant or breast-feeding.
Known allergy to study medication.

Study & Design

Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL

Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
2	Placebo	Placebo
1	Omega-3 Fatty Acid	Omega-3 Fatty Acid

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS)	Week 2 (Baseline) and Week 10 (Week 8 Post-Randomization)	Mean change scores in posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms (Week 10 (Week 8 Post-Randomization) minus Week 2 (Baseline)). Scores may range from 0 (no symptoms) to 136 (severe symptoms; score of 136 is based on the first 17 CAPS items administered). A reduced CAPS score indicates a reduction in (improvement) PTSD symptoms, while an increase in CAPS score indicates an increase (worsening) in PTSD symptoms.
Brief Assessment of Cognition in Affective Disorders (BAC-A)	Week 2 (Baseline) and Week 10 (Week 8 Post-Randomization)	Mean change scores to assess cognitive changes (Week 10 (Week 8 Post-Randomization) minus Week 2 (Baseline)). The BAC-A includes brief assessments of executive functions, verbal fluency, attention, verbal memory, working memory and motor speed. Z-scores are calculated from composite scores. Higher z-scores are indicative of better cognitive performance, lower z-scores are indicative of lower cognitive performance. Range of z-scores anticipated to be between -3 and 3. Mean change scores from week 2 and week 10 (Week 2 minus Week 10).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS)	Week 2 (Baseline) and Week 10 (Week 8 Post-Randomization)	Mean change scores in depressive symptomatology (Week 10 (Week 8 Post-Randomization) minus Week 2 (Baseline)). The QIDS total scores range from 0 to 27. Total score is obtained by adding the scores for each of the nine symptom domains of the DSM-IV Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) criteria: depressed mood,loss of interest or pleasure,concentration/decision making,self-outlook,suicidal ideation, energy/fatigability, sleep,weight/appetite change, and psychomotor changes. Each item is rated 0-3 (0=least or no severity, 3=greatest severity). Higher values reflect more severe symptoms.
Connor Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC)	Week 2 (Baseline) and Week 10 (Week 8 Post-Randomization)	Mean change scores in resiliency (Week 10 (Week 8 Post-Randomization) minus Week 2 (Baseline)). The CD-RISC was developed and tested as (i) a measure of degree of resilience, (ii) as a predictor of outcome to treatment with medication or psychotherapy, stress management and resilience-building, (iii) as a marker of progress during treatment, and (iv) as a marker of biological changes in the brain. The scale comprises 25 items, each rated on a 5-point scale (0-4) for a total range of 0-100, with higher scores reflecting greater resilience.
Continuous Performance Test (CPT)	Week 2 (Baseline) and Week 10 (Week 8 Post-Randomization)	Mean change scores in inpulsivity (Week 10 (Week 8 Post-Randomization) minus Week 2 (Baseline)). Computer test. Patient is to press button if target appears, but not at non-target. Impulsivity variables during test: CE=percent of response to non-target; ANT=percent of responses prior to target presentation. Results are converted to Q-scores (age and sex-adjusted normalized scores with a mean=0 and standard deviation=1 in the general population, expressing the probability determined by the Gamma function in terms of standard deviation of Gaussian density). Higher scores reflect more severe symptoms.
Trail Making A	Week 2 (Baseline) and Week 10 (Week 8 Post-Randomization)	Mean change scores in cognition and attention (Week 10 (Week 8 Post-Randomization) minus Week 2 (Baseline)). Trail Making Test is a measure used to assess cognition and attention. Trail Making, Part A is a timed test that consists of 25 circles on a piece of paper with the numbers 1-25 written randomly in circles. The respondent is asked to draw a line from number one, and so on, in correct numerical order, until they reach number 25. Results are reported as the number of seconds required to complete the task. Higher scores indicate greater impairment.
Trail Making B	Week 2 (Baseline) and Week 10 (Week 8 Post-Randomization)	Mean change scores in attention and cognition (Week 10 (Week 8 Post-Randomization) minus Week 2 (Baseline)). Trail Making Test is a measure used to assess cognition and attention. Trail Making, Part B is a timed test that consists of 25 circles on a piece of paper with both numbers (1 - 13) and letters (A - L); the patient draws lines to connect the circles in an ascending pattern, but with the added task of alternating between the numbers and letters (i.e., 1-A-2-B-3-C, etc.). The respondent is asked to draw a line from number one, and so on,in correct numerical/alphabetical order, until they reach number 13. Results are reported as the number of seconds required to complete the task. Higher scores indicate greater impairment.