Oxytocin & benzodiazepines

Phase 2

Not yet recruiting

• Conditions: Benzodiazepine dependence (F13.2)

• Registration Number: 2024-516262-11-00
• Lead Sponsor: St. Olavs Hospital HF

Brief Summary

The primary aim of the study is to test whether there is a difference between daily intranasal administration of oxytocin or placebo for 21 days added to a dose reduction regime of diazepam in benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms. Benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms severity is measured with CIWA-B score, a 20-item scale where each item can be assigned a score from 0 to 4, i.e. the total score can range from 0 and 80 points. CIWA-B score will be measured daily from baseline (i.e. the day before the intervention starts) to day 21. Change in CIWA-B from baseline to day 21 will compared between the two groups.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Posted: 2024-11-07
• Last Update Posted: 2025-02-27

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: Authorised, recruitment pending
• Sex: Not specified
• Target Recruitment: 60

Inclusion Criteria

Patients aged 18 – 65 years, taking BZDs at a daily dose of 20-80 mg diazepam-equivalent, and requiring inpatient BZD withdrawal. Included patients must consent to participate in the study.

Exclusion Criteria

Female patients will be excluded if they are pregnant or are planning to become so, or if they are breast-feeding. Individuals incapable of completing questionnaires or giving informed consent will be excluded. Patients with concurrent acute medical or psychiatric illness requiring acute care hospitalization, misuse or dependency of alcohol or pregabalin/gabapentin will be excluded.

Study & Design

• Study Type: Interventional clinical trial of medicinal product
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
The primary endpoint of the study is measuring BZD withdrawal symptoms to see if OT administered intranasally in addition to traditional dose tapering is more effective than BZD tapering and placebo. CIWA-B is a well-known and well-used 20-item questionnaire for BZD withdrawal symptoms where each item can be assigned a score from 0 to 4, i.e. the total score can range between 0-80 points. Based on previous studies a 3.5-point difference is considered clinically relevant.		The primary endpoint of the study is measuring BZD withdrawal symptoms to see if OT administered intranasally in addition to traditional dose tapering is more effective than BZD tapering and placebo. CIWA-B is a well-known and well-used 20-item questionnaire for BZD withdrawal symptoms where each item can be assigned a score from 0 to 4, i.e. the total score can range between 0-80 points. Based on previous studies a 3.5-point difference is considered clinically relevant.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Hamilton Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and actigraphy and Somnofy assessed akathisia and sleep.		Hamilton Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and actigraphy and Somnofy assessed akathisia and sleep.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Blue Cross, Clinic Lade; 🇳🇴 Trondheim, Norway

Blue Cross, Clinic Lade

🇳🇴Trondheim, Norway

Tone Aurora Pleym

Site contact

73848500

post@ladebs.no