MedPath

Treatment of Non-Cardiac Chest Pain With Imipramine or Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Phase 3
Completed
Conditions
Chest Pain
Registration Number
NCT00005575
Lead Sponsor
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Brief Summary

Approximately 75,000-150,000 patients each year in the United States undergo intensive cardiac evaluations for symptoms of angina-like chest pain that produce no positive findings. These patients often have high levels of disability and suffering and account for $250,000,000-$500,000,000 in estimated health care costs each year. There is some evidence from randomized, controlled trials that a pharmacologic agent, imipramine, and a program of training in pain coping skills and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) both produce short-term reductions in pain intensity. However, no studies have compared the effects of these two treatments on measures of pain, suffering, and disability at post-treatment and over a one-year follow-up period.

Our investigation is a 16-week, randomized controlled outcome study of these interventions and their respective placebo control procedures. One hundred and sixty patients are being recruited for this study. We will assess the effects of our interventions on patients' pain levels, quality of life, and health care resource usage at baseline, post-treatment, 6-month follow-up, and at 12-month follow-up. We will evaluate the clinical significance of our treatment effects as well as their statistical significance.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
Not specified
Inclusion Criteria
  • Substernal chest pain at least 2X per week for at least 3 months;
  • Angiographic evidence of normal or non-obstructive (<50% luminal diameter narrowing) coronary arteries among subjects > 40 years of age; OR Normal exercise stress tests, normal echocardiogram, and cardiologist evaluation that symptoms are not cardiac in origin among subjects < 40 years of age;
  • Gastroesophageal reflux disease ruled out by 24-hour pH monitoring, endoscopy, or 1-month trial of anti-reflux therapy with omeprazole 20 mg bid;
  • Pain threshold levels for esophageal balloon distention must be 12 ml.
Exclusion Criteria
  • Mitral valve prolapse

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
Not specified
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Alabama at Birmingham

🇺🇸

Birmingham, Alabama, United States

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