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Clinical Trials/NCT07550881
NCT07550881
Not yet recruiting
Phase 2

A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial Evaluating the Efficacy and Safety of Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride Nasal Spray for the Treatment of Acute Anxiety States in Adults

Tongji University0 sites150 target enrollmentStarted: April 30, 2026Last updated:

Overview

Phase
Phase 2
Status
Not yet recruiting
Sponsor
Tongji University
Enrollment
150
Primary Endpoint
Proportion of patients with a CGI-I score≤ 2.

Overview

Brief Summary

This study employs a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial design to evaluate the efficacy and safety of dexmedetomidine hydrochloride nasal spray in the treatment of acute anxiety in adults.

Study Protocol: Patients meeting the criteria for acute anxiety who provided informed consent and met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to the placebo group or the study drug group and entered the double-blind study. Upon enrollment, baseline assessments were conducted to evaluate the number of accompanying symptoms, subjective anxiety severity (NRS), STAI-S-6, CGI-S, and RASS. Immediately following these assessments, patients received a nasal spray of 30 μg of dexmedetomidine or an equal-volume placebo; the time of administration was recorded as 0 minutes. At 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 minutes post-administration, the NRS for subjective anxiety severity, CGI-S, and CGI-I were assessed. The count of accompanying symptoms, STAI-S-6, and RASS were re-assessed only at 15, 30, and 120 minutes post-administration. In addition, vital signs (heart rate, oxygen saturation, and blood pressure) were assessed and recorded at baseline (prior to administration) and at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 minutes post-administration. Venous blood samples were collected prior to administration and 90-120 minutes post-administration to measure biological markers. Adverse events were monitored during a 7-day follow-up period after treatment.

Study Design

Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention Model
Parallel
Primary Purpose
Treatment
Masking
Quadruple (Participant, Care Provider, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Masking Description

multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group superiority study

Eligibility Criteria

Ages
18 Years to 65 Years (Adult, Older Adult)
Sex
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No

Inclusion Criteria

  • No gender restrictions; during screening: age must be between 18 and 65 years;
  • Meet the criteria for acute anxiety, defined as subjective anxiety or worry accompanied by at least four associated symptoms, with a CGI-S score of ≥4;
  • Voluntarily participate in this study and sign an informed consent form.

Exclusion Criteria

  • 1\. Acute anxiety states caused by other psychoactive substances; history of abuse of psychotropic or anesthetic drugs;
  • Use of sedative-hypnotic drugs at the time of enrollment and still in the washout period;
  • Use of alpha-adrenergic agonists (e.g., norepinephrine, methoxamine, methoxamine hydrochloride, epinephrine, clonidine hydrochloride tablets, midodrine hydrochloride tablets, etc.) or beta-blockers (e.g., metoprolol, etc.) within the past 12 hours;
  • Patients with allergies to the active ingredients or components of the study drugs (e.g., dexmedetomidine) or those with a history of three or more allergic reactions to various allergens;
  • Endocrine system disorders, such as hypoglycemia, pheochromocytoma, hyperthyroidism, or hypothyroidism;
  • Cardiovascular diseases, including myocardial infarction or unstable angina within the 6 months prior to screening; heart rate \<60 beats per minute during screening; History of severe arrhythmias, such as second-degree type II atrioventricular block or higher; poorly controlled blood pressure (hypertension: systolic blood pressure ≥180 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥110 mmHg, or hypotension: systolic blood pressure \<90 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≤50 mmHg);
  • Cerebrovascular diseases, such as a history of ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack;
  • Respiratory diseases, such as asthma, pulmonary embolism, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or pneumonia; history of difficult airway management or assessed potential risk, such as obstructive sleep apnea syndrome or asthma;
  • History of severe hepatic or renal insufficiency;
  • History of epilepsy;

Arms & Interventions

Placebo Group

Placebo Comparator

Equal-volume placebo (normal saline) administered intranasally, one spray per nostril

Intervention: Dexmedetomidine (Drug)

Dexmedetomidine Group

Active Comparator

30 μg (one spray of 15 μg per nostril) administered intranasally. Completed within 2 minutes

Intervention: Dexmedetomidine (Drug)

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Proportion of patients with a CGI-I score≤ 2.

Time Frame: 15 minutes post-administration

The Clinical Global Impression - Improvement (CGI-I) scale is used to assess how much the patient's illness has improved or worsened relative to a baseline state. A score of 1 (Very Much Improved) or 2 (Much Improved) indicates a significant clinical response

Secondary Outcomes

  • Proportion of patients with a CGI-I score≤ 2 at multiple time points(30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 minutes post-administration)
  • Change in Clinical Global Impression - Severity (CGI-S) scores(Baseline and at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 minutes post-administration)
  • Change in STAI-S-6 scale scores(Baseline and at 15, 30, and 120 minutes post-administration)
  • Change from baseline in the count of concomitant symptoms(Baseline and at 15, 30, and 120 minutes post-administration.)
  • Change from baseline in the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) score for subjective anxiety severity(Baseline and at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 minutes post-administration)
  • Change from baseline in the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS) score(Baseline and at 15, 30, and 120 minutes post-administration)
  • Change from baseline in heart rate(Baseline and at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 minutes post-administration)
  • Change from baseline in systolic and diastolic blood pressure(Baseline and at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 minutes post-administration)

Investigators

Sponsor
Tongji University
Sponsor Class
Other
Responsible Party
Principal Investigator
Principal Investigator

Yuan Shen

MD., Ph.D.

Tongji University

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