Predicting Responses to PTSD Treatment With Iris and Cardiovascular Tests (NCT03539614)
🩺 Plain-English Summary (8th-Grade Level)
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects many individuals who experience a traumatic event. There are a variety of treatment options for PTSD, including psychotherapy (talk therapy) options, as well as medications, such as the drug prazosin. Each of the treatment options available is effective at significantly reducing the symptoms of PTSD in some, but not all, individuals with PTSD. However, investigators are not yet able to predict in advance who is likely to respond to which of the available treatments. Neither are the investigators able to explain what changes in the brain after exposure to a traumatic stressors, and why it results in persistent symptoms of PTSD for some people, but not for others. In this study, the investigators are testing two things: First, is testing whether two simple, easy tests of how an individual's blood pressure changes with standing and how an individual's eye reacts to a pulse of light may be able to predict whether that person is likely to respond to the medication prazosin for PTSD. Second, is testing whether those who have been exposed to a traumatic stress show differences in how their body regulates the response to the stress-signal noradrenaline.
Who can join: To join this study, participants generally need to meet the listed inclusion criteria (3 items) and avoid the listed exclusions (16 items).
Location: VA Puget Sound Health Care System Seattle Division, Seattle, WA — Seattle, Washington
📋 "Do I Qualify?" — 1-Minute Self Screener
Instant ChecklistCheck every box below. If you can check all of them, you may meet the study's basic screening requirements (final eligibility is confirmed by the site team).
Usually NOT eligible if any of the following apply:
- Exclusion Criteria:
- Psychiatric:
- Any known diagnosis of a primary psychotic or major neurocognitive disorder, including schizophrenia, brief psychotic disorder, or Alzheimer's or other dementia, as well as bipolar type I
- Severe psychiatric instability or severe situational life crises, including evidence of being actively suicidal or homicidal, or any behavior which poses an immediate danger to participant or others.
- Note: Nonsuicidal depression comorbid with PTSD will not be exclusionary. Participants may continue in any concurrent psychotherapy or pharmacotherapy in which they are participating, other than pharmacotherapeutic agents specifically listed above. Participants with active suicidal ideation or with depression severe enough to require psychiatric hospitalization will be excluded.
- Medical:
- Significant bilateral visual loss (would preclude performing the PLR measurements)
- Current pregnancy or lactation
- Allergy or previous adverse reaction to prazosin or other alpha-1 antagonist
- Acute or unstable chronic medical illness, including unstable angina, recent myocardial infarction (within 6 months), congestive heart failure, preexisting hypotension (systolic \<110) or orthostatic hypotension (systolic drop \> 20mmHg after two minutes standing or any drop accompanied by dizziness); autoimmune disorders; insulin-dependent diabetes
- Chronic renal or hepatic failure, acute pancreatitis, Meniere's disease, benign positional vertigo, or narcolepsy
- Medication / treatment:
🔍 Extracted verbatim from the official NIH eligibility criteria. Always confirm with the study coordinator.
📍 All Participating Trial Locations (1 Sites)
- VA Puget Sound Health Care System Seattle Division, Seattle, WA — Seattle, Washington
💰 Cost, Insurance & Patient Rights
- 100% Free Items: The investigational treatment and protocol-required procedures are supplied at zero cost by the sponsor.
- Routine Patient Care: Under federal law (ACA § 2709) and many state statutes, routine care costs are covered during participation.
- Voluntary Participation: You may withdraw at any time without affecting your standard medical care.