Effect of Antidepressants on Back Pain

Completed · Phase 2

Conditions studied: Back Pain, Sciatica

In brief

The purpose of this study is to determine whether different types of antidepressant medicines relieve back pain that has lasted at least six months on a daily basis. Study participants will be assigned to treatment with either a antidepressant acting on the serotonin system in the brain (fluoxetine), one acting on the noradrenaline system (desipramine, or to a control medication not expected to relieve pain (benztropine). Each participant will be seen at least nine times during their 12 weeks on medication. This is a phase 2/3, outpatient study.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT00018200

Run by

US Department of Veterans Affairs

People needed

130

Starts

1999-04-01

Expected to finish

2004-03-01

Last updated by the study team

2012-06-05

Who can join

Age: 21 and older, up to 65. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Chronic back pain (pain on a daily basis for six months or longer)
• Age 18-65
• No major medical illness

You may not qualify if…

• medical contraindication to tricyclic antidepressants
• recent alcohol or substance use disorder
• bipolar disorder

Where it is running

• VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego — San Diego, California, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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