NCT03152175

Posttraumatic Stress Disorders in Police, Correctional Service Officers, and 911 Operators

Post-traumatic Stress Disorders in Police, Correctional Service Officers, and 911 Operators: A Cost-effectiveness and Efficacy Comparison of Treatment as Usual and a Novel Intervention

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: Phase 2
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 64 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Douglas Mental Health University Institute · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Police officers, correctional service officers, and 911-operators are at increased risk for suffering from trauma-related disorders due to their direct and indirect exposure to life-threatening events, such as shootings, violent assaults, or car accidents, among others. Typical treatments for post-traumatic stress disorders include psychotherapy and pharmacological therapies (i.e., antidepressants). Although these interventions are effective for many sufferers, they all have limitations. Thus, the investigators propose to explore the usefulness of a new therapeutic technique, reconsolidation blockade, which involves reactivating the trauma memory while under the influence of propranolol. Objectives and hypotheses: To explore the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of reconsolidation blockade therapy as an adjunct treatment for trauma- and stressor-related disorders as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Mental Disorders-5. The investigators hypothesize that, compared to the control group, 5 weekly trauma-memory reactivations under propranolol treatment will confer a significant reduction in trauma-related symptoms and significantly more health-related economic benefits. Stress symptoms and health-related costs will be assessed at 7, 26 and 52 weeks after study inclusion. In this study, the investigators will also explore the effects of reconsolidation blockade with propranolol on various neuropsychological functions.

Conditions

• Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders
• Post-traumatic Stress Disorders
• Adjustment Disorders
• Acute Stress Disorder

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DRUG	Propranolol Hydrochloride	1mg / kg of propranolol hydrochloride, oral capsule
DRUG	Placebo	1mg / kg of matched placebo, oral capsule

Timeline

• Start date: 2017-03-30
• Primary completion: 2022-03-01
• Completion: 2023-03-01
• First posted: 2017-05-12
• Last updated: 2021-06-18

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Canada