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Seasonal Affective DisorderNCT00139997

Environmental Treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

A study testing Litebook treatment devices and Inactivated negative ion generator in people with Seasonal Affective Disorder, run by Yale University at 5 sites in 3 countries.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

The purpose is to study treatments of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 65 years
Conditions the study is for
Seasonal Affective Disorder
What is being tested?
Litebook treatment devices and Inactivated negative ion generator
Type of treatment
Medical device
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
26 participants
Where
5 sitesin 3 countries
Study dates
Jan 2002to Aug 2005
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 65 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Subjects meet DSM-IV criteria for major depressive episodes with a seasonal pattern, winter type.

Who cannot join

  • Significant suicidal risk
  • Serious medical illness
  • Pregnancy
  • Other DSM-IV diagnoses
  • Taking mood altering medication
  • May not travel to a sunny destination during study

Trial locations and contacts

5 sites in 3 countries.

5 sites in 3 countries

Canada3 sites
  • Douglas Hospital Research Centre

    Montreal, Quebec, H4H 1R3

  • Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, , Ontario, K1Z 7K4 Canada

    Ottawa, Ontario, K1Z 7K4

  • University of British Columbia

    Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 2A1

Other trials in Canada

United States1 site
  • Yale University School of Medicine

    New Haven, Connecticut, 06504

Other trials in United States

Netherlands1 site
  • University Medical Center Groningen

    Groningen, RB, 9700

Other trials in Netherlands

About this study

Official title: A Multicenter, Randomized Controlled Trial of Negative Ion Generation Versus Light-Emitting Diode Phototherapy For Seasonal Affective Disorder

The purpose is to study treatments of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

Read the detailed description

This is a multicenter, randomized controlled trial of negative ion generation versus light-emitting diode phototherapy for seasonal affective disorder. Participants appropriate for the study are subjects with a DSM IV diagnosis of Major Depression, with seasonal pattern, winter type. Subjects were seen at Yale University,New Haven,CT University of British Columbia,Vancouver,BC Groningen University Hospital,Groningen, The Netherlands, Royal Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa,Ontario, McGill University, Montreal,Quebec, University Hospital,Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The trial is 4 weeks in duration.

This trial has now been completed.

Being tested
Litebook treatment devices, Inactivated negative ion generator
Keywords
Major Depression, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Medical subject headings
Seasonal Affective Disorder, Depressive Disorder, Major

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Litebook treatment devicesDevice

    Litebook LED phototherapy device used for 30 min before 8 am

  • Inactivated negative ion generatorDevice

    Equivalent exposure to inactivated negative ion generator

Study groups in NCT00139997
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
LED phototherapy deviceExperimentalLitebook treatment devices: LED phototherapy device, used for 30 min before 8 am
Receives: Device: Litebook treatment devices
Inactivated Negative Ion GeneratorPlacebo comparatorEquivalent exposure to inactivated negative ion generator
Receives: Device: Inactivated negative ion generator

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Percentage SIGH SAD (Structured Interview Guide For The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale), SAD Version

    SIGH SAD Structured Interview Guide for the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)version. The items are augmented with additional items to reflect better the atypical depressive symptoms usually seen in SAD, eg, increased sleep, weight, appetite and fatigue. On this scale, higher scores reflect increased depression intensity. The maximum score attainable is 63, and the minimum is 0. A score of less than 9 is regarded as consistent with normal mood, the absence of major depression.

    Calculated: SIGH SAD score at trial end x 100 / SIGH SAD score at randomization

    Measured: Week 4

Secondary outcomes (1)
  1. SIGH SAD (Structured Interview Guide For The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale), SAD Version

    SIGH SAD Structured Interview Guide for the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, SIGH SAD Structured Interview Guide for the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)version. This is a structured interview, which is an interview in which the clinician is provided exact questions to use to inquire about symptoms of depression and explicit standards for rating the intensity of each symptom item. The interview assesses the symptoms which make up the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, which is the standard in the majority of clinical trials in depression. The items are augmented with additional items to reflect better the atypical depressive symptoms usually seen in SAD, eg, increased sleep, weight, appetite and fatigue. On this scale, higher scores reflect increased depression intensity. The maximum score attainable is 63, and the minimum is 0. A score of less than 9 is regarded as consistent with normal mood, the absence of major depression.

    Measured: Weekly following randomization

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted31 Aug 2005 (estimated)
  2. Study startJan 2002
  3. Primary completionAug 2005
  4. Study completionAug 2005

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Quadruple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
26 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT00139997
Sponsor's protocol ID
22,777
Other IDs
22,777
Status last verified
Jan 2013
First submitted
29 Aug 2005
Last updated
6 Mar 2013
Data monitoring committee
No

Publications

  • Desan PH, Weinstein AJ, Michalak EE, Tam EM, Meesters Y, Ruiter MJ, Horn E, Telner J, Iskandar H, Boivin DB, Lam RW. A controlled trial of the Litebook light-emitting diode (LED) light therapy device for treatment of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). BMC Psychiatry. 2007 Aug 7;7:38. doi: 10.1186/1471-244X-7-38.

    PubMed 17683643

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Litebook treatment devices and Inactivated negative ion generator in people with Seasonal Affective Disorder, run by Yale University at 5 sites in 3 countries.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 6 Mar 2013. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 5 sites in Canada, United States, Netherlands. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 6 Mar 2013). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Percentage SIGH SAD (Structured Interview Guide For The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale), SAD Version (time frame: Week 4). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT00139997, which also lists 1 linked publication.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 6 Mar 2013; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 7 Nov 2026.

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