Posttraumatic Stress DisorderPhase 4NCT03997864
Administration of Prazosin to Prevent PTSD in Adult Women After Sexual Assault
A Phase 4 study testing Prazosin in people with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, run by University of Colorado, Denver at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
This study plans to learn more about whether taking the medication, Prazosin, immediately and during the weeks immediately following a traumatic event can help to reduce the risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Early post traumatic event sleep disturbance predicts the later development of PTSD. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 50 years, women only
- Conditions the study is for
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
- What is being tested?
- Prazosin
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 0 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 23 Feb 2020to 20 Aug 2021
- Phase
- Phase 4
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
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 50 years
- Women only
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Female patients between the ages of 18 years and 50 years
- Victim of sexual assault/rape
- Able to understand consent procedure
- Discharged to home
Who cannot join
- Admitted to inpatient unit
- Previous diagnosis of PTSD
- Contra-indications to prazosin: orthostatic hypotension, right heart failure, use of anti-hypertensive medication, 5-phosphodiesterase inhibitors (sildenafil) or diuretic, history of syncope or severe unexplained faintness, known hypersensitivity to quinazolines
- Hemodynamically unstable
- Current use of over the counter, prescribed, or use of other drugs for insomnia
- Dependence on alcohol, opiates or other illegal drugs
Show all 15Show fewer
- History of psychotic disorder
- Suicidal risk defined by a positive response on the 3-item assessment, standard protocol in the ED
- Current use of morphine or methadone
- Pregnant or breastfeeding
- Known hepatic dysfunction
- Cardiac or vascular history including coronary artery disease
- Narcolepsy
- History of sleep apnea
- Returning to chronic domestic abuse situation
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Administration of Prazosin to Prevent PTSD After Sexual Assault
This study plans to learn more about whether taking the medication, Prazosin, immediately and during the weeks immediately following a traumatic event can help to reduce the risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Early post traumatic event sleep disturbance predicts the later development of PTSD. Prazosin has shown some effectiveness in reducing trauma related nightmares and sleep disturbance. We hypothesize that regulating sleep immediately after a sexual assault will reduce PTSD and diminish symptoms.
Read the detailed description
This study plans to learn more about whether taking the medication, Prazosin, in the weeks immediately following a traumatic event can help to reduce the risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Specific Aim 1: Test the efficacy of the drug prazosin in decreasing PTSD symptom severity as compared to placebo at 3 months post rape as measured by the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale version 5 (CAPS-5, primary outcome) as well as associated secondary outcomes (PTSD diagnosis rate, sleep scores, and depression symptoms) at 3 months.
Hypotheses:
1a: Severity score on the CAPS-5 will be significantly lower in rape victims randomized to receive prazosin within 24 hours of at the University of Colorado Hospital (UCH) Emergency Department and continue on a titrated dose for one month compared to the control group at 3 months post rape. Secondarily, PTSD diagnosis rate will be lower in the prazosin group versus the control group at 3 months.
1b: Participants randomized to receive prazosin will have better sleep scores as measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and PSQI Trauma addendum at 3 months post rape as compared to the control group.
1c: Severity scores for major depressive symptoms as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) will be significantly lower in rape victims randomized to receive prazosin as compared to the control group at 3 months post rape.
1d: Sleep scores as measured by the PSQI and PSQI Trauma addendum will be positively correlated with PTSD symptom severity as measured by the CAPS-5 such that higher (worse) sleep scores are associated with more PTSD symptoms.
Rationale: Many studies have shown that sleep disturbances and nightmares that occur directly after a traumatic event are a good predictor of the development of PTSD. Prazosin has been shown to improve PTSD-related sleep disturbance, including nightmares. If prazosin can effectively treat sleep disturbance in the weeks immediately following a traumatic experience and decrease the rate of PTSD and the severity of symptoms, then it could possibly become the standard of care for individuals exposed to a traumatizing event.
Brief overview of methods: Females between the ages of 18 and 50 years will be recruited directly from the ED at University of Colorado Hospital with the assistance of the Forensic Nurse Examiners. Those who elect to take part in this study and complete the informed consent process will be randomized to receive either prazosin or placebo. This is a double-blind study, so neither the participant nor the study doctor/team will know whether a participant is in the treatment (prazosin) or control (placebo) group. Participants will receive three 2mg tabs and three 1mg tbs for titration purposes (prazosin or placebo equivalent) before they leave the hospital, with instructions to take the first dose (2 mg) 1 hour before bed, the first night after being seen in the ED. Study staff will follow up the next day to inquire about the participant's general condition, possible side-effects, sleep, and to schedule the first study visit (at ~72 hours after treatment in ED). PTSD and posttraumatic stress symptoms, symptoms of depression, suicidality, medication compliance, side-effects and adverse events will be monitored and assessed by study personnel at weekly study visits for the duration of the med trial (~6 weeks; 3 weeks on medication and 2-3 weeks of tapering off of medication) and again at 3-months post. However, participants will be instructed to report any changes or concerns as needed. Each participant will also complete a daily sleep log for the duration of their participation in the study.
- Conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
- Being tested
- Prazosin, Placebos
- Keywords
- Sexual Assault, Trauma, prevention
- Medical subject headings
- Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Wounds and Injuries
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
PrazosinDrug
Also called Minipress
Starting dose: 2mg at HS. Maximum dose: 15 mg at HS. Dosage will be increased 1 mg every 3 days until sleep is improved, max dose is reached, or side effects are problematic.
Tapering Decrease prazosin 1 mg every 3 days or 3 mgs per week until off completely. Tapering will take approximately 2-3 weeks.
PlacebosDrug
Starting dose: 2mg at HS. Maximum dose: 15 mg at HS. Dosage will be increased 1 mg every 3 days until sleep is improved max dose is reached, or side effects are problematic.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Treatment - prazosin | Active comparator | Participants randomized to this group will receive the medication prazosin. Receives: Drug: Prazosin |
| Control - placebo | Placebo comparator | Participants randomized to this group will receive placebo . Receives: Drug: Placebos |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in PTSD symptoms and severity - Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale - 5 (CAPS-5)
Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale-5 (CAPS-5) - Past Month \& Past Week. The CAPS is the gold standard in PTSD assessment and the total score will serve as the primary outcome. The CAPS-5 is a 30-item structured interview to make a current (past month) diagnosis of PTSD, a lifetime diagnosis of PTSD, and assess PTSD symptoms over the past week. The full interview takes 45-60 minutes to administer and will be given at baseline, at approximately 31 days post event, and at three months.
Measured: The full interview takes 45-60 minutes to administer and will be given at baseline, at approximately 31 days post event, and at three months.
Secondary outcomes (3)
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)
The PSQI is a 19-item self-report questionnaire that assesses sleep quality over a 1-month interval. The questionnaire takes 10-15 minutes to complete. Total score from PSQI will be a secondary outcome of sleep with higher score indicating poorer sleep quality.
Measured: The PSQI will be completed weekly through study completion (average three months).
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index - Trauma Addendum (PSQI-A)
The PSQI-A is a 7-item self-report questionnaire administered in conjunction with PSQI to examine the frequency of seven disruptive nocturnal behaviors common to PTSD among adults. Total score on PSQI-A will be a secondary outcome of trauma-associated sleep issues.
Measured: The PSQI-A will be completed weekly through study completion (average three months).
Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)
The PHQ-9 is a 10-item self-report questionnaire used in screening, diagnosing, monitoring, and measuring the severity of depression. Using an independent structured mental health professional interview as the criterion standard, a PHQ-9 score of 10 or more corresponded to good sensitivity and specificity (both 88%) for major depression.33 Total score will be a secondary outcome of depression symptom severity and score >=10 will be used to indicate major depression at 3 months.
Measured: It takes about five minutes to complete and will be assessed weekly for the first seven weeks of participation and at three months/study completion (at each study visit).
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted25 Jun 2019
- Study start23 Feb 2020
- Primary completion20 Aug 2021
- Study completion20 Aug 2021
Why it stopped: COVID recruitment issues
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (2)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Posttraumatic Stress DisorderStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of Colorado, DenverThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
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 4
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Participants in this study will include 40 adult females who complete consent (20 per arm), ages 18-50 years, who are evaluated and treated at the University of Colorado Hospital after an alleged sexual assault on their person. Randomization will be completed by the pharmacy and study condition (prazosin/treatment vs. placebo/control) masked throughout the data collection portion of the study. Participants will attend weekly visits during the 3-week medication trial and 2-3 week tapering off of medication, followed regular check-in phone calls with study staff between stopping the medication and the follow-up assessments at the final study visit (approx. 3 moths post study enrollment).
- Masking
- Quadruple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 0 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Colorado, Denver
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03997864
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 19-0733
- Status last verified
- May 2025
- First submitted
- 20 Jun 2019
- Last updated
- 23 May 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- Yes
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Bertolini F, Robertson L, Bisson JI, Meader N, Churchill R, Ostuzzi G, Stein DJ, Williams T, Barbui C. Early pharmacological interventions for prevention of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in individuals experiencing acute traumatic stress symptoms. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2024 May 20;5(5):CD013613. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013613.pub2.
PubMed 38767196Bertolini F, Robertson L, Bisson JI, Meader N, Churchill R, Ostuzzi G, Stein DJ, Williams T, Barbui C. Early pharmacological interventions for universal prevention of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2022 Feb 10;2(2):CD013443. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013443.pub2.
PubMed 35141873
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 23 May 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Administration of Prazosin to Prevent PTSD After Sexual Assault
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03997864
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 19-0733
- Conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
- Keywords
- Sexual Assault, Trauma, prevention
- Phase
- Phase 4
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- WithdrawnReason stopped: COVID recruitment issues
- Enrolment
- 0 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of Colorado, DenverUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 23 Feb 2020 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 20 Aug 2021 (actual)
- Study completion
- 20 Aug 2021 (actual)
- First posted
- 25 Jun 2019 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study plans to learn more about whether taking the medication, Prazosin, immediately and during the weeks immediately following a traumatic event can help to reduce the risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Early post traumatic event sleep disturbance predicts the later development of PTSD. Prazosin has shown some effectiveness in reducing trauma related nightmares and sleep disturbance. We hypothesize that regulating sleep immediately after a sexual assault will reduce PTSD and diminish symptoms.
Detailed description
This study plans to learn more about whether taking the medication, Prazosin, in the weeks immediately following a traumatic event can help to reduce the risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Specific Aim 1: Test the efficacy of the drug prazosin in decreasing PTSD symptom severity as compared to placebo at 3 months post rape as measured by the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale version 5 (CAPS-5, primary outcome) as well as associated secondary outcomes (PTSD diagnosis rate, sleep scores, and depression symptoms) at 3 months.
Hypotheses:
1a: Severity score on the CAPS-5 will be significantly lower in rape victims randomized to receive prazosin within 24 hours of at the University of Colorado Hospital (UCH) Emergency Department and continue on a titrated dose for one month compared to the control group at 3 months post rape. Secondarily, PTSD diagnosis rate will be lower in the prazosin group versus the control group at 3 months.
1b: Participants randomized to receive prazosin will have better sleep scores as measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and PSQI Trauma addendum at 3 months post rape as compared to the control group.
1c: Severity scores for major depressive symptoms as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) will be significantly lower in rape victims randomized to receive prazosin as compared to the control group at 3 months post rape.
1d: Sleep scores as measured by the PSQI and PSQI Trauma addendum will be positively correlated with PTSD symptom severity as measured by the CAPS-5 such that higher (worse) sleep scores are associated with more PTSD symptoms.
Rationale: Many studies have shown that sleep disturbances and nightmares that occur directly after a traumatic event are a good predictor of the development of PTSD. Prazosin has been shown to improve PTSD-related sleep disturbance, including nightmares. If prazosin can effectively treat sleep disturbance in the weeks immediately following a traumatic experience and decrease the rate of PTSD and the severity of symptoms, then it could possibly become the standard of care for individuals exposed to a traumatizing event.
Brief overview of methods: Females between the ages of 18 and 50 years will be recruited directly from the ED at University of Colorado Hospital with the assistance of the Forensic Nurse Examiners. Those who elect to take part in this study and complete the informed consent process will be randomized to receive either prazosin or placebo. This is a double-blind study, so neither the participant nor the study doctor/team will know whether a participant is in the treatment (prazosin) or control (placebo) group. Participants will receive three 2mg tabs and three 1mg tbs for titration purposes (prazosin or placebo equivalent) before they leave the hospital, with instructions to take the first dose (2 mg) 1 hour before bed, the first night after being seen in the ED. Study staff will follow up the next day to inquire about the participant's general condition, possible side-effects, sleep, and to schedule the first study visit (at ~72 hours after treatment in ED). PTSD and posttraumatic stress symptoms, symptoms of depression, suicidality, medication compliance, side-effects and adverse events will be monitored and assessed by study personnel at weekly study visits for the duration of the med trial (~6 weeks; 3 weeks on medication and 2-3 weeks of tapering off of medication) and again at 3-months post. However, participants will be instructed to report any changes or concerns as needed. Each participant will also complete a daily sleep log for the duration of their participation in the study.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Quadruple blind (participant, care provider, investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Participants in this study will include 40 adult females who complete consent (20 per arm), ages 18-50 years, who are evaluated and treated at the University of Colorado Hospital after an alleged sexual assault on their person. Randomization will be completed by the pharmacy and study condition (prazosin/treatment vs. placebo/control) masked throughout the data collection portion of the study. Participants will attend weekly visits during the 3-week medication trial and 2-3 week tapering off of medication, followed regular check-in phone calls with study staff between stopping the medication and the follow-up assessments at the final study visit (approx. 3 moths post study enrollment).
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Treatment - prazosin | Active comparator | Drug: PrazosinParticipants randomized to this group will receive the medication prazosin. |
| Control - placebo | Placebo comparator | Drug: PlacebosParticipants randomized to this group will receive placebo . |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 50 years
- Sex
- Female only
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Female patients between the ages of 18 years and 50 years
- Victim of sexual assault/rape
- Able to understand consent procedure
- Discharged to home
Key exclusion criteria (15 listed)
- Admitted to inpatient unit
- Previous diagnosis of PTSD
- Contra-indications to prazosin: orthostatic hypotension, right heart failure, use of anti-hypertensive medication, 5-phosphodiesterase inhibitors (sildenafil) or diuretic, history of syncope or severe unexplained faintness, known hypersensitivity to quinazolines
- Hemodynamically unstable
- Current use of over the counter, prescribed, or use of other drugs for insomnia
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| PrazosinAlso: MinipressStarting dose: 2mg at HS. Maximum dose: 15 mg at HS. Dosage will be increased 1 mg every 3 days until sleep is improved, max dose is reached, or side effects are problematic. Tapering Decrease prazosin 1 mg every 3 days or 3 mgs per week until off completely. Tapering will take approximately 2-3 weeks. | Drug | Treatment - prazosin |
| PlacebosStarting dose: 2mg at HS. Maximum dose: 15 mg at HS. Dosage will be increased 1 mg every 3 days until sleep is improved max dose is reached, or side effects are problematic. | Drug | Control - placebo |
Primary outcome
Change in PTSD symptoms and severity - Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale - 5 (CAPS-5)
Time frame: The full interview takes 45-60 minutes to administer and will be given at baseline, at approximately 31 days post event, and at three months.
Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale-5 (CAPS-5) - Past Month \& Past Week. The CAPS is the gold standard in PTSD assessment and the total score will serve as the primary outcome. The CAPS-5 is a 30-item structured interview to make a current (past month) diagnosis of PTSD, a lifetime diagnosis of PTSD, and assess PTSD symptoms over the past week. The full interview takes 45-60 minutes to administer and will be given at baseline, at approximately 31 days post event, and at three months.
3 secondary outcomes
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)
Time frame: The PSQI will be completed weekly through study completion (average three months).
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index - Trauma Addendum (PSQI-A)
Time frame: The PSQI-A will be completed weekly through study completion (average three months).
Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)
Time frame: It takes about five minutes to complete and will be assessed weekly for the first seven weeks of participation and at three months/study completion (at each study visit).
Results and safety
The study was withdrawn before enrolling participants, so there are no results.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 23 May 2025.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 38767196Bertolini F, Robertson L, Bisson JI, Meader N, Churchill R, Ostuzzi G, Stein DJ, Williams T, Barbui C. Early pharmacological interventions for prevention of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in individuals experiencing acute traumatic stress symptoms. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2024 May 20;5(5):CD013613. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013613.pub2.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 35141873Bertolini F, Robertson L, Bisson JI, Meader N, Churchill R, Ostuzzi G, Stein DJ, Williams T, Barbui C. Early pharmacological interventions for universal prevention of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2022 Feb 10;2(2):CD013443. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013443.pub2.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
Related trials for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Recruiting
NightWare and Cardiovascular Health in Women With PTSD
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Cardiovascular Diseases
Not yet recruiting
A Transdiagnostic Sleep Health Intervention for Veterans With PTSD
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
Not yet recruitingPhase 3
Women Who Are Victims of Violence: Treatment of PTSD Through Reactivation of Traumatic Memories Using Propranolol
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD
Recruiting
Advancing Skills Through Consultation, Education, and Novel Technologies
PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
RecruitingPhase 2/3
Redefine Study: A Study Evaluating the Efficacy, Safety, and Tolerability of COMP360 in Participants With Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A Phase 4 study testing Prazosin in people with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, run by University of Colorado, Denver at 1 site in United States.
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 4 inclusion and 15 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: withdrawn, as of the sponsor's last update on 23 May 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. 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.
What does this phase mean?
Phase 4 studies take place after a treatment is approved, to learn more about its long-term benefits and risks in everyday use.
Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.
Are results available for this study?
The study was withdrawn before enrolling participants, so there are no results.
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?
Change in PTSD symptoms and severity - Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale - 5 (CAPS-5) (time frame: The full interview takes 45-60 minutes to administer and will be given at baseline, at approximately 31 days post event, and at three months.). 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 NCT03997864, which also lists 2 linked publications.
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 23 May 2025.