By age 18, roughly 8% of traumatized youth have met criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD, with numbers rising up to 40% in cases of sexual abuse and assault. To date there is no empirical support for the use of psychopharmacological interventions as treatment of pediatric PTSD. Trauma-focused psychotherapeutic/TFP approaches should be favored in childhood PTSD. However, when compared to active control conditions, TFP produced a mean effect size on child and adolescents population (g=0.83). Moreover, in therapies with a substantial exposure component, the intense and lengthy reexperiencing of the traumatic event results in a substantial proportion of participants dropping out. The reactivation of a previously consolidated memory can make it labile, subsequently requiring a re-stabilization of it called reconsolidation of the memory. Acting on these reconsolidation processes makes possible to interfere with the subsequent storage of this memory.
By age 18, roughly 8% of traumatized youth have met criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD, with numbers rising up to 40% in cases of sexual abuse and assault. To date there is no empirical support for the use of psychopharmacological interventions as treatment of pediatric PTSD. Trauma-focused psychotherapeutic/TFP approaches should be favored in childhood PTSD. However, when compared to active control conditions, TFP produced a mean effect size on child and adolescents population (g=0.83). Moreover, in therapies with a substantial exposure component, the intense and lengthy reexperiencing of the traumatic event results in a substantial proportion of participants dropping out. The reactivation of a previously consolidated memory can make it labile, subsequently requiring a re-stabilization of it called reconsolidation of the memory. Acting on these reconsolidation processes makes possible to interfere with the subsequent storage of this memory. The combination of the targeted reactivation of the traumatic memory and the intake of an agent that decreases the reconsolidation can thus disrupt the recall of unwanted memories and thus serve as a treatment for people suffering from traumatic memories, such as in PTSD. Since stimulation of β-noradrenergic receptors facilitates the consolidation of memories as well as their re-consolidation, an antagonist of these receptors, propranolol, has generated considerable interest as a treatment to alleviate emotional and traumatic memories in individuals with PTSD. In adults diagnosed with long-standing PTSD two 6-week, double-blind, placebocontrolled, randomised clinical trials, one in 60 subjects and the other in 67 have shown promising results. PTSD participants who actively recalled their traumatic event under the influence of propranolol once a week for up to 6 weeks showed a substantial decrease in symptom ratings compared with placebo. Thus, all of this data led the team to propose a comparable design study in children with PTSD
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
92
Child will receive oral propranolol (syrup). The dose of propranolol will increase gradually over the first 3 treatment sessions in order to assess tolerance.
Child will receive oral placebo (syrup). The dose of placebo will increase gradually over the first 3 treatment sessions in order to match propranolol intervention.
90 minutes after the propranolol take, a trained psychologist will ask the child to recount his trauma.
Toulouse University Hospital
Toulouse, France
RECRUITINGChild Post-Traumatic Stress Reaction Index/CPTS-RI
The main evaluation criterion will be the difference between the Child Post-Traumatic Stress Reaction Index/CPTS-RI total score administered at week 8 and week 0. The CPTS-RI is a scale comprised of 20 Likert-type items, intended for children from 6 to 16 years, which evaluates the symptoms of PTSD after exposure to various traumatic events. Each item frequency is rated on a 5-point scale, from never (=0) to almost always (=4). The global score consists of the sum of the 20 items and ranges from 0 to 80, with higher scores indicating higher PTSD symptom severity. The time required for completion of the scale is 15-20 min. A total score of 12-24 is associated with a mild level of PTSD, from 25-39 with a moderate level, from 40-59 with a severe level, and ≥60 with a very severe level.
Time frame: week 8
Child Post-Traumatic Stress Reaction - Week 32 Index/CPTS-RI
The difference between the Child Post-Traumatic Stress Reaction Index/CPTS-RI total score at week 32 and week 8 . The CPTS-RI is a scale comprised of 20 Likert-type items, intended for children from 6 to 16 years, which evaluates the symptoms of PTSD after exposure to various traumatic events. Each item frequency is rated on a 5-point scale, from never (=0) to almost always (=4). The global score consists of the sum of the 20 items and ranges from 0 to 80, with higher scores indicating higher PTSD symptom severity. The time required for completion of the scale is 15-20 min. A total score of 12-24 is associated with a mild level of PTSD, from 25-39 with a moderate level, from 40-59 with a severe level, and ≥60 with a very severe level.
Time frame: week 32
Child Post-Traumatic Stress Reaction - Week 60 Index/CPTS-RI
The difference between the Child Post-Traumatic Stress Reaction Index/CPTS-RI total score administered at week 60 and week 8. The CPTS-RI is a scale comprised of 20 Likert-type items, intended for children from 6 to 16 years, which evaluates the symptoms of PTSD after exposure to various traumatic events. Each item frequency is rated on a 5-point scale, from never (=0) to almost always (=4). The global score consists of the sum of the 20 items and ranges from 0 to 80, with higher scores indicating higher PTSD symptom severity. The time required for completion of the scale is 15-20 min. A total score of 12-24 is associated with a mild level of PTSD, from 25-39 with a moderate level, from 40-59 with a severe level, and ≥60 with a very severe level.
Time frame: week 60
Child PTSD Checklist-Child version/CPC-C total score
The difference between the Child PTSD Checklist-Child version/CPC-C total score administered at week 8 and week 0 on items 14-34. The CPC-C includes a traumatic events page, 21 PTSD symptoms and 6 items of functional impairment. It is free in the public domain. For scoring the CPC-C 7-18 years (Version May 23, 2014.), the Traumatic Events page (items 1-13) is important to include before administering the symptom portion. Items 14-34 are PTSD symptom items.
Time frame: Week 8
Child PTSD Checklist-Child version/CPC-C total score - Week 32
The difference between the Child PTSD Checklist-Child version/CPC-C total score administered at week 8 and week 32 on items 14-34. The CPC-C includes a traumatic events page, 21 PTSD symptoms and 6 items of functional impairment. It is free in the public domain. For scoring the CPC-C 7-18 years (Version May 23, 2014.), the Traumatic Events page (items 1-13) is important to include before administering the symptom portion. Items 14-34 are PTSD symptom items.
Time frame: Week 32
Child PTSD Checklist-Child version/CPC-C total score - Week 60
The difference between the Child PTSD Checklist-Child version/CPC-C total score administered at week 8 and week 60 on items 14-34. The CPC-C includes a traumatic events page, 21 PTSD symptoms and 6 items of functional impairment. It is free in the public domain. For scoring the CPC-C 7-18 years (Version May 23, 2014.), the Traumatic Events page (items 1-13) is important to include before administering the symptom portion. Items 14-34 are PTSD symptom items.
Time frame: Week 60
Child PTSD Checklist-Parent version/CPC-P total score - Week 32
The difference between the Child PTSD Checklist-Parent version/CPC-P total score administered at week 8 and week 32 on items 14-34 (PTSD symptom items). The CPC-P includes a traumatic events page, 21 PTSD symptoms and 6 items of functional impairment. It is free in the public domain. For scoring the CPC-P, 7-18 years (Version May 23, 2014.), the Traumatic Events page (items 1-13) is important to include before administering the symptom portion. Items 14-34 are PTSD symptom items.
Time frame: Week 32
Child PTSD Checklist-Parent version/CPC-P total score - Week 60
The difference between the Child PTSD Checklist-Parent version/CPC-P total score administered at week 8 and week 60 on items 14-34 (PTSD symptom items). The CPC-P includes a traumatic events page, 21 PTSD symptoms and 6 items of functional impairment. It is free in the public domain. For scoring the CPC-P, 7-18 years (Version May 23, 2014.), the Traumatic Events page (items 1-13) is important to include before administering the symptom portion. Items 14-34 are PTSD symptom items.
Time frame: Week 60
Child PTSD Checklist-Parent version/CPC-P total score
The difference between the Child PTSD Checklist-Parent version/CPC-P total score administered at week 8 and week 0 on items 14-34 (PTSD symptom items). The CPC-P includes a traumatic events page, 21 PTSD symptoms and 6 items of functional impairment. It is free in the public domain. For scoring the CPC-P, 7-18 years (Version May 23, 2014.), the Traumatic Events page (items 1-13) is important to include before administering the symptom portion. Items 14-34 are PTSD symptom items.
Time frame: Week 8
Kiddie-SADS-Present and Lifetime Version DSM-5/K-SADS-PL-DSM5
The percentage of children without a current diagnosis of PTSD assessing with Kiddie-SADS-Present and Lifetime Version DSM-5/K-SADS-PL-DSM5. The K-SADS-PL-DSM5 (November 2016) is a semi-structured diagnostic interview designed to collect information from the child or adolescent as well as their parents or other informants.
Time frame: week 8
Current diagnosis of PTSD at Week 32
The percentage of children without a current diagnosis of PTSD assessing with Kiddie-SADS-Present and Lifetime Version DSM-5/K-SADS-PL-DSM5. The K-SADS-PL-DSM5 (November 2016) is a semi-structured diagnostic interview designed to collect information from the child or adolescent as well as their parents or other informants.
Time frame: week 32
Children Depression Inventory/CDI total score
The difference between the Children Depression Inventory/CDI total score administered at week 8 and week 0. The CDI is comprised of 27 items assessing self-reported symptoms of depression in children and adolescents 7-17 years of age.
Time frame: week 8
Children Depression Inventory/CDI total score - Week 32
The difference between the Children Depression Inventory/CDI total score administered at week 8 and week 32. The CDI is comprised of 27 items assessing self-reported symptoms of depression in children and adolescents 7-17 years of age.
Time frame: week 32
Children Depression Inventory/CDI total score - Week 60
The difference between the Children Depression Inventory/CDI total score administered at week 8 and week 60. The CDI is comprised of 27 items assessing self-reported symptoms of depression in children and adolescents 7-17 years of age.
Time frame: week 60
Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire/CSHQ Parent version total score
The difference between the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire/CSHQ Parent version total score administered at week 8 and week 0.The CSHQ was designed by clinical researchers at Brown University for children aged 4 through 12 years, to screen for the most common sleep problems in that age group.The first column 'of responses are scored: Usually=3, Sometimes=2, Rarely=1 for the entire questionnaire (except for the R=reversed items, which are considered to be "desirable" sleep behaviors, and thus scored in the opposite direction)
Time frame: week 8
Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire/CSHQ Parent version total score - Week 32
The difference between the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire/CSHQ Parent version total score administered at week 8 and week 32.The CSHQ was designed by clinical researchers at Brown University for children aged 4 through 12 years, to screen for the most common sleep problems in that age group.The first column 'of responses are scored: Usually=3, Sometimes=2, Rarely=1 for the entire questionnaire (except for the R=reversed items, which are considered to be "desirable" sleep behaviors, and thus scored in the opposite direction)
Time frame: week 32
Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire/CSHQ Parent version total score - Week 60
The difference between the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire/CSHQ Parent version total score administered at week 8 and week 60.The CSHQ was designed by clinical researchers at Brown University for children aged 4 through 12 years, to screen for the most common sleep problems in that age group.The first column 'of responses are scored: Usually=3, Sometimes=2, Rarely=1 for the entire questionnaire (except for the R=reversed items, which are considered to be "desirable" sleep behaviors, and thus scored in the opposite direction)
Time frame: week 60
Comorbidity of other mental disorders
Using the K-SADS-PL DSM-5
Time frame: week 8
Corsi Blocks task
The difference between the Corsi blocks task administered at week 0 and at week 8. The Corsi Blocks task assesses the visuospatial component of working memory but uses various cognitive processes. The subject needs to reproduce, in the same or reverse order, a sequence of pointing movements to different cubes shown by the rater
Time frame: week 8
CGAS Children's Global Assessment Scale total score
The difference between the CGAS Children's Global Assessment Scale total score administered at week 8 and the score administered at week 32. The Childrens Global Assessment Scale (CGAS) is a measure developed by Schaffer and colleagues at the Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University to provide a global measure of level of functioning in children and adolescents. The measure provides a single global rating only, on scale of 0-100.
Time frame: week 32
CGAS Children's Global Assessment Scale total score - Week 60
The difference between the CGAS Children's Global Assessment Scale total score administered at week 8 and the score administered at week 60. The Childrens Global Assessment Scale (CGAS) is a measure developed by Schaffer and colleagues at the Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University to provide a global measure of level of functioning in children and adolescents. The measure provides a single global rating only, on scale of 0-100.
Time frame: week 60
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