Intensive Treatment for Chronic Pain and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

VA Office of Research and Development

Status

Completed

Conditions

Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic

Treatments

Behavioral: Intensive Treatment

Behavioral: Treatment as Usual

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other U.S. Federal agency

Identifiers

NCT01120067

D6281-I

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study is investigating the efficacy of an intensive (3 week) integrated treatment for Veterans with both pain and PTSD.

Full description

Objectives:

The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of an intensive integrated treatment for Veterans with comorbid chronic pain and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A secondary objective is to examine potential mechanisms of action that might account for improvements in pain or PTSD. Third, exploratory analyses will be conducted to assess the relationship between participation in treatment and cognitive functioning. It is hypothesized that 1) participants receiving the intensive treatment (PT) will report significantly greater decreases in symptoms of pain and PTSD from pre-treatment to post-treatment when compared to participants randomized to a standard care (SC) condition, and 2) participants receiving PT will show greater maintenance of change on measures of pain and PTSD at 3 months following the completion of treatment when compared to participants randomized to the SC condition.

Enrollment

23 patients

Sex

All

Ages

18+ years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Patients will be eligible to participate if they have constant pain of at least three months duration with a neurologic or musculoskeletal etiology.
Patients must also meet diagnostic criteria for PTSD.

Exclusion criteria

Patients with life threatening or acute physical illness, current alcohol or substance abuse, current psychosis or suicidal ideation, and individuals seeking pain treatment such as surgical interventions will be excluded.