Inositol in Trichotillomania

Overview[ - collapse ][ - ]

Purpose The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of inositol for the treatment of compulsive hair pulling, also known as trichotillomania. Inositol is used for diabetic nerve pain, panic disorder, high cholesterol, insomnia, cancer, depression, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, promoting hair growth, a skin disorder called psoriasis, and treating side effects of medical treatment with some medications, including lithium. The hypothesis to be tested is that Inositol will be effective and well tolerated in patients with trichotillomania compared to placebo. The proposed study will provide needed data on the treatment of the disabling disorder that currently lacks a clearly effective treatment.
ConditionTrichotillomania
Hair Pulling
InterventionDrug: Inositol
Drug: Placebo
PhasePhase 2
SponsorUniversity of Chicago
Responsible PartyUniversity of Chicago
ClinicalTrials.gov IdentifierNCT01875445
First ReceivedJune 7, 2013
Last UpdatedSeptember 4, 2013
Last verifiedJune 2013

Tracking Information[ + expand ][ + ]

First Received DateJune 7, 2013
Last Updated DateSeptember 4, 2013
Start DateMay 2013
Estimated Primary Completion DateNot Provided
Current Primary Outcome MeasuresThe NIMH Trichotillomania Scales Trichotillomania Symptom Severity Scale (NIMH-TSS) [Time Frame: Once every two weeks for the 10 weeks of the study] [Designated as safety issue: No]The entire study for an individual subject will last 10 weeks. Every 2 weeks the subject will take the NIMH-TSS for the duration of the 10 weeks. At each of these visits the outcome will be assessed. The scale itself asses severity of hair pulling.
Current Secondary Outcome MeasuresThe Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Hairpulling Scale [Time Frame: Once every two weeks for the 10 weeks of the study] [Designated as safety issue: No]The entire study for an individual subject will last 10 weeks. Every 2 weeks the subject will take the MGH Hairpulling Scale for the duration of the 10 weeks. At each of these visits the outcome will be assessed. The scale itself asses severity of hair pulling.

Descriptive Information[ + expand ][ + ]

Brief TitleInositol in Trichotillomania
Official TitleA Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of Inositol in Trichotillomania
Brief Summary
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of inositol for the
treatment of compulsive hair pulling, also known as trichotillomania. Inositol is used for
diabetic nerve pain, panic disorder, high cholesterol, insomnia, cancer, depression,
schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism,
promoting hair growth, a skin disorder called psoriasis, and treating side effects of
medical treatment with some medications, including lithium. The hypothesis to be tested is
that Inositol will be effective and well tolerated in patients with trichotillomania
compared to placebo. The proposed study will provide needed data on the treatment of the
disabling disorder that currently lacks a clearly effective treatment.
Detailed Description
Pathological hair-pulling, trichotillomania, has been defined as repetitive, intentionally
performed pulling that causes noticeable hair loss and results in clinically significant
distress or functional impairment (1). Trichotillomania appears relatively common with an
estimated prevalence between 1-3% (2). Data on the pharmacological treatment of
trichotillomania is limited to case reports and conflicting double-blind studies of
serotonin reuptake inhibitors (3).

Inositol is used for diabetic nerve pain, panic disorder, high cholesterol, insomnia,
cancer, depression, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, attention deficit-hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD), autism, promoting hair growth, a skin disorder called psoriasis, and
treating side effects of medical treatment with some medications, including lithium. A small
study (n=3) found that subject's showed improvement while taking Inositol in both
trichotillomania and pathological skin picking (4). This suggests that Inositol might be
effective in treating a large sample of subjects with trichotillomania and it also suggests
that it may be effective for impulse control disorders in general. Inositol has also been
shown to be effective in treating obsessive compulsive disorder and showed significantly
lower scores on the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (5). Both studies indicate the
effectiveness of Inositol in treating impulsivity and compulsivity in subjects. There is no
medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration for trichotillomania. Inositol
represents a potentially safe and effective treatment.
Study TypeInterventional
Study PhasePhase 2
Study DesignAllocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Safety/Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment, Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor), Primary Purpose: Treatment
Condition
  • Trichotillomania
  • Hair Pulling
InterventionDrug: Inositol
Taken as 2g of powder TID for 2 weeks, then 4g of powder TID for 2 weeks and then 6g of powder TID for the remainder of the study.
Other Names:
Inositol PowderDrug: Placebo
Taken as 2g of powder TID for 2 weeks, then 4g of powder TID for 2 weeks and then 6g of powder TID for the remainder of the study.
Other Names:
Sugar Pill
Study Arm (s)
  • Placebo Comparator: Placebo
    Matched dosage of inositol daily.
  • Active Comparator: Inositol
    Powder form, 2g TID up to 6g TID

Recruitment Information[ + expand ][ + ]

Recruitment StatusRecruiting
Estimated Enrollment50
Estimated Completion DateNot Provided
Estimated Primary Completion DateMay 2015
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age 18-65 years

2. Trichotillomania (TTM) as the primary psychiatric diagnosis

3. Women's participation required negative results on a beta-human chorionic
gonadotropin pregnancy test and stable use of a medically accepted form of
contraception.

4. Signed informed consent before entry into the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Unstable medical illness or clinically significant abnormalities on laboratory tests
or physical examination at screening visit

2. Current pregnancy or lactation, or inadequate contraception in women of childbearing
potential

3. A need for medication other than ecopipam with possible psychotropic effects

4. Lifetime history of bipolar disorder type I or II, dementia, or schizophrenia as
determined by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV

5. Current (past 12-months) DSM-IV substance abuse or dependence

6. Positive urine drug screen at screening

7. Initiation of cognitive behavior therapy within 3 months prior to study baseline

8. Baseline score of ≥17 on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (17-item HDRS

9. Any suicidality based on clinical interview

10. History of head injury or neurological disorder (such as seizures)

11. Any history of psychiatric hospitalization in the past year

12. Any history of a suicide attempt
GenderBoth
Ages18 Years
Accepts Healthy VolunteersNo
ContactsContact: Katherine Derbyshire
7737029066
kderbyshire@uchicago.edu
Location CountriesUnited States

Administrative Information[ + expand ][ + ]

NCT Number NCT01875445
Other Study ID Numbers2013InositolTTM
Has Data Monitoring CommitteeYes
Information Provided ByUniversity of Chicago
Study SponsorUniversity of Chicago
CollaboratorsNot Provided
Investigators Principal Investigator: Jon E Grant, MD,JD,MPH University of Chicago
Verification DateJune 2013

Locations[ + expand ][ + ]

University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60637
Contact: Jon E Grant, M.D., J.D., M.P.H. | 773-834-1325
Principal Investigator: Jon E Grant, MD, JD, MPH
Recruiting