Depression Therapy to Improve Cardiovascular Risk in HIV
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The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details. |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02309372 |
Recruitment Status :
Completed
First Posted : December 5, 2014
Results First Posted : July 14, 2020
Last Update Posted : July 14, 2020
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Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
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Depression HIV | Behavioral: Beating the Blues | Not Applicable |
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Actual Enrollment : | 54 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
Masking: | Single (Outcomes Assessor) |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | A Randomized, Controlled Pilot Trial Assessing the Utility of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Improve Endothelial Function and Reduce Inflammation in Depressed, Virologically-Suppressed, Antiretroviral-Treated, HIV-infected Adults |
Actual Study Start Date : | April 2015 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | April 2019 |
Actual Study Completion Date : | April 2019 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
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Experimental: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Those assigned to the CBT arm will undergo therapy with the Beating the Blues (BtB) computerized intervention.
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Behavioral: Beating the Blues
Computerized depression treatment intervention |
No Intervention: Usual Care
No specific depression care will be provided through this study for those assigned to this arm. However, the participant's caregiver may choose to provide depression treatment outside of this trial.
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- Change in Brachial Artery Flow-mediated Dilation From Baseline to Week 12 [ Time Frame: Baseline and Week 12 of participation ]Changes in flow-mediated dilation of the brachial artery from baseline to week 12. This is calculated by the FMD value at Week 12 minus the FMD value at baseline.
- Changes in Circulating IL-6 From Baseline to Week 12 [ Time Frame: Baseline and 12 weeks ]Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a measure of systemic inflammation. This is calculated by the IL-6 value at Week 12 minus the IL-6 value at baseline.
- Change in hsCRP From Baseline to Week 12 [ Time Frame: 12 weeks ]hsCRP (high sensitivity C-reactive protein) is a measure of systemic inflammation. This is calculated by the hsCRP value at Week 12 minus the hsCRP value at baseline.
- Change in D-dimer From Baseline to Week 12 [ Time Frame: 12 weeks ]D-dimer is a measure of systemic coagulation. This is calculated by the D-dimer value at Week 12 minus the D-dimer value at baseline.

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- HIV-1 infection, documented by both: (1) any licensed rapid HIV test or HIV enzyme test kit at any time prior to study entry and (2) by at least one detectable HIV-1 antigen or at least one detectable plasma HIV-1 RNA viral load
- Age equal to or greater than 18 years
- Receipt of antiretroviral therapy of any kind for at least 360 days prior to screening
Note: Interruptions in ART of up to 14 days total during the 360 days prior to screening are allowed
- HIV-1 RNA level < 75 copies/mL at screening
NOTE: There are no CD4 cell count eligibility criteria for this trial
- For women who are still of reproductive potential, a negative urine pregnancy test
- Depression as defined by having a score ≥ 10 on the PHQ-9 questionnaire
Exclusion Criteria:
- Inability to complete written, informed consent
- Incarceration at the time of any study visit
- Active suicidality, as determined by the patient's HIV provider or social worker following a positive response (1, 2, or 3) to PHQ-9 Item #9 and a positive response (yes) to one or more of the three questions on the Patient Suicidality Form (with last suicide attempt within the past ten years)
- Diagnosed vascular disease (documented history of angina pectoris, coronary disease, peripheral vascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, aortic aneurysm, or otherwise known atherosclerotic disease)
- History of congestive heart failure, even if currently compensated
- Diagnosed disease or process, besides HIV infection, associated with increased systemic inflammation (including, but not limited to, systemic lupus erythematosis, inflammatory bowel diseases, other collagen vascular diseases)
Note: Hepatitis B or C co-infections are NOT exclusionary
- Known or suspected malignancy requiring systemic treatment within 180 days of screening
NOTE: Localized treatment for skin cancers is not exclusionary
- History of Raynaud's phenomenon
- History of cardiac arrhythmias or cardiomyopathy
- Uncontrolled hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, defined as TSH values outside of the local reference range on most recent clinical assessment
- History of carotid bruits
- Systolic blood pressure > 160 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure > 110 mmHg at screening
- Screening estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 50 mL/min/1.732 (using the 2009 CKD-EPI equation) using a serum creatinine level measured at screening
- Screening glucose ≥ 140 mg/dL or hemoglobin A1c > 8.0%
- Screening total cholesterol > 240 mg/dL
- Therapy for serious medical illnesses within 14 days prior to screening
Note: Therapy for serious medical illnesses that overlaps with a main study visit will result in postponement of that study visit until the course of therapy is completed; postponement outside of the allowed study visit timeframe will result in study discontinuation
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding during the course of the study
- Receipt of investigational agents, cytotoxic chemotherapy, systemic glucocorticoids (of any dose), or anabolic steroids at screening
Note: Physiologic testosterone replacement therapy or topical steroids is not exclusionary. Inhaled/nasal steroids are not exclusionary as long as the participant is not also receiving HIV protease inhibitors
- Active drug use or dependence that, in the opinion of the investigator, would interfere with adherence to study requirements
- History of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT02309372
United States, Indiana | |
Indiana University Health University Hospital, Indiana Clinical Research Center | |
Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, 46202 | |
Infectious Diseases Research Center | |
Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, 46202 |
Principal Investigator: | Samir K Gupta, MD | Indiana University School of Medicine | |
Principal Investigator: | Jesse C Stewart, PhD | Indiana University School of Medicine |
Documents provided by Samir K Gupta, MD, MS, Indiana University:
Responsible Party: | Samir K Gupta, MD, MS, Professor of Medicine, Indiana University |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT02309372 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
R01HL126557 ( U.S. NIH Grant/Contract ) |
First Posted: | December 5, 2014 Key Record Dates |
Results First Posted: | July 14, 2020 |
Last Update Posted: | July 14, 2020 |
Last Verified: | July 2020 |
Depression Depressive Disorder Behavioral Symptoms Mood Disorders Mental Disorders |