Cocaine abuse continues to be an epidemic. Co-morbid psychiatric disorders and high risks behaviors compound the morbidity, economic costs, and social destruction associated with this public health crisis. This is a 12 week, prospective, intent-to-treat, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study of Seroquel XR™ versus matched placebo, combined with cognitive-behavioral group therapy, for the treatment of cocaine dependence in non-psychotic individuals.~We will conduct this study at the American Lake (Tacoma) and Seattle campuses of the VA Puget Sound Health Care System, recruiting veteran and non-veteran participants currently using cocaine from the greater Pierce and King Counties region. It is anticipated that 120 subjects will be consented and screened for study participation and that 60 subjects will be randomized to treatment.~After subjects have provided informed consent, they will enter a 1 week screening phase during which medical, psychiatric, and substance use measures and assessments will be administered to determine study eligibility. At baseline, we will assess cocaine use, cocaine craving, psychiatric symptoms, and high risk behaviors. Also at this visit, subjects will be randomly assigned to treatment with quetiapine (target dose 400 mg/day) or placebo. During the treatment phase, subjects will visit the clinic once a week for safety monitoring, completion of ratings and questionnaires, UDS's, and participation in a cognitive-behavioral therapy group. At end of study, week 12, a physical examination will be administered and a UDS and clinical laboratory values obtained. In addition, substance use, psychiatric symptoms, and high risk behaviors will be assessed. To monitor safety and further evaluate treatment effects, we will ask participants to return for a follow-up visit at week 16.
This placebo-controlled trial will test the effectiveness of Seroquel XR™ for the treatment of cocaine dependence in non-psychotic individuals who are cocaine dependent.