This research will address three basic issues in cocaine acupuncture treatment. 1. What are the treatment outcome size effects associated with true and sham acupuncture? 2. What is the treatment dose response curve for varying doses of true acupuncture? 3. To what extent does placebo response contribute to acupuncture treatment outcome? The acupuncture treatment protocol under investigation was established in prior alcoholism research and has been pretested in three preliminary cocaine treatment studies which examined the feasibility of the treatment and of the research design to be used in this proposal. Two related randomized, placebo controlled studies will be conducted in an established residential and outpatient treatment program. In the residential program, true and sham acupuncture will be evaluated as treatment augmentations to conventional treatment and will be compared to conventional treatment alone. In the outpatient program, three levels of true acupuncture treatment will be compared to each other and contrasted to base line pretreatment (without acupuncture) levels of response. All patients will receive conventional treatment. Prior to treatment, all patients in both studies will be tested for placebo responsiveness using a procedure developed for pain acupuncture research. Treatment outcome will be measured at the end of each week of treatment and at the end of treatment. Weekly outcome measures include a self-report scale of craving, and random urine analysis. End of treatment measures include the composite scales of the Addiction Severity Index, collateral confirmation using informants and document review, treatment dropout, the Medical Outcome Study measure. Post- treatment utilization of medical, substance abuse and correctional system services will be noted. Measurement rates will be blinded to type of acupuncture treatment. Multivariate analyses will examine the relationship of placebo and nonspecific treatment factors to outcome, treatment effect sizes, relapse rates, predictors of treatment outcome, and dose response curves.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01DA007124-01A1
Application #
2119418
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (SRCD (29))
Project Start
1992-01-01
Project End
1994-12-31
Budget Start
1992-01-01
Budget End
1992-12-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
1992
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Minneapolis Medical Research Fdn, Inc.
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Minneapolis
State
MN
Country
United States
Zip Code
55415
Bullock, M L; Kiresuk, T J; Pheley, A M et al. (1999) Auricular acupuncture in the treatment of cocaine abuse. A study of efficacy and dosing. J Subst Abuse Treat 16:31-8