NCT05516277 · University of California, Los Angeles
Insomnia Treatment and Cardiometabolic Health in Older Adults With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
What this study is about
This pilot pre-post trial will address a gap in knowledge related to addressing modifiable risk factors for cardiometabolic disease through treating residual insomnia, sleep difficulties that remain after successful treatment of another condition, in the context of PTSD in understudied older adults.
View original scientific description
This pilot pre-post trial will address a gap in knowledge related to addressing modifiable risk factors for cardiometabolic disease through treating residual insomnia, sleep difficulties that remain after successful treatment of another condition, in the context of PTSD in understudied older adults. This study provides a non-medication treatment for PTSD called Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) followed by a non-medication sleep education and treatment program (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia, CBT-I) for sleep problems that remain after completing PTSD treatment in older adults with PTSD. The aims of this project are to evaluate 1) the added benefits of treating residual insomnia on sleep and PTSD symptoms; 2) the added benefits of treating residual insomnia following CPT on cardiometabolic risk biomarkers and quality of life; and 3) the durability of the sleep, PTSD, cardiometabolic and quality of life benefits of treating residual insomnia following CPT at 6-month follow-up in older adults with PTSD.
Interventions
BEHAVIORAL
Behavioral Sleep Education Intervention
Manual-based education program focusing on behavioral sleep techniques provided in individual 60-minute sessions for 5 weekly sessions.
Primary outcome measures
Consensus sleep diary questionnaire
Time frame: Change from baseline to 1 week after completion of sleep intervention
Self-reported sleep quality assessed with the Consensus sleep diary, a brief patient questionnaire evaluating multiple aspects of sleep quality including sleep onset latency (time to fall asleep in minutes) and sleep efficiency percentage (time asleep in minutes/time in bed in minutes x 100).
PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5)
Time frame: Change from baseline to 1 week after completion of sleep intervention
The PCL-5 is a self-report PTSD severity questionnaire evaluating multiple aspects of PTSD symptoms. A total symptom severity score (range - 0-80) can be obtained by summing the scores for each of the 20 items. A higher score indicates more severe PTSD symptoms.
24-hr ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) blood pressure variability
Time frame: Change from baseline to 1 week after completion of sleep intervention
ABPM is an assessment of hypertension, a cardiometabolic disease, and blood pressure patterns across the 24-hour period. We will assess within-subject blood pressure variability via standard deviation across 24-hours.
24-hr ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) systolic/diastolic loads
Time frame: Change from baseline to 1 week after completion of sleep intervention
ABPM is an assessment of hypertension, a cardiometabolic disease, and blood pressure patterns across the 24-hour period. We will assess systolic/diastolic loads via percentage of elevated values across 24-hours.
24-hr ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) change in blood pressure day to night
Time frame: Change from baseline to 1 week after completion of sleep intervention
ABPM is an assessment of hypertension, a cardiometabolic disease, and blood pressure patterns across the 24-hour period. We will assess change in blood pressure from day to night (day-night).
WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire
Time frame: Change from baseline to 1 week after completion of sleep intervention
Self-reported quality of life assessed with a brief patient questionnaire evaluating aspects of quality of life across four domains: 1) Physical health, 2) Psychological, 3) Social relations, and 4) Environment. Mean scores for each domain range from 4-20, which are multiplied by 4 to transform the domain score into a scaled score that is comparable to the full WHOQOL-100 measure. A higher score indicated higher quality of life.
Who can participate
This study lists these criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov. A study coordinator reviews eligibility during screening — this page does not determine whether you qualify.
Inclusion criteria
- Community-dwelling Veterans aged 50 years and older
- Received care from a Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facility in the prior year
- Diagnosis of PTSD
- Diagnosis of insomnia disorder
- Lives within a 50-mile radius of the research offices at the VA Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center
Exclusion criteria
- Active substance use or in recovery with less than 90 days of sobriety
- Too ill to engage in the study procedures (e.g., unable to attend the in-person meetings)
- Unable to self-consent to participate
- Unstable housing (as this will impact the research team's ability to retrieve costly and difficult to replace monitoring equipment)
- Severe cardiovascular or respiratory disease (e.g., ventilatory failure, CHF)
- Unstable medical or psychiatric disorders (which are a contraindication for behavioral treatment of insomnia)
- Comorbid sleep disorders (i.e., central sleep apnea syndrome, diagnosed narcolepsy or circadian rhythm sleep-wake phase disorders) based on medical record review and baseline assessment data, or untreated, severe sleep disordered breathing (SDB) as assessed via WatchPAT or previous clinical evaluation (apnea-hypopnea index \[AHI\] ≥ 30; or AHI ≥ 15 plus Epworth Sleepiness Scale \[ESS\] score ≥ 10) that better explain sleep difficulties
Where
- North Hills, California
Collaborators
VA Office of Research and Development
Related conditions & keywords
Frequently asked questions
What is a clinical trial?
A clinical trial is a research study that tests new medical treatments, drugs, devices, or procedures to determine their safety and effectiveness. Trials are carefully designed and monitored to protect participants while advancing medical knowledge.
Is it safe to participate?
Clinical trials follow strict safety guidelines and ethical standards. Trials must be reviewed and approved, and participants are closely monitored by medical professionals throughout the study. You can withdraw at any time if you choose.
Will I be compensated?
Many clinical trials offer compensation for your time, travel expenses, and inconvenience. The specific compensation varies by study and will be discussed during the screening process. All study-related medical care is typically provided at no cost to participants.
Will I receive a placebo instead of treatment?
When effective treatment exists, participants typically receive either the standard treatment plus the study intervention, or the standard treatment plus placebo. You would not be denied effective care. Placebos are primarily used when no proven treatment is available, or in addition to standard care. Your trial consent form will clearly explain what treatments you may receive.
Can I leave a trial if I change my mind?
Absolutely. Participation in clinical trials is completely voluntary. You have the right to withdraw from the study at any time, for any reason, without penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled.
How long does a clinical trial last?
Trial duration varies widely depending on the study design and purpose. Some trials last just a few weeks, while others may continue for months or years. The study coordinator will provide specific timeline information during your screening call.
Data: ClinicalTrials.gov · synced Apr 15, 2026 · Source of record for eligibility and locations