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DepressionPhase 3NCT00276900

Sertraline for the Prevention of Recurrent Postpartum Depression

A Phase 3 study testing Sertraline in people with Depression, run by University of Pittsburgh at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

This study will determine the effectiveness of taking sertraline within 24 hours of giving birth in preventing a recurrence of postpartum depression. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 45 years, women onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Depression
What is being tested?
Sertraline
How many people
300 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
Dec 2003to Aug 2006
Phase
Phase 3
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 45 years
  • Women only
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • Pregnant
  • Presents by week 36 gestation for first two study visit interviews (interviews may be combined)
  • History of DSM-IV Major Depression after the age of 15
  • Score no higher than 19 on the 29-item SIGH-ADS at Week 36
  • Medically healthy, as determined by a physician

Who cannot join

  • Current major depression
  • Urine screen positive for drugs
  • Currently using other therapies for depression
  • DSM-IV diagnoses of bipolar 1 or 2 disorder or any psychotic episode
  • History of substance abuse within 6 months prior to study entry
  • Has not received any obstetrical care
  • Use of medications for medical disorders (except for treatment of stable disorders)

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • Women's Behavioral HealthCare Program

    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Prevention of Recurrent Postpartum Depression

This study will determine the effectiveness of taking sertraline within 24 hours of giving birth in preventing a recurrence of postpartum depression.

Read the detailed description

Depression after pregnancy is called postpartum depression and may be caused by a rapid change in hormone levels during and immediately after pregnancy. Researchers believe that it is one of the most common complications linked to pregnancy. This type of depression occurs in 10 to 15% of women within the first 3 months of giving birth and it can negatively affect both mothers and their children. Mothers with postpartum depression may experience low energy, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and inability to meet their children's needs for love and affection. Research shows that children of mothers with postpartum depression may have delays in language development, difficulty with emotional bonding to others, behavioral problems, lower activity levels, sleep problems, and distress. Many women who have suffered from postpartum depression in the past are worried about a repeat episode with the birth of their next baby. This study will determine the effectiveness of taking sertraline within 24 hours of giving birth in preventing a recurrence of postpartum depression.

Participants in this double blind study will initially report to the study site two separate times while they are pregnant. At the first visit, which will last approximately 3 hours, medical and psychiatric histories will be taken. Blood and urine samples will also be collected at this time. At the second visit, which will last approximately 1 hour, participants will be randomly assigned to receive either sertraline or placebo for the year following childbirth. All participants will then either attend 10 clinic visits, each lasting 1 hour, or receive 17 phone calls over the course of the first 28 weeks postpartum. Mood symptoms and day-to-day functioning will be assessed. If the participant's baby is being breastfed, a blood sample will also be taken from the baby at Week 4 postpartum. At Week 12 postpartum, the baby will wear an actigraph to measure his or her activity for one week. At Week 24 postpartum, participants who are not depressed will be randomly assigned to either continue on sertraline or taper to placebo over 4 weeks. Those who were originally assigned to receive placebo will continue taking placebo for the remainder of the study. Starting at Week 29 postpartum, there will be approximately one clinic visit per month for the remainder of the year. Participants' functioning, ability to interact with their children, and symptoms of depression will be assessed at these visits.

Conditions
Depression
Being tested
Sertraline
Keywords
Postpartum Depression, Recurrent Depression
Medical subject headings
Depression, Depression, Postpartum

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Depressive symptoms (measured at Weeks 24 and 52 postpartum)

Secondary outcomes (1)
  1. Functioning (measured at Weeks 24 and 52 postpartum)

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted13 Jan 2006 (estimated)
  2. Study startDec 2003
  3. Primary completionAug 2006
  4. Study completionAug 2006

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 3
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Factorial
Masking
Double blind
Enrolment
300 participants
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT00276900
Sponsor's protocol ID
R01MH053735
Other IDs
R01MH053735, DSIR 83-ATP
Status last verified
Sep 2013
First submitted
11 Jan 2006
Last updated
7 Oct 2013
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 3 study testing Sertraline in people with Depression, run by University of Pittsburgh at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 7 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 7 Oct 2013. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 3 studies compare the treatment with the current standard treatment or a placebo in a large group, to confirm how well it works and watch for side effects.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Depressive symptoms (measured at Weeks 24 and 52 postpartum). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 7 Oct 2013.

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