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Prenatal DepressionPhase 4NCT05698394

Effect of Low-dose Esketamine on Maternal Depression at 3 Years After Childbirth

A Phase 4 study testing Esketamine in people with Prenatal Depression and Ketamine, run by Peking University First Hospital at 4 sites in China.

Active, not recruiting

Under way, not looking for participants. Everyone needed has enrolled. The study is still running.

Official record
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Trial summary

Postpartum depression refers to the depression after childbirth, which is a common mental disorder in women. The pathogenesis of postpartum depression is not fully understood, and may be related to a variety of factors. Prenatal depression is an important risk factor for postpartum depression. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older, women only
What is being tested?
Esketamine
Type of treatment
Injection or infusion
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
364 participants
Where
4 sitesChina
Study dates
9 Sep 2023to Nov 2025
Phase
Phase 4
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

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 years and older
  • Women only
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

None listed.

Who cannot join

  • A clear history of mental illness (depression, schizophrenia, etc.) or communication disorders
  • Severe pregnancy complications (such as severe preeclampsia, placenta accreta, HELLP syndrome, placenta previa, placenta abruption) before surgery;
  • ASA grade ≥III;
  • The presence of contraindications to ketamine/esketamine use (e.g., stubborn, refractory hypertension, severe cardiovascular disease [cardiac function grade ≥III], hyperthyroidism).

Trial locations and contacts

4 sites in 1 country.

China4 sites
  • Peking University First Hospital

    Beijing, 100034

  • Hunan Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital

    Changsha, Hunan

  • Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine

    Hangzhou, Zhejiang

  • Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University

    Nanjing, Jiangsu

Other trials in China

About this study

Official title: Effect of Intravenous Low-dose Esketamine on Maternal Depression at 3 Years After Childbirth in Women With Prenatal Depression: 3-year Follow-up of a Randomized Controlled Trial

Postpartum depression refers to the depression after childbirth, which is a common mental disorder in women. The pathogenesis of postpartum depression is not fully understood, and may be related to a variety of factors. Prenatal depression is an important risk factor for postpartum depression. Our recent multicenter randomized controlled trial, "Effect of Low-dose esketamine on the incidence of postpartum depression in women with prenatal depression", explored the effect of immediate postpartum intravenous infusion of low-dose esketamine on the incidence of postpartum depression in women with prenatal depression. The preliminary results showed that it reduced the incidence of postpartum depression at 42 days. Since there were no studies on the effect of intravenous esketamine infusion after delivery on long-term postpartum depression, this study is a long-term follow-up of the previous randomized trial. We aim to explore the effect of low-dose intravenous esketamine after delivery on the incidence of 2-year maternal depression after delivery in women with prenatal depressive symptoms.

Read the detailed description

Postpartum depression refers to the depression after childbirth. It is a common mental disorder after childbirth. In recent years, it has attracted more and more public attention. Studies have reported an incidence of postpartum depression ranging from 10% to 29%. Our previous findings showed that the incidence of depression at 42 days postpartum was 24.3%. Postpartum depression has adverse effects on physical and mental health of women, but also may have adverse influences on offspring including nutrition health, and cognitive and behavioral development. The pathogenesis of postpartum depression is not completely clear, and may be related to many factors, such as hormone level changes after childbirth, psychosocial factors, and adverse obstetric factors. Plently of studies have shown that prenatal depression is an important risk factor for postpartum depression. One meta-analysis showed that the incidence of postnatal depression could be as high as 39% in people with prenatal depression. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of postpartum depression by active intervention of prenatal depressed parturients.

Ketamine, an NMDA-receptor antagonist, is a classic analgesic drug with advantages of light respiratory and circulatory inhibition and good analgesic effect. Recently, it has been found to have antidepressant effect and has been widely used in the field of psychiatry. Esketamine, a S-enantiomer of racemic ketamine, has similar antidepressant effects to equivalent doses of ketamine, with a lower incidence of adverse reactions. In 2019, esketamine was approved by the US FDA for the treatment of treatment-resistant depression. At present, the results of studies on the use of esketamine in the perioperative period for the prevention and treatment of postoperative or postpartum depression are mixed.

Our recent multicenter randomized controlled trial, "Effect of low-dose esketamine on the incidence of postpartum depression in women with prenatal depression", explored the effect of immediate postpartum intravenous administration of low-dose esketamine on the incidence of postpartum depression in women with prenatal depression. The multicenter study included 364 women who were given a low dose of esketamine intravenously after delivery. Preliminary results show that it can reduce the incidence of postpartum depression at 42 days. Here we conduct a 2-year follow-up of the women enrolled in the underlying trial to figure out the occurrence of 2-year maternal depression, and to explore the effect of immediate intravenous infusion of low-dose esketamine on the incidence of chronic depression at 2 years postpartum.

Being tested
Esketamine, Placebo
Keywords
Prenatal Depression, Esketamine, Postpartum Depression, Long-Term Prognosis
Medical subject headings
Depression, Postpartum

What participants receive

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

  • EsketamineDrug

    0.2 mg/kg S-ketamine in 20 ml normal saline will be infused at a rate of 30 ml/h (infusion finished in 40 minutes) after giving birth

  • PlaceboDrug

    Also called normal saline, 0.9% sodium chloride

    20 ml normal saline will be infused at a rate of 30 ml/h (infusion finished in 40 minutes) after giving birth.

Study groups in NCT05698394
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Esketamine groupExperimentalFor women in this group, study drug (esketamine 0.2 mg/kg in 20 ml normal saline) will be infused at a rate of 30 ml/h (infusion finished in 40 minutes) after giving birth.
Receives: Drug: Esketamine
placebo groupPlacebo comparatorFor women in this group, study drug (20 ml normal saline) will be infused at a rate of 30 ml/h (infusion finished in 40 minutes) after giving birth.
Receives: Drug: Placebo

What is being measured

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

  1. Incidence maternal depression at 3 years postpartum

    Incidence of depression in women at 3 years postpartum. Diagnosis was made according to M.I.N.I. 6.0.

    Measured: At 3 years postpartum (33-41 months)

Secondary outcomes (3)
  1. PHQ-9 scores and incidence of moderate-severe depression in women at 3 years postpartum.

    PHQ-9 score and moderate-severe depression (PHQ-9 score ≥10) in women at 3 years postpartum.

    Measured: At 3 years postpartum (33-41 months)

  2. Incidence of chronic pain in women at 3 years postpartum

    Incidence of chronic pain in women at 3 years postpartum

    Measured: At 3 years postpartum (33-41 months)

  3. Incidence of developmental delay in offspring at 3 years of age

    Incidence of developmental delay in offspring at 3 years of age measured by the Ages \& Stages Questionnaires 3rd edition (ASQ-3) in Chinese

    Measured: At 3 years postpartum (33-41 months)

Timeline

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

  1. First posted26 Jan 2023
  2. Study start9 Sep 2023
  3. Primary completionOct 2025 (estimated)
  4. Study completionNov 2025 (estimated)

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 4
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Model description
Parallel Assignment
Masking
Quadruple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
364 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT05698394
Sponsor's protocol ID
2022-562
Status last verified
Dec 2024
First submitted
16 Jan 2023
Last updated
5 Dec 2024
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Woody CA, Ferrari AJ, Siskind DJ, Whiteford HA, Harris MG. A systematic review and meta-regression of the prevalence and incidence of perinatal depression. J Affect Disord. 2017 Sep;219:86-92. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2017.05.003. Epub 2017 May 8.

    PubMed 28531848
  • Stewart DE, Vigod SN. Postpartum Depression: Pathophysiology, Treatment, and Emerging Therapeutics. Annu Rev Med. 2019 Jan 27;70:183-196. doi: 10.1146/annurev-med-041217-011106.

    PubMed 30691372
  • Deng CM, Ding T, Li S, Lei B, Xu MJ, Wang L, Xu SC, Yang HX, Sun XY, Li XY, Ma D, Wang DX. Neuraxial labor analgesia is associated with a reduced risk of postpartum depression: A multicenter prospective cohort study with propensity score matching. J Affect Disord. 2021 Feb 15;281:342-350. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.12.027. Epub 2020 Dec 8.

    PubMed 33348177
  • O'Hara MW, McCabe JE. Postpartum depression: current status and future directions. Annu Rev Clin Psychol. 2013;9:379-407. doi: 10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-050212-185612. Epub 2013 Feb 1.

    PubMed 23394227
  • Stein A, Pearson RM, Goodman SH, Rapa E, Rahman A, McCallum M, Howard LM, Pariante CM. Effects of perinatal mental disorders on the fetus and child. Lancet. 2014 Nov 15;384(9956):1800-19. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(14)61277-0. Epub 2014 Nov 14.

    PubMed 25455250
  • Aoyagi SS, Tsuchiya KJ. Does maternal postpartum depression affect children's developmental outcomes? J Obstet Gynaecol Res. 2019 Sep;45(9):1809-1820. doi: 10.1111/jog.14064. Epub 2019 Jul 18.

    PubMed 31321836
  • Pearlstein T, Howard M, Salisbury A, Zlotnick C. Postpartum depression. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2009 Apr;200(4):357-64. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2008.11.033.

    PubMed 19318144
  • Underwood L, Waldie K, D'Souza S, Peterson ER, Morton S. A review of longitudinal studies on antenatal and postnatal depression. Arch Womens Ment Health. 2016 Oct;19(5):711-20. doi: 10.1007/s00737-016-0629-1. Epub 2016 Apr 16.

    PubMed 27085795
  • Duman RS, Aghajanian GK. Synaptic dysfunction in depression: potential therapeutic targets. Science. 2012 Oct 5;338(6103):68-72. doi: 10.1126/science.1222939.

    PubMed 23042884
  • McIntyre RS, Rosenblat JD, Nemeroff CB, Sanacora G, Murrough JW, Berk M, Brietzke E, Dodd S, Gorwood P, Ho R, Iosifescu DV, Lopez Jaramillo C, Kasper S, Kratiuk K, Lee JG, Lee Y, Lui LMW, Mansur RB, Papakostas GI, Subramaniapillai M, Thase M, Vieta E, Young AH, Zarate CA Jr, Stahl S. Synthesizing the Evidence for Ketamine and Esketamine in Treatment-Resistant Depression: An International Expert Opinion on the Available Evidence and Implementation. Am J Psychiatry. 2021 May 1;178(5):383-399. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2020.20081251. Epub 2021 Mar 17.

    PubMed 33726522
  • Correia-Melo FS, Leal GC, Vieira F, Jesus-Nunes AP, Mello RP, Magnavita G, Caliman-Fontes AT, Echegaray MVF, Bandeira ID, Silva SS, Cavalcanti DE, Araujo-de-Freitas L, Sarin LM, Tuena MA, Nakahira C, Sampaio AS, Del-Porto JA, Turecki G, Loo C, Lacerda ALT, Quarantini LC. Efficacy and safety of adjunctive therapy using esketamine or racemic ketamine for adult treatment-resistant depression: A randomized, double-blind, non-inferiority study. J Affect Disord. 2020 Mar 1;264:527-534. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2019.11.086. Epub 2019 Nov 14.

    PubMed 31786030
  • Molero P, Ramos-Quiroga JA, Martin-Santos R, Calvo-Sanchez E, Gutierrez-Rojas L, Meana JJ. Antidepressant Efficacy and Tolerability of Ketamine and Esketamine: A Critical Review. CNS Drugs. 2018 May;32(5):411-420. doi: 10.1007/s40263-018-0519-3.

    PubMed 29736744
  • Papakostas GI, Salloum NC, Hock RS, Jha MK, Murrough JW, Mathew SJ, Iosifescu DV, Fava M. Efficacy of Esketamine Augmentation in Major Depressive Disorder: A Meta-Analysis. J Clin Psychiatry. 2020 May 26;81(4):19r12889. doi: 10.4088/JCP.19r12889.

    PubMed 32459407
  • Singh JB, Daly EJ, Mathews M, Fedgchin M, Popova V, Hough D, Drevets WC. Approval of esketamine for treatment-resistant depression. Lancet Psychiatry. 2020 Mar;7(3):232-235. doi: 10.1016/S2215-0366(19)30533-4. No abstract available.

    PubMed 32087801
  • Pang L, Cui M, Dai W, Kong J, Chen H, Wu S. Can Intraoperative Low-Dose R,S-Ketamine Prevent Depressive Symptoms After Surgery? The First Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials. Front Pharmacol. 2020 Oct 19;11:586104. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2020.586104. eCollection 2020.

    PubMed 33192527

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 4 study testing Esketamine in people with Prenatal Depression and Ketamine, run by Peking University First Hospital at 4 sites in China.

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 0 inclusion and 4 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: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 5 Dec 2024. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 4 sites in China. 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. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. 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 4 studies take place after a treatment is approved, to learn more about its long-term benefits and risks in everyday use.

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

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

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?

Incidence maternal depression at 3 years postpartum (time frame: At 3 years postpartum (33-41 months)). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT05698394, which also lists 21 linked publications.

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 5 Dec 2024.

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