Improving Sleep and Psychological Functioning in People With Depression and Insomnia

Phase 4

Completed

Conditions: Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
Depression

Interventions: Drug: Eszopiclone
Drug: Placebo
Drug: Fluoxetine

Registration Number: NCT00247624

Lead Sponsor: Wake Forest University Health Sciences

Brief Summary: This study will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of treatment with both a sleeping pill and antidepressant medication in improving sleep and psychological functioning in people with depression and insomnia.

Detailed Description: Chronic insomnia is one of the most common symptoms that individuals experience during a major depressive episode. Insomnia may lead to increased risk for recurrence of major depression, as well as poor quality of life and increased risk of suicide. Studies have shown that treating insomnia during a major depressive episode may not only help reduce symptoms of major depression during the day, but also improve an individual's general quality of life. Thus, sleeping pills, also known as hypnotics, are commonly prescribed for people with psychiatric disorders. However, little is known about the safety and efficacy of combining sleeping pills with antidepressant medications. This study will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of treatment with both a sleeping pill and antidepressant medication in improving sleep and psychological functioning in people with depression and insomnia.

Participants in this double-blind study will first receive fluoxetine, an antidepressant medication, for 1 week. Participants whose symptoms of insomnia subside after this initial week will continue on fluoxetine for the duration of the study and will not receive sleeping pills. Those who do not experience an improvement in their symptoms of insomnia after 1 week will be randomly assigned to receive either placebo or eszopiclone, which is a sleeping pill, in addition to fluoxetine. All treatments will be given for 8 weeks. Participants will attend study visits at various points throughout the treatment phase. Follow up visits will occur periodically over the next 4 months. Assessments will include physiological measures during sleep, mood, suicidal thinking, quality of life and actigraphy, which measures the amount of movement during sleep.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: COMPLETED

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 60

Inclusion Criteria

Score of greater than 10 on the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders Patient Health Questionnaire (PRIME-MD-PHQ) telephone screen
Diagnosis of major depressive episode based on the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID)
Score of greater than 20 on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression
Meets research diagnostic criteria for insomnia disorder at least 4 nights per week
Reported mean sleep latency greater than 30 minutes and mean sleep efficiency less than 85%
Suitable for outpatient treatment

Exclusion Criteria

Use of any psychotropic medications within 2 weeks of initial screening
Bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, psychotic depression, or any other psychotic disorder
Uncontrolled asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Chronic pain that may be a significant sleep-disturbing factor
Uncontrolled thyroid disease
Poorly controlled diabetes mellitus
Poorly compensated congestive heart failure
Currently taking lipophilic beta blockers, opioids, glucocorticoids, theophylline, or other medications known to interfere with sleep
History of intolerance or treatment resistance to either fluoxetine or eszopiclone
Inability to abstain from taking any psychotropics other than the study medications during the course of the protocol, including sedating antihistamines
Use of any herbal or naturopathic treatments for sleep or mood (i.e., St. John's wort, melatonin, kava kava, valerian root, etc.)
Currently undergoing behavioral, cognitive-behavioral, or interpersonal therapy
Pregnant or breastfeeding
Agrees to use an effective form of contraception for the duration of the study
Uncontrolled symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes
Uncontrolled hypertension (systolic blood pressure consistently greater than 140 mm Hg, diastolic blood pressure consistently greater than 90 mm Hg)
Diagnosis of sleep apnea, periodic limb movement disorder, or restless leg syndrome
Reports habitual bedtime earlier than 9 PM or later than 1 AM more than 2 times per week
Reports habitual rising time later than 9 AM more than 2 times per week
Body mass index greater than 30
Consumes more than 3 alcoholic beverages per day
Consumes more than 4 caffeinated beverages per day
Habitual smoking between 11 PM and 7 AM
Use of illicit drugs
Score greater than 24 on the Mini Mental State Examination
Determined to be incompetent
Determined to be at imminent risk for suicide
More than 5 lifetime SCID diagnoses of major depressive episodes
More than 3 failed antidepressant trials during the current episode of depression, as determined by the Antidepressant Treatment History Form
A course of electroconvulsive therapy during the present depressive episode

Study & Design

Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL

Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
B	Placebo	Participants will receive treatment with placebo and fluoxetine
A	Eszopiclone	Participants will receive treatment with eszopiclone and fluoxetine
A	Fluoxetine	Participants will receive treatment with eszopiclone and fluoxetine
B	Fluoxetine	Participants will receive treatment with placebo and fluoxetine

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Relation to Self/Others (RSO) Basis-32 Subscale Ratings	9 weeks	The BASIS 32 psychometric includes several subscales, including "relation to self and others" (RSO). These subscales are rated from 0-4, with higher scores indicating a greater deal of difficulty in this dimension. Measured weekly for 9 weeks. Reported as mean of 9 weeks.
Quality of Life Ratings, as Measured by the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q)	9 weeks	The Q-LES-Q is scored from 0-100, with higher scores better than lower. Measured weekly for 9 weeks. Reported as mean of 9 weeks.
Daily Living and Role Functioning (DLRF) Basis-32 Subscale Ratings	9 weeks	The BASIS 32 psychometric includes several subscales, including "daily living and role functioning" (DLRF). These subscales are rated from 0-4, with higher scores indicating a greater deal of difficulty in this dimension and lower scores denoting better outcomes. Measured weekly for 9 weeks. Reported as mean of 9 weeks.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Insomnia Severity Index (ISI)	9 weeks	The Insomnia Severity Index has seven questions. The seven answers are added up to get a total score, range 0-28. Lower scores represent better outcomes. Total score categories: 0-7 = No clinically significant insomnia, 8-14 = Subthreshold insomnia, 15-21 = Clinical insomnia (moderate severity), 22-28 = Clinical insomnia (severe).

Trial Locations

Locations (1): Wake Forest University Health Sciences; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine
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Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States