Vortioxetine for Post-COVID-19 Condition

Phase 2

Completed

Conditions: Cognitive Impairment
Post-COVID-19 Syndrome
Post-COVID-19 Condition

Interventions: Drug: Placebo
Drug: Vortioxetine

Registration Number: NCT05047952

Lead Sponsor: Brain and Cognition Discovery Foundation

Brief Summary: A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial will be conducted to evaluate vortioxetine, an antidepressant with established pro-cognitive properties, for the treatment of cognitive deficits which develop during or after an infection consistent with COVID-19, continue for 2+ months, and are not explained by an alternative diagnosis (i.e., post-COVID-19 condition). Participants (aged 18-64 years) will receive vortioxetine (10-20 mg) or placebo for 8 weeks. Participants 65+ years will receive vortioxetine (5-10 mg) or placebo for 8 weeks. Changes in cognitive functioning from baseline to endpoint (week 8) will be assessed via the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST). Study visits may be conducted remotely (e.g. via Zoom, by telephone), and/or in-person.

Detailed Description: A significant percentage of individuals who have recovered from acute COVID-19 infection present with unabating, non-specific, distressing, and functionally impairing symptoms (i.e., post-COVID-19 condition). Commonly reported symptoms include, but are not limited to, cognitive impairment (e.g., "brain fog"), fatigue, apathy, depression, anxiety, insomnia, anergia, and loss of appetite. Toward the aim of identifying a common nomenclature and case definition, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recently proposed the moniker 'post COVID-19 condition'. It is estimated that approximately 10-30% of persons infected with COVID-19 experience characteristic symptoms persisting for more than 12 weeks following documentation of positive COVID-19 diagnosis.

Consensus exists that the phenomenology of post-COVID-19 condition is subserved by disturbance in immune-inflammatory systems. Currently, no treatment is identified as safe and effective for post-COVID-19 condition. A candidate treatment for post-COVID-19 condition should be capable of improving measures of cognitive function (i.e., objective and subjective), motivation and energy, as well as reducing fatigue. The rationale for prioritizing cognition as a primary therapeutic target is based on a concatenation of study results reporting that cognitive complaints/deficits and fatigue are some of the most common and debilitating features of post-COVID-19 condition. Preliminary evidence suggests that some antidepressants (e.g., SSRIs) are capable of reducing respiratory complications secondary to COVID-19 via putative mechanisms including, but not limited to, sigma-1 agonism and acid sphingomyelinase.

Vortioxetine is established as pro-cognitive, as evidenced by significant improvement on both subjective and objective measures. Vortioxetine is also documented to improve anticipatory and consummatory measures of reward function/anhedonia, improve general functioning, and measures of motivation and energy. Moreover, vortioxetine is not associated with emotional blunting and has preliminary evidence of improving sleep behaviour and circadian rhythms. The candidacy of vortioxetine as an effective treatment for post-COVID-19 condition is also strengthened by evidence indicating that vortioxetine exerts modulatory effects on cellular and cytokine systems known to be activated in persons with post-COVID-19 condition. Herein, we hypothesize that vortioxetine will be more effective than placebo in the treatment of cognitive impairment in persons with post-COVID-19 condition.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: COMPLETED

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 149

Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL

Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Placebo	Placebo	Placebo capsule taken once daily for weeks 0-8.
Vortioxetine	Vortioxetine	Participants aged 18-64 years: start at 10 mg vortioxetine once daily for the first 2 weeks, then dosed up to 20 mg vortioxetine once daily for weeks 2-8. Participants aged 65+ years: start at 5 mg vortioxetine once daily for the first 2 weeks, then dosed up to 10 mg vortioxetine once daily for weeks 2-8.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Least Square Mean Change in Baseline to Week 8 on Z-score in Combined Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST)	Weeks 0-8	This measures the least square mean change in baseline-to-end point on z-score on the combined DSST. Depicted is the least square (LS) mean \[standard error of mean (SEM)\] change in DSST z-scores from baseline to week 8 using an independent covariance matrix with time as a categorical variable, adjusted for the type of cognitive test (Pen/Paper versus Online CogState version). Larger least squares mean indicates a higher predicted or adjusted average outcome for that group or condition compared to others. In other words, if you have a higher least squares mean for a treatment group, it suggests that, after adjusting for the effects of other variables, that group tends to have a higher average outcome, indicating better performance. A least squares mean of 0 indicates that the groups has no difference in average outcome. There is no fixed maximum or minimum for LS Means. They are derived from the data and can, in principle, take any real value (positive, negative, or zero)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Baseline to Endpoint Change in World Health Organization Wellbeing Scale, 5-item (WHO-5)	Weeks 0-8	This measures the least square mean change in baseline-to-end point on scores on the WHO-5. Depicted is the least square (LS) mean \[standard error of mean (SEM)\] change in WHO-5 from baseline to week 8. Larger least squares mean indicates a higher predicted or adjusted average outcome for that group or condition compared to others. In other words, if you have a higher least squares mean for a treatment group, it suggests that, after adjusting for the effects of other variables, that group tends to have a higher average outcome, indicating better performance. A least squares mean of 0 indicates that the groups has no difference in average outcome. There is no fixed maximum or minimum for LS Means. They are derived from the data and can, in principle, take any real value (positive, negative, or zero)
Baseline-to-endpoint (i.e., Week 8) Change in the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomology, Self Report (QIDS-SR-16)	Week 0-8	This measures the least square mean change in baseline-to-end point on the QIDS-SR-16. A negative least squares estimate for the QIDS-SR-16 score from baseline to week 8 indicates a reduction in depressive symptoms. Specifically, it implies that, on average, the QIDS-SR-16 scores have decreased over the 8-week period. Since lower QIDS-SR-16 scores correspond to less severe depressive symptoms, a negative change is a positive outcome, showing improvement. A least squares mean of 0 indicates that the groups has no difference in average outcome. There is no fixed maximum or minimum for LS Means. They are derived from the data and can, in principle, take any real value (positive, negative, or zero)

Trial Locations

Locations (1): Brain and Cognition Discovery Foundation (BCDF)
🇨🇦
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Brain and Cognition Discovery Foundation (BCDF)
🇨🇦Toronto, Ontario, Canada