Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment (Nov 2021)

Effect of Sleep Disturbance on Efficacy of Esketamine in Treatment-Resistant Depression: Findings from Randomized Controlled Trials

  • Borentain S,
  • Williamson D,
  • Turkoz I,
  • Popova V,
  • McCall WV,
  • Mathews M,
  • Wiegand F

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 17
pp. 3459 – 3470

Abstract

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Stephane Borentain,1 David Williamson,2,3 Ibrahim Turkoz,4 Vanina Popova,5 William V McCall,3 Maju Mathews,1 Frank Wiegand1 1Department of Global Medical Affairs, Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Titusville, NJ, USA; 2CNS Scientific Affairs Liaisons, Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC, Titusville, NJ, USA; 3Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA; 4Department of Clinical Statistics, Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Titusville, NJ, USA; 5Department of Neuroscience Clinical Development, Janssen Research & Development, Beerse, BelgiumCorrespondence: Stephane BorentainDepartment of Global Medical Affairs, Janssen Research & Development, LLC, 1125 Trenton-Harbourton Road, Titusville, NJ, 08560, USATel +1 609-7304420Email [email protected]: To evaluate the relationship of sleep disturbance to the antidepressant effects of esketamine.Materials and Methods: Two double-blind, 4-week studies randomized adults with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) to placebo or esketamine nasal spray, each with newly initiated antidepressant. Sleep was assessed using Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) item 4. Change in response (≥ 50% decrease in MADRS total score) and remission (total MADRS score ≤ 12) at day 28 was examined by presence/absence of baseline sleep disturbance using logistic regression models. Impact on reported sleep disturbance (MADRS item 4 score) was examined using ANCOVA models.Results: At baseline, most patients reported disturbed sleep – moderate/severe (65.3%, 369/565), mild (25.3%, 143/565), or none/slightly (9.4%, 53/565) – with similar distribution between treatment groups. A higher proportion of esketamine-treated patients achieved response (OR = 2.05; 95% CI: 1.40– 3.02; P < 0.001) and remission (OR = 1.81; 95% CI: 1.23– 2.66; P = 0.003) at day 28 compared to antidepressant plus placebo, regardless of presence/severity of sleep disturbance. Consistent with this, sleep (MADRS item 4 score) improved in both groups after the first dose, more so with esketamine by day 8 (between-group difference: P ≤ 0.02 at all time points). Across both treatment groups, 1-point improvement in sleep at day 8 increased the probability of antidepressant response on day 28 by 26% (OR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.12– 1.42; P < 0.001), and remission by 28% (OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.14– 1.43; P < 0.001).Conclusion: Antidepressant efficacy of esketamine was demonstrated in patients with TRD, regardless of the presence of sleep disturbance. After 8 days of treatment and thereafter, significantly more esketamine-treated patients reported improvement in sleep versus antidepressant plus placebo.Keywords: esketamine, treatment-resistant depression, sleep disturbance, insomnia

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