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Intranasal Esketamine-dexmedetomidine Combination and Postpartum Depression

11 juni 2026 bijgewerkt door: Dong-Xin Wang, Peking University First Hospital

Impact of Intranasal Esketamine-dexmedetomidine Combination on Postpartum Depression in Parturients With Prenatal Depressive Symptoms: a Randomized, Double-blind, and Placebo-controlled Trial

Esketamine has rapid-onset antidepressant effects and may reduce postpartum depression in parturients with prenatal depressive symptoms. However, its adverse neuropsychiatric symptoms limits clinical application. Dexmedetomidine can alleviate these adverse symptoms and has independent antidepressant effect. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial is designed to evaluate whether intranasal esketamine combined with dexmedetomidine can reduce the prevalence of postpartum depression in women with prenatal depressive symptoms.

Studie Overzicht

Gedetailleerde beschrijving

Perinatal depression is a common mental disorder in women during the perinatal period. Many studies have shown that existence of prenatal depressive symptoms is an important risk factor of postpartum depression. Early identification of pregnant women with symptoms of prenatal depression, and providing appropriate interventions may play important roles in reducing the incidence of postpartum depression.

Ketamine is an NMDA-receptor antagonist. Esketamine, the S-enantiomer of ketamine, has a higher affinity for the NMDA receptor and is approximately twice as potent as ketamine in anesthesia and analgesia. Recent studies have demonstrated that ketamine and esketamine have marked rapid-acting antidepressant effects, but often accompanied by neuropsychiatric adverse effects, including dizziness, hallucinations, nightmares, and dissociative symptoms. Intranasal esketamine is approved for treatment-resistant depression.

Dexmedetomidine, a highly selective α2-adrenergic receptor agonist, is commonly used as a perioperative adjuvant. Recently, its potential role in psychiatric disorders has drawn increasing attention, with evidence suggesting preventive and therapeutic effects on anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Intranasal dexmedetomidine has been safely used in both adults and children, particularly for procedural sedation and preoperative administration.

Combined use of esketamine with dexmedetomidine has been shown to reduce the neuropsychiatric adverse effects associated with esketamine alone, while also exhibiting synergistic sedative and analgesic effects. The investigators suppose that, for pregnant women with prenatal depressive symptoms, intranasal administration of a low-dose esketamine-dexmedetomidine combination after childbirth may reduce the incidence of postpartum depression with fewer neuropsychiatric side effects.

This randomized controlled trial is designed to investigate the effect of esketamine-dexmedetomidine combination administered intranasally after childbirth on the incidence of postpartum depression among paturients with prenatal depressive symptoms.

Studietype

Ingrijpend

Inschrijving (Geschat)

164

Fase

  • Fase 4

Contacten en locaties

In dit gedeelte vindt u de contactgegevens van degenen die het onderzoek uitvoeren en informatie over waar dit onderzoek wordt uitgevoerd.

Studiecontact

Studie Contact Back-up

Studie Locaties

    • Beijing Municipality
      • Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China, 100034
        • Peking University First Hospital
        • Contact:

Deelname Criteria

Onderzoekers zoeken naar mensen die aan een bepaalde beschrijving voldoen, de zogenaamde geschiktheidscriteria. Enkele voorbeelden van deze criteria zijn iemands algemene gezondheidstoestand of eerdere behandelingen.

Geschiktheidscriteria

Leeftijden die in aanmerking komen voor studie

  • Volwassen
  • Oudere volwassene

Accepteert gezonde vrijwilligers

Nee

Beschrijving

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Pregnant women aged ≥18 years who are preparing for childbirth;
  • Positive prenatal depression screening, defined as a Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) score ≥5.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • History of schizophrenia or existence of communication barriers;
  • Severe obstetric complications, including severe preeclampsia, placenta accreta, HELLP syndrome, placenta previa, placental abruption, or ASA physical status classification >III;
  • Contraindications to ketamine/esketamine, including refractory hypertension, severe cardiovascular disease (NYHA class ≥III), or hyperthyroidism;
  • Contraindications to dexmedetomidine, including severe bradycardia (heart rate <50 bpm), or second-degree or higher atrioventricular block;
  • Unsuitable for intranasal administration due to nasal cavity diseases (e.g., rhinitis, nasal polyps, or nasal congestion of any cause);
  • Refusal to participate in this study or concurrent participation in another clinical trial.

Studie plan

Dit gedeelte bevat details van het studieplan, inclusief hoe de studie is opgezet en wat de studie meet.

Hoe is de studie opgezet?

Ontwerpdetails

  • Primair doel: Behandeling
  • Toewijzing: Gerandomiseerd
  • Interventioneel model: Parallelle opdracht
  • Masker: Verviervoudigen

Wapens en interventies

Deelnemersgroep / Arm
Interventie / Behandeling
Experimenteel: Intranasal esketamine-dexmedetomidine

Participants in this arm will receive intranasal administration of dexmedetomidine-esketamine combination.

The dosage will be calculated based on body weight (approximately 0.4 μg/kg of dexmedetomidine and 0.2 mg/kg of esketamine). The mixture of study drugs will be administered via a nasal spray device, alternating between the two nostrils every 5 minutes, until the target dose is reached.

The combination will be administered twice after chilbirth with an interval of 12 hours (2 sessions in total).

The dosage will be calculated based on body weight (approximately 0.4 μg/kg of dexmedetomidine and 0.2 mg/kg of esketamine). The mixture of study drugs will be administered via a nasal spray device, alternating between the two nostrils every 5 minutes, until the target dose is reached. The combination will be administered twice after childbirth with an interval of 12 hours (2 sessions in total).
Placebo-vergelijker: Intranasal placebo

Participants in this arm will receive intranasal administration of placebo (normal sline).

The dosage (volume) will be calculated based on body weight in the same way as that in the intervention group. The placebo (normal saline) will be administered via a nasal spray device, alternating between the two nostrils every 5 minutes, until the target dose is reached.

The placebo will be administered twice after childbirth with an interval of 12 hours (2 sessions in total).

The dosage (volume) will be calculated based on body weight in the same way as that in the intervention group. The placebo (normal saline) will be administered via a nasal spray device, alternating between the two nostrils every 5 minutes, until the target dose is reached. The placebo will be administered twice after childbirth with an interval of 12 hours (2 sessions in total).
Andere namen:
  • Normale zoutoplossing

Wat meet het onderzoek?

Primaire uitkomstmaten

Uitkomstmaat
Maatregel Beschrijving
Tijdsspanne
Prevalence of depressive symptoms at 42 days postpartum
Tijdsspanne: At 42 days postpartum
Maternal depression will be assessed using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17; scores range from 0 to 54, with higher scores indicating more severe depressive symptoms) at 42 days postpartum. A HAMD-17 total score ≥8 is defined as presence of at least mild depressive symptoms.
At 42 days postpartum

Secundaire uitkomstmaten

Uitkomstmaat
Maatregel Beschrijving
Tijdsspanne
Prevalence of depressive symptoms at 7 days postpartum
Tijdsspanne: At 7 days postpartum
Maternal depression will be assessed using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17; scores range from 0 to 54, with higher scores indicating more severe depressive symptoms) at 7 days postpartum at 7 days postpartum. A HAMD-17 total score ≥8 is defined as presence of at least mild depressive symptoms.
At 7 days postpartum
Treatment response rates at 7 and 42 days postpartum
Tijdsspanne: At 7 and 42 days postpartum
Treatment response is defined as a ≥50% reduction in the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17; scores range from 0 to 54, with higher scores indicating more severe depressive symptoms) score from baseline.
At 7 and 42 days postpartum
Prevalence of major depressive episode at 42 days postpartum
Tijdsspanne: At 42 days postpartum
The presence of major depressive episodes will be diagnosed with the the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview version 7.0.2 (MINI 7.0.2, depression module). The MINI 7.0.2 is a brief structured diagnostic interview to assess the diagnosis of depression.
At 42 days postpartum

Andere uitkomstmaten

Uitkomstmaat
Maatregel Beschrijving
Tijdsspanne
Length of hospital stay after giving birth
Tijdsspanne: Up to 30 days after giving birth
Length of hospital stay after giving birth
Up to 30 days after giving birth
Time to initiation of breastfeeding
Tijdsspanne: Up to 3 days after giving birth
Time to initiation of breastfeeding after giving birth
Up to 3 days after giving birth
Pain intensity at 1 and 7 days postpartum
Tijdsspanne: At 1 and 7 days postpartum
Pain intensity will be assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS; an 11-point scale where 0=no pain and 10=the worst pain), both at rest and with movement.
At 1 and 7 days postpartum
Incidence of persistent pain at 42 days postpartum
Tijdsspanne: At 42 days postpartum
Persistent pain is defined as pain with an NRS pain score ≥1 that persisted since childbirth.
At 42 days postpartum
Proportion of exclusive breastfeeding
Tijdsspanne: At 1, 7, and 42 days postpartum
Proportion of exclusive breastfeeding at 1, 7, and 42 days postpartum
At 1, 7, and 42 days postpartum
Maternal complications within 42 days.
Tijdsspanne: Up to 42 days postpartum
Maternal complications are defined as any medical conditions that required hospital visits and therapeutic intervention.
Up to 42 days postpartum
Neonatal complications within 42 days.
Tijdsspanne: Up to 42 days after birth
Neonatal complications are defined as any medical conditions that required hospital visits and therapeutic intervention.
Up to 42 days after birth

Medewerkers en onderzoekers

Hier vindt u mensen en organisaties die betrokken zijn bij dit onderzoek.

Onderzoekers

  • Hoofdonderzoeker: Dong-Xin Wang, MD, PhD, Peking University First Hospital

Publicaties en nuttige links

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Algemene publicaties

Studie record data

Deze datums volgen de voortgang van het onderzoeksdossier en de samenvatting van de ingediende resultaten bij ClinicalTrials.gov. Studieverslagen en gerapporteerde resultaten worden beoordeeld door de National Library of Medicine (NLM) om er zeker van te zijn dat ze voldoen aan specifieke kwaliteitscontrolenormen voordat ze op de openbare website worden geplaatst.

Bestudeer belangrijke data

Studie start (Geschat)

1 juni 2026

Primaire voltooiing (Geschat)

1 oktober 2029

Studie voltooiing (Geschat)

1 december 2029

Studieregistratiedata

Eerst ingediend

4 juni 2026

Eerst ingediend dat voldeed aan de QC-criteria

5 juni 2026

Eerst geplaatst (Werkelijk)

10 juni 2026

Updates van studierecords

Laatste update geplaatst (Werkelijk)

15 juni 2026

Laatste update ingediend die voldeed aan QC-criteria

11 juni 2026

Laatst geverifieerd

1 juni 2026

Meer informatie

Termen gerelateerd aan deze studie

Plan Individuele Deelnemersgegevens (IPD)

Bent u van plan om gegevens van individuele deelnemers (IPD) te delen?

NEE

Informatie over medicijnen en apparaten, studiedocumenten

Bestudeert een door de Amerikaanse FDA gereguleerd geneesmiddel

Nee

Bestudeert een door de Amerikaanse FDA gereguleerd apparaatproduct

Nee

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