Zuranolone For Anxiety and Insomnia in Postpartum Depression

After having a baby, some moms might feel anxious or sad. This is called postpartum depression (PPD). Feeling tired and worried is normal, but when these feelings get strong and don't go away, it might be more than just regular tiredness. Anxiety, which is feeling very nervous, and insomnia, which is the inability to fall and stay asleep, can happen together during postpartum depression. This can make things harder for moms. Talking to a doctor about these feelings and getting help so moms can feel better and enjoy time with their new baby is essential.

Clinical Trial

Researchers investigated the effects of zuranolone on women experiencing anxiety and insomnia alongside PPD. The research specifically focused on its impact on these symptoms and the overall health perception of women with PPD, using the ROBIN study.

Women aged 18-45 were enrolled in the study within six months of giving birth, experiencing PPD that began either during the third trimester of pregnancy or within four weeks after delivery. The participants had a baseline Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-17) total score of 26 or higher. The women were divided randomly into two groups: one receiving oral zuranolone 30 mg (77 participants) and the other receiving a placebo (76 participants). This treatment lasted for 14 days, with follow-up assessments until day 45.

The researchers investigated the simultaneous relief of depressive and anxiety symptoms, improvements in insomnia, perception of their functional health, and the effectiveness of zuranolone using a metric called "number needed to treat" (NNT).

Results

Women who took zuranolone had higher remission rates for both depressive and anxiety symptoms than those who took the placebo. This difference was statistically significant on days 3, 15, and 45 of the study. The sustained remission (observed on days 15 and 45) was also more frequent in the zuranolone group. Notably, anxiety symptoms, as assessed by different scales, improved more in the zuranolone group.

The study highlighted the potential benefits of zuranolone on insomnia symptoms and the participants' perceived functional health. The number needed to treat (NNT) indicated that around five participants would experience a positive response or remission for everyone treated with zuranolone by day 15.

Conclusion

Zuranolone led to concurrent improvements in depressive and anxiety symptoms among women with PPD. It also showed potential positive effects on insomnia symptoms and the participants' perceived functional health. This study sheds light on the potential benefits of zuranolone for women dealing with postpartum depression, anxiety, and insomnia.
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