Esketamine Optimized the Efficacy of Dexmedetomidine in Treating Sleep Disorders with Comorbid Depression

Yitong Ding,1,* Zhengye Wang,1,* Jing Huang,1 Yanzi Yi,1 Zhouquan Wu2 1Department of Anesthesiology, Nanjing Medical University, Jiangning, Nanjing, 211166, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Anesthesiology, The Second People’s Hospital of Changzhou, The Third Affilia...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ding Y, Wang Z, Huang J, Yi Y, Wu Z
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Dove Medical Press 2025-07-01
Series:Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.dovepress.com/esketamine-optimized-the-efficacy-of-dexmedetomidine-in-treating-sleep-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-NDT
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1839630624333234176
author Ding Y
Wang Z
Huang J
Yi Y
Wu Z
author_facet Ding Y
Wang Z
Huang J
Yi Y
Wu Z
author_sort Ding Y
collection DOAJ
description Yitong Ding,1,* Zhengye Wang,1,* Jing Huang,1 Yanzi Yi,1 Zhouquan Wu2 1Department of Anesthesiology, Nanjing Medical University, Jiangning, Nanjing, 211166, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Anesthesiology, The Second People’s Hospital of Changzhou, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, 213164, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Zhouquan Wu, Department of Anesthesiology, The Second People’s Hospital of Changzhou, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, No. 68, Ge Hu Middle Road, Changzhou, Jiangsu, 213164, People’s Republic of China, Email wuzhouquan2005@126.comPurpose: Although Dexmedetomidine (DEX) can induce sleep that resembles natural sleep, it has demonstrated limited efficacy in patients with comorbid insomnia and depression. On the other hand, Esketamine (ESK) has shown a potent antidepressant effect. Herein, we aimed to establish whether esketamine could enhance the therapeutic efficacy of DEX in treating patients with comorbid insomnia and depression.Methods: We recruited 84 patients with comorbid insomnia and depression who were randomized into two groups for a 1-month follow-up study: the DE group (receiving dexmedetomidine and esketamine) and the DS group (receiving dexmedetomidine and saline). Outcome measures included polysomnographic monitoring (PSG), Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Sleep Numeric Rating Scale (SNRS), and serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) concentrations. The primary outcome was a comparison of PSG parameters recorded at baseline (D0) and on treatment day 3 (D3).Results: After 3 days of treatment, patients in DE group had a significant increase in total sleep duration, duration and proportion of N3 sleep (P < 0.05), a significant decrease in proportion of N2 sleep and proportion of REM sleep (P < 0.05), and a significant decrease in depression score and sleep numeric rating scale score (P < 0.05), as compared with DS group. Improvements in sleep were associated with improvements in MADRS score and increases in BDNF. Oral dryness was the most frequent adverse event (AE).Conclusion: When combined with ESK, DEX improved patients’ depression scores, further extended total sleep time, increased the N3 sleep proportion, and enhanced deep sleep continuity, with few AEs.Keywords: insomnia, depression, esketamine, dexmedetomidine, polysomnography
format Article
id doaj-art-feb0b99ce9ba4c9fac7edddb4540a3bf
institution Matheson Library
issn 1178-2021
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Dove Medical Press
record_format Article
series Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment
spelling doaj-art-feb0b99ce9ba4c9fac7edddb4540a3bf2025-07-13T18:21:55ZengDove Medical PressNeuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment1178-20212025-07-01Volume 21Issue 114091423104751Esketamine Optimized the Efficacy of Dexmedetomidine in Treating Sleep Disorders with Comorbid DepressionDing Y0Wang Z1Huang J2Yi Y3Wu Z4Department of AnesthesiologyDepartment of AnesthesiologyDepartment of AnesthesiologyDepartment of AnesthesiologyDepartment of AnesthesiologyYitong Ding,1,* Zhengye Wang,1,* Jing Huang,1 Yanzi Yi,1 Zhouquan Wu2 1Department of Anesthesiology, Nanjing Medical University, Jiangning, Nanjing, 211166, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Anesthesiology, The Second People’s Hospital of Changzhou, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, 213164, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Zhouquan Wu, Department of Anesthesiology, The Second People’s Hospital of Changzhou, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, No. 68, Ge Hu Middle Road, Changzhou, Jiangsu, 213164, People’s Republic of China, Email wuzhouquan2005@126.comPurpose: Although Dexmedetomidine (DEX) can induce sleep that resembles natural sleep, it has demonstrated limited efficacy in patients with comorbid insomnia and depression. On the other hand, Esketamine (ESK) has shown a potent antidepressant effect. Herein, we aimed to establish whether esketamine could enhance the therapeutic efficacy of DEX in treating patients with comorbid insomnia and depression.Methods: We recruited 84 patients with comorbid insomnia and depression who were randomized into two groups for a 1-month follow-up study: the DE group (receiving dexmedetomidine and esketamine) and the DS group (receiving dexmedetomidine and saline). Outcome measures included polysomnographic monitoring (PSG), Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Sleep Numeric Rating Scale (SNRS), and serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) concentrations. The primary outcome was a comparison of PSG parameters recorded at baseline (D0) and on treatment day 3 (D3).Results: After 3 days of treatment, patients in DE group had a significant increase in total sleep duration, duration and proportion of N3 sleep (P < 0.05), a significant decrease in proportion of N2 sleep and proportion of REM sleep (P < 0.05), and a significant decrease in depression score and sleep numeric rating scale score (P < 0.05), as compared with DS group. Improvements in sleep were associated with improvements in MADRS score and increases in BDNF. Oral dryness was the most frequent adverse event (AE).Conclusion: When combined with ESK, DEX improved patients’ depression scores, further extended total sleep time, increased the N3 sleep proportion, and enhanced deep sleep continuity, with few AEs.Keywords: insomnia, depression, esketamine, dexmedetomidine, polysomnographyhttps://www.dovepress.com/esketamine-optimized-the-efficacy-of-dexmedetomidine-in-treating-sleep-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-NDTInsomniaDepressionEsketamineDexmedetomidinePolysomnography
spellingShingle Ding Y
Wang Z
Huang J
Yi Y
Wu Z
Esketamine Optimized the Efficacy of Dexmedetomidine in Treating Sleep Disorders with Comorbid Depression
Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment
Insomnia
Depression
Esketamine
Dexmedetomidine
Polysomnography
title Esketamine Optimized the Efficacy of Dexmedetomidine in Treating Sleep Disorders with Comorbid Depression
title_full Esketamine Optimized the Efficacy of Dexmedetomidine in Treating Sleep Disorders with Comorbid Depression
title_fullStr Esketamine Optimized the Efficacy of Dexmedetomidine in Treating Sleep Disorders with Comorbid Depression
title_full_unstemmed Esketamine Optimized the Efficacy of Dexmedetomidine in Treating Sleep Disorders with Comorbid Depression
title_short Esketamine Optimized the Efficacy of Dexmedetomidine in Treating Sleep Disorders with Comorbid Depression
title_sort esketamine optimized the efficacy of dexmedetomidine in treating sleep disorders with comorbid depression
topic Insomnia
Depression
Esketamine
Dexmedetomidine
Polysomnography
url https://www.dovepress.com/esketamine-optimized-the-efficacy-of-dexmedetomidine-in-treating-sleep-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-NDT
work_keys_str_mv AT dingy esketamineoptimizedtheefficacyofdexmedetomidineintreatingsleepdisorderswithcomorbiddepression
AT wangz esketamineoptimizedtheefficacyofdexmedetomidineintreatingsleepdisorderswithcomorbiddepression
AT huangj esketamineoptimizedtheefficacyofdexmedetomidineintreatingsleepdisorderswithcomorbiddepression
AT yiy esketamineoptimizedtheefficacyofdexmedetomidineintreatingsleepdisorderswithcomorbiddepression
AT wuz esketamineoptimizedtheefficacyofdexmedetomidineintreatingsleepdisorderswithcomorbiddepression