Change in circadian preference predicts sustained treatment outcomes in patients with unipolar depression and evening preference.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
5-week adjunctive bright light therapy with a gradual advance protocol | decrease | evening-preference | 91 adult patients with nonseasonal unipolar depression and eveningness | One-third of the patients | changed | #1 |
5-week adjunctive bright light therapy with a gradual advance protocol | increase | remission of depression | patients with depression | 2-fold | predicted a 2-fold increase | #2 |
5-week adjunctive bright light therapy with a gradual advance protocol | increase | depression remission | patients with unipolar depression and evening preference | - | predicted a higher likelihood | #3 |
STUDY OBJECTIVES: Eveningness is associated with worse outcomes in depression. It remained unclear if eveningness could be altered with chronobiological therapy and whether such a change would predict long-term outcomes of depression. METHODS: Data from a randomized controlled trial of 5-week adjunctive bright light therapy with a gradual advance protocol conducted in 91 adult patients with nonseasonal unipolar depression and eveningness (Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire, score ≤ 41) was examined. "Change of eveningness" was defined by Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire score over 41 at posttreatment week 5 and "persistent change of eveningness" was defined as maintenance of Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire score > 41 throughout the follow-up period from week 5 to posttreatment 5 months. RESULTS: Thirty-three participants (36%) had change of eveningness at week 5. Generalized estimating equations models showed that a change of eveningness at week 5 predicted a 2-fold increase in remission of depression over the 5-month follow up (odds ratio = 2.61 95% confidence interval 1.20-5.71, CONCLUSIONS: One-third of the patients with depression changed their evening-preference after 5-week of chronotherapeutic treatment, and such change predicted a higher likelihood of depression remission over 5 months of follow-up. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registry: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry; Name: Adjunctive light treatment in major depressive disorder patients with evening chronotype-A randomized controlled trial; URL: https://www.chictr.org.cn/showprojen.aspx?proj=11672; Identifier: ChiCTR-IOR-15006937. CITATION: Chan JWY, Chan NY, Li SX, et al. Change in circadian preference predicts sustained treatment outcomes in patients with unipolar depression and evening preference.