The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if Lemborexant works to treat residual insomnia in adults with depression that is being treated. It will also learn about how practical, tolerable, and effective Lemborexant is. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does Lemborexant help participants improve sleep and reduce insomnia symptoms? * How practical is it to use Lemborexant (how many participants join, drop out, and follow the study rules)? How do participants feel about using it (based on surveys and interviews)? Researchers will compare Lemborexant to a placebo (a look-alike substance that contains no drug) to see if Lemborexant works to treat residual insomnia in adequately treated major depressive disorder. Participants will: * Take Lemborexant or a placebo every day for 6 weeks (2 weeks at 5 mg then 4 weeks at 10 mg) * Complete clinical assessments and in-person study visits * Maintain a digital sleep diary and complete daily and weekly self-report ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) * Use a wearable device which will be used to collect and monitor physiological data
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is often accompanied by persistent residual insomnia which does not resolve, even after adequate MDD treatment. Lemborexant is an orexin receptor antagonist involved in the regulation of sleep-wake cycles with a favourable safety profile compared to other sleep medications. There are currently no trials evaluating the feasibility and clinical efficacy of Lemborexant as a treatment for residual insomnia in patients with adequately treated MDD. This pilot study will investigate the feasibility, tolerability, and efficacy of Lemborexant in adults with adequately-treated MDD and residual insomnia.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
30
Dayvigo (lemborexant compound) is an orexin antagonist that acts on the arousal and sleep neural networks of the brain to regulate sleep-wake cycles and is used in the treatment of insomnia characterized by difficulties with sleep.
The placebo is an inactive sugar pill that looks and tastes identical to the lemborexant pill.
St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Feasibility Outcomes
Feasibility will be measured by the recruitment rate, withdrawal rate, data completion rate, and adherence rate. Recruitment rate will be quantified by the percentage of eligible participants enrolled relative to the number of participants contacted. Feasibility will be marked as a minimum of 1-2 participants enrolled per month. Withdrawal/dropout rate will be quantified by the percentage of participants who drop out of the study. The upper limit of the 95% confidence interval (CI) for dropout rate should not exceed 20%. Adherence and data completion will bhe proportion of participants who strictly follow the study protocol (the "per-protocol group") will be estimated with a 95% CI. This includes adherence to treatment (taking the medication correctly for six weeks), study completion (attending all required visits), and providing complete data. To be considered feasible, the lower limit of this 95% CI must be greater than 80%.
Time frame: 13 weeks
Tolerability Outcomes
Tolerability will be measured by the frequency and nature of adverse events and medication adherence (i.e., missed dosage).
Time frame: 10 weeks
Preliminary Clinical Parameters
Changes in insomnia symptoms will be measured using the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) Score. ISI score reduction will be compared between allocation and treatment end for participants randomized to receive Lemborexant and those receiving placebo.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Within-person Correlations
Within-person changes in insomnia symptoms will be measured by within-person correlations of baseline and follow-up ISI scores. The ISI assesses the severity of insomnia symptoms, such as the impact of sleep on daytime functioning, difficulties with sleep onset, and sleep maintenance. Each item is rated on a scale from 0 (mild) to 4 (very severe), with a higher overall score indicating more severe insomnia presentations.
Time frame: 10 weeks
Standard Deviation
Within and between participant variability in insomnia symptoms will be measured by standard deviation of ISI scores. This measure will be separate for each group (treatment and placebo).
Time frame: 13 weeks
Change in Physiological Biometrics (Oura Ring Metrics)
Physiological biometrics will be captured using the Oura Ring and analyzed as a composite measure of changes across multiple parameters. Individual metrics will be reported separately and summarized as part of an overall physiological profile. The measured parameters include daily activity (step count (steps/day) and energy expenditure (METs)), heart rate metrics (resting heart rate (beats per minute) and heart rate variability (milliseconds)), body temperature (average nightly body temperature deviation (degrees Celsius), sleep quality (sleep latency, total time in bed, sleep staging (light, deep, REM sleep in minutes)), wake onset (minutes), and Oura composite scores (sleep, activity, and readiness scores (0-100 scale)). Statistical analyses will assess changes in each metric individually, as well as aggregated trends across sleep, activity, and recovery domains.
Time frame: 13 weeks
Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)
This questionnaire assesses the severity of depression, with questions probing the frequency and severity of symptoms such as mood, energy, sleep, and concentration. Each item is scored from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day), with a higher total score indicating more severe depression presentations.
Time frame: 13 weeks
Insomnia Severity Index (ISI-7)
This questionnaire assesses the severity of insomnia symptoms, such as the impact of sleep on daytime functioning, difficulties with sleep onset, and sleep maintenance. Each item is rated on a scale from 0 (mild) to 4 (very severe), with a higher overall score indicating more severe insomnia presentations.
Time frame: 13 weeks
Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7)
This questionnaire assesses the severity of anxiety symptoms, such as excessive worry, restlessness, and irritability. Each question is scored ranging from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day), with a higher overall score indicating more severe presentations of anxiety.
Time frame: 13 weeks
World Health Organization Well-being Index (WHO-5)
This questionnaire is a self-report measure that evaluates subjective well-being, with statements probing mood, vitality, and mental well-being. Participants rate their responses from 0 (at no time) to 5 (all the time), with a higher overall score indicating positive well-being.
Time frame: 13 weeks
Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)
This clinician-administered scale assesses the severity and changes in depression symptoms over time. Each item is rated from 0 (no symptoms) to 6 (very severe symptoms), with a higher overall score indicating more severe depression.
Time frame: 13 weeks
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