Therapeutics of postpartum depression

An overview of the differences in the pharmacological management of post-traumatic stress disorder between women and men

INTRODUCTION

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disabling psychiatric condition with a worldwide prevalence between 6% and 9%, and more common in the female than in the male sex. The aim of this paper is to review and comment on the different factors that might explain the discrepancies in the pharmacological management of women and men.

AREAS COVERED

The available literature shows that there exists a vulnerability of women to develop PTSD that may depend on neurobiological as well as environmental/cultural factors. These variables might influence the clinical picture, the outcome and the response to specific treatments, given their consequences on the pharmacokinetics of commonly prescribed drugs. Women suffering from PTSD are more prone to consult and receive more prescriptions of psychotropic drugs than men. However, it is evident that the particular stages of a women's life such as pregnancy or breastfeeding might require a specific evaluation and care.

EXPERT OPINION

It is necessary to explore the pharmacokinetics of compounds highlighting sex-related differences, and their safety during pregnancy and lactation. Taking care of differences between women and men should represent a main focus of research, while being a primary target towards a really tailored pharmacological treatment of PTSD.

Preventing recurrence of postpartum depression by regulating sleep

INTRODUCTION

Women are at a high risk of recurrence of depression in the postpartum period. Given the circumscribed duration of the risk period and knowledge of its triggers, postpartum depression should be easily preventable. However, prophylactic drug studies have reported contradictory findings partly due to the heterogeneity of the disorder. Currently, there are no studies on the efficacy of psychotherapy in the prevention of postpartum depression in women with major depressive or bipolar disorder.

AREAS COVERED

This review evaluates the results of controlled medication and psychotherapeutic studies in the prevention of depression in women with major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder; it further suggests that the management of sleep loss/insomnia may be an effective strategy in the prevention of postpartum depression.

EXPERT OPINION

A thorough understanding of the clinical course of the antecedent mood disorder and historical treatment response is necessary before the implementation of strategies for the prevention of postpartum depression. Targeting disturbed and/or insufficient sleep - a common and early transdiagnostic symptom of peripartum psychiatric disorders - may be a more effective intervention for the prevention of postpartum depression and psychiatric comorbidities in some individuals than the traditional approach of antidepressant use.

An optimization for postpartum depression risk assessment and preventive intervention strategy based machine learning approaches

BACKGROUND

Postpartum depression (PPD) is one of the most common psychiatric disorders for women after delivery. The establishment of an effective PPD prediction model helps to distinguish high-risk groups, and verifying whether such high-risk groups can benefit from drug intervention is very important for clinical guidance.

METHODS

We collected data of parturients that underwent a cesarean delivery. The Control group was divided into a training cohort and a testing cohort. Six different ML models were constructed and we compared their prediction performance in the testing cohort. For model interpretation, we introduced SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP). Then, training cohort, ketamine group and dexmedetomidine (DEX) group were classified as high or low risk for PPD by the model. A 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to compare the incidence of PPD between two groups in different risk cohorts.

RESULTS

Extreme gradient enhancement (XGB) had the best recognition effect, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.789 (95 % CI 0.742-0.836) in the training cohort and 0.744 (95 % CI 0.655-0.823) in the testing cohort, respectively. A threshold of 21.5 % PPD risk probability was determined. After PSM, the results showed that the incidence of PPD in the two intervention groups was significantly different from the control group in the high-risk cohort (P < 0.001) but not in the low-risk cohort (P > 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrated that the XGB algorithm provided a more accurate in prediction of PPD risk, and it was beneficial to receive early intervention for the high-risk groups distinguished by the model.

Effectiveness of non-pharmacological treatments for postpartum depression: an umbrella review protocol

INTRODUCTION

Non-pharmacological treatments for postpartum depression have been investigated in various systematic reviews, and their efficacy has been evaluated. However, the quality of the evidence as a whole has not been quantified. The quality of this evidence may influence the choice of interventions and even cause misleading clinical decisions. This study aims to provide an objective presentation of the methodological bias and identify treatments supported by solid evidence.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

For the purpose of conducting systematic reviews and meta-analyses, a comprehensive search of the relevant published literature will be conducted in English databases such as PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO and Scopus, as well as in four Chinese databases: the Chinese Biomedical Databases (CBM), Wan fang database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and VIP Database (VIP). The time of publication will be limited from their inception to 31 May 2022. We will extract the following data from the included literature: title, first author, journal type of included literature, number and sample size, intervention/control measures, outcome indicators and main study outcomes. The Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews-2 will be used to measure the quality of the methods. In addition, we will use the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement to evaluate the quality of the reporting, as well as the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation to evaluate the quality of the evidence.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42021285470.

Effect of transcranial direct current stimulation on postpartum depression: A study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a complex combination of physiological, emotional, and behavioral alterations associated with postpartum chemical, social, and psychological variations. It does harm to the relationship between family members that could potentially last for years. However, standard depression treatments are not ideal for PPD, and the outcomes of these treatments are debatable. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is an emerging technology that could provide patients with PPD with a safe and non-pharmacological treatment. tDCS can relieve depression by directly stimulating the prefrontal cortex through the excitatory effect of the anode. It may also ease depression indirectly by promoting the production and release of the neurotransmitter GABA. The mechanism of tDCS makes it an ideal therapeutic approach to treat PPD, although it has not been widely used, and its effect has not been evaluated systematically and effectively. A double-blind, randomized controlled trial will be conducted involving 240 tDCS-naive patients with PPD, who will be randomly divided into two groups. One group will receive routine clinical treatment and care with active tDCS, and the other group will receive routine clinical treatment and care with sham tDCS. Each group of patients will receive a 3-week intervention during which they will receive 20 min of active or sham tDCS 6 days per week. The Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale will be administered before the intervention as a baseline and on each weekend throughout the intervention phase. Before and after the intervention, the Perceived Stress Scale and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule will be evaluated. Side effects and abnormal reactions will be recorded during each treatment. As antidepressants are banned in the study, the results will not be affected by drugs and will therefore be more accurate. Nonetheless, this experiment will be conducted in a single center as a small sample experiment. Therefore, future studies are required to confirm the effectiveness of tDCS in treating PPD.

Effects of Cognitive Nursing Combined with Continuous Nursing on Postpartum Mental State and Rehabilitation

Purpose

This study is aimed at exploring the effects of cognitive nursing combined with continuous nursing on postpartum mental state and rehabilitation.

Methods

Totally, 124 puerperas admitted to our hospital from January 2019 to January 2020 were selected and divided into a research group and a control group according to different nursing methods, with 62 cases in each group. The control group received routine care, while the research group received cognitive nursing combined with continuous nursing on this basis. The mental state, rehabilitation indicators, quality of life, incidence of complications, and nursing satisfaction were compared between the two groups after intervention.

Results

Before nursing, there was no statistically significant difference in the SAS and SDS scores between the two groups (P > 0.05); after intervention, the SAS and SDS scores of the two groups were significantly reduced, and those of the research group were lower than those of the control group (P < 0.05). After intervention, the time of the first breastfeeding, duration of lochia rubra, length of hospital stay, and score of uterine contraction pain of the research group were lower than those of the control group (P < 0.05); the psychological function, physical function, material life, and social function scores of the research group were higher than those of the control group (P < 0.05); the incidence of complications in the research group was 4.84%, lower than 20.97% in the control group (P < 0.05); the nursing satisfaction of the research group was 96.77%, which was significantly higher than 83.87% in the control group (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Cognitive nursing combined with continuous nursing can effectively improve the mental state, shorten the length of hospital stay, increase the perceived well-being, and promote the physical rehabilitation in puerperas, which is worth promoting in clinical practice.

A Systematic Review of the Efficacy of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Treatment for Women with Postpartum Depression

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) has a strong evidence base for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD), however, there is minimal research investigating the treatment of depression within the postpartum period. This systematic review aims to systematically examine the efficacy and safety of TMS when treating postpartum depression (PPD). Databases Ovid Medline, PsycINFO, EMBASE and PubMed were searched from inception to May 2021, to identify peer-reviewed papers assessing the administration of TMS for PPD treatment. Data were systematically extracted and evaluated regarding clinical psychiatric outcomes, social-relational outcomes, neuropsychological testing, and side effects. This systematic review included one randomised controlled trial, two open-label studies, two conference papers, and two case studies, providing data on 60 participants. TMS appears well tolerated, with no reported major adverse side effects. While the studies reported a general reduction in PPD symptoms, the poor quality of the evidence available indicates that TMS for PPD is unable to be currently recommended. However, the substantial evidence for TMS in the treatment of MDD and the differential response to antidepressant medication in PPD indicates that further research into TMS for PPD is warranted.

The Management of Prodromal Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder: Available Options and Future Perspectives

The onset of prodromal symptoms in subjects who are at familial or clinical risk for bipolar disorder could be considered as an important alarm bell for the development of the disease and should be carefully detected. The management of prodromes in bipolar high-risk patients appears to be an important means of prevention; nevertheless, at the moment, there aren’t clear and widely shared treatment indications. The aim of this review is to summarize the available treatment options (pharmacological, psychosocial and nutraceutical) for the management of prodromal symptoms in subjects who are at familial or clinical risk for bipolar disorder.

Pharmacotherapeutic considerations for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder during and after pregnancy

Introduction: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects 3-4% of the pregnant and postpartum population. Despite its high prevalence, there has been very little research on how the disorder should be managed in this population. This is of importance as untreated PTSD has been associated with adverse outcomes both in pregnancy and in child development.Areas covered: In this article, the authors discuss the existing literature on the pharmacological treatment of PTSD. As guidelines and clinical trials in the treatment of perinatal PTSD are non-existent, they extrapolate the existing data from non-perinatal populations while considering the safety of medications in pregnancy and breastfeeding.Expert opinion: First-line treatment of perinatal PTSD ideally involves evidence-based psychotherapy rather than pharmacotherapy. However, pharmacotherapy may be required in situations of inadequate response, psychiatric co-morbidities, limited access to psychotherapy, or patient preference. The first-line pharmacotherapy options are the antidepressants sertraline, paroxetine, fluoxetine, and venlafaxine. Of these medications, sertraline has the best safety profile in pregnancy and postpartum and is thus the preferred agent. Clinical studies and consensus guidelines in the treatment of perinatal PTSD are needed given the high prevalence of the disorder and the significant risks associated with inadequate treatment.

Non-pharmacological interventions for postpartum depression: A protocol for systematic review and network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Postpartum depression (PPD) is one of the most common mental disorders in women following childbirth with heightened prevalence across the globe. Both pharmacotherapy and non-pharmacological interventions are effective for PPD. However, due to the concerns about the side effect on the mother and child of pharmacological treatments, most of women with PPD choose non-pharmacological therapies as their first line option. Prescription of these non-drug approaches should be guided by high quality evidence. Therefore, this network meta-analysis aims to compare, rank and interpret existed non-pharmacological evidence for the effective treatment of women with PPD.

METHODS

Electronic bibliographic databases including EMBASE, PubMed, Scopus, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI),VIP Database, Wanfang Database and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database will be searched for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of non-pharmacological interventions for PPD. Heterogeneity and inconsistencies will be analyzed by I statistic and Z test, respectively. We will assess the quality of evidence by the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) and evaluate the risk of bias according to Cochrane risk of bias tool. R software 3.6.1 (R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria) will be used to conduct a network meta-analysis.

RESULTS

Formal ethical approval is not required, because the present study is a meta-analysis based on existed studies. The findings of this research will be reported in a recognized journal.

CONCLUSION

The review results will ascertain the hierarchy of effectiveness of different non-pharmacological approaches for PPD, and systematically provide suggests for physicians and patients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

PROSPERO CRD42020166801.

Advances in treatment for postpartum major depressive disorder

Introduction: Postpartum depressive disorder (PPD) is a burdensome medical condition. To date, only one treatment (Brexanolone) has undergone registrational trials and is approved in the United States with an indication for the treatment of PPD. However, other treatments are prescribed and have been tested for this condition. Herein, the authors review the available scientific evidence pertaining to the somatic treatments of PPD. Areas covered: The authors evaluate the published open-label and randomized controlled trials (RCTs), examine the biological mechanisms of PPD treatments, and evaluate how the available data translates into information that may be useful for clinical practice. Expert opinion: Antidepressants have long been the mainstay of PPD treatment, despite the limited evidence from randomized clinical trials that supports this practice. Brexanolone improves treatment options for women with PPD. However, the relatively burdensome administration and monitoring protocol, along with the high cost of the medication, limit the possibility for an extensive use of this medication. Large, randomized, controlled trials of hormonal treatments in patients with PPD are warranted. Also, treatment with mood stabilizers and/or antipsychotics in women with major depressive disorder, who meet the DSM-5 mixed features specifiers in the post-partum period, should be tested in controlled clinical trials.

Efficacy of transcranial magnetic stimulation and fluoxetine in the treatment of postpartum depression: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Numerous studies have reported that transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and fluoxetine is used in the treatment of postpartum depression (PPD). Currently, no study has systematically investigated the efficacy and safety of TMS and fluoxetine for the treatment of patients with PPD. Thus, this study will assess the efficacy and safety of TMS and fluoxetine for treating PPD.

METHODS

Relevant studies involving TMS and fluoxetine for the treatment of patients with PPD will be comprehensively searched from the electronic databases from inception to the February 1, 2020: Cochrane Library, EMBASE, MEDILINE, CINAHL, AMED, WANGFANG, VIP, and CNKI databases. No language and publication time restrictions will be applied. RevMan 5.3 software will be utilized for data pooling, data analysis, and risk of bias evaluation. If necessary, we will also assess reporting bias using funnel plot and Egger test.

RESULTS

This study will comprehensively summarize the existing evidence to assess the efficacy and safety of TMS and fluoxetine for treating PPD.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this study may help to establish a better approach to treat PPD using TMS and fluoxetine.

DISSEMINATION AND ETHICS

This study will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed journal. This study does not need ethical approval as no primary patient data will be used.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

INPLASY202040017.

Is Postpartum Depression Different From Depression Occurring Outside of the Perinatal Period? A Review of the Evidence

Whether a major depressive episode occurring in the postpartum period (i.e., postpartum depression [PPD]) is sufficiently distinct from major depressive episodes occurring at other times (i.e., major depressive disorder) to warrant a separate diagnosis is a point of debate with substantial clinical significance. The evidence for and against diagnostic distinction for PPD is reviewed with respect to epidemiology, etiology, and treatment. Overall, evidence that PPD is distinct from major depressive disorder is mixed and is largely affected by how the postpartum period is defined. For depression occurring in the early postpartum period (variably defined, but typically with onset in the first 8 weeks), symptom severity, heritability, and epigenetic data suggest that PPD may be distinct, whereas depression occurring in the later postpartum period may be more similar to major depressive disorder occurring outside of the perinatal period. The clinical significance of this debate is considerable given that PPD, the most common complication of childbirth, is associated with immediate and enduring adverse effects on maternal and offspring morbidity and mortality. Future research investigating the distinctiveness of PPD from major depressive disorder in general should focus on the early postpartum period when the rapid decline in hormones contributes to a withdrawal state, requiring profound adjustments in central nervous system function.

Efficacy of rTMS in decreasing postnatal depression symptoms: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) has been suggested as an alternative treatment to postnatal depression (PPD).

OBJECTIVES

This systematic review aims to examine and summarise evidence on rTMS efficacy in treating depression during the postnatal period.

METHODS

We included randomized and non-randomized, single arm, and case report studies, with active rTMS and theta-burst stimulation, sham rTMS, pharmacotherapy or no treatment as comparators. Participants included women with PPD, who were administered rTMS after delivery and up to 12 months postpartum. The observed outcomes were response rate and acceptability.

RESULTS

rTMS shows promising results, with clinically significant decreases in Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) scores at week 4 and an overall low risk of dropout.

LIMITATIONS

The reduced number of reports, the lack of complete datasets and the serious/high risk of bias of the studies warrant cautious interpretations.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Despite the promising results, existing evidence on rTMS efficacy is limited, and questions remain on what the most beneficial stimulation parameters should be. Future multicentre randomized clinical trials are needed to better ascertain the clinical efficacy of rTMS in the treatment of depression in the postpartum period.

Weighing the Risks: the Management of Bipolar Disorder During Pregnancy

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The management of bipolar disorder during pregnancy requires difficult treatment decisions be made by both women and their clinicians. There is little consensus on management despite the high prevalence of bipolar disorder in reproductive-aged women. In this review, we have summarized the available literature and discuss the balancing of risks associated with treatment decisions.

RECENT FINDINGS

Cohort studies have shown a high relapse rate in women with bipolar disorder who discontinue mood-stabilizing medications. The risks of fetal medication exposure have been assessed in multiple database studies. Management decisions of bipolar disorder in pregnancy have been made difficult by inconsistencies in study outcomes. There were many confounding factors in the studies of medication discontinuation relapse risk. Inconsistencies in the findings of fetal risks from mood-stabilizing medications have further complicated management decisions. Larger studies are needed to clarify the risks of bipolar disorder relapse in pregnancy with and without treatment.

Between a rock-a-bye and a hard place: mood disorders during the peripartum period

Mood disorders including major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder are common during and after pregnancy. Timely identification and appropriate management of mood episodes is essential to maximize maternal well-being and minimize adverse outcomes. Failure to do so results in maternal suffering and impaired child bonding, and has the potential for devastating outcomes including suicide and infanticide. Women are routinely screened for unipolar depression during or after pregnancy but not for bipolar disorder, in spite of the fact that childbirth is associated with a major risk for onset or exacerbation of bipolar disorder. Delays in detection as well as misdiagnosis of bipolar disorder as major depressive disorder may put women at risk of many adverse consequences, including symptom exacerbation, psychiatric hospitalization, and suicide. A thorough psychiatric assessment is necessary to establish diagnosis, to address safety issues, and to formulate a treatment plan. Treatment of mood disorders during pregnancy is complicated by the potential risks of fetal exposure to psychotropic medications, and the use of these medications during the postpartum period may result in infant medication exposure through breastmilk. These risks of psychotropic medication exposure must be weighed against the risk of untreated mood disorders. This review will discuss the pathophysiology, epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of mood disorders during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Screening tools that can be used in the primary care and obstetrics settings to assist in identifying women with peripartum mood disorders will also be discussed.