Perioperative mental health intervention for depression and anxiety symptoms in older adults study protocol: design and methods for three linked randomised controlled trials

INTRODUCTION

Preoperative anxiety and depression symptoms among older surgical patients are associated with poor postoperative outcomes, yet evidence-based interventions for anxiety and depression have not been applied within this setting. We present a protocol for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in three surgical cohorts: cardiac, oncological and orthopaedic, investigating whether a perioperative mental health intervention, with psychological and pharmacological components, reduces perioperative symptoms of depression and anxiety in older surgical patients.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

Adults ≥60 years undergoing cardiac, orthopaedic or oncological surgery will be enrolled in one of three-linked type 1 hybrid effectiveness/implementation RCTs that will be conducted in tandem with similar methods. In each trial, 100 participants will be randomised to a remotely delivered perioperative behavioural treatment incorporating principles of behavioural activation, compassion and care coordination, and medication optimisation, or enhanced usual care with mental health-related resources for this population. The primary outcome is change in depression and anxiety symptoms assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire-Anxiety Depression Scale from baseline to 3 months post surgery. Other outcomes include quality of life, delirium, length of stay, falls, rehospitalisation, pain and implementation outcomes, including study and intervention reach, acceptability, feasibility and appropriateness, and patient experience with the intervention.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The trials have received ethics approval from the Washington University School of Medicine Institutional Review Board. Informed consent is required for participation in the trials. The results will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals, presented at clinical research conferences and disseminated via the Center for Perioperative Mental Health website.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBERS

NCT05575128, NCT05685511, NCT05697835, pre-results.

Effects of Mindfulness Training and Exercise on Cognitive Function in Older Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial

IMPORTANCE

Episodic memory and executive function are essential aspects of cognitive functioning that decline with aging. This decline may be ameliorable with lifestyle interventions.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), exercise, or a combination of both improve cognitive function in older adults.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This 2 × 2 factorial randomized clinical trial was conducted at 2 US sites (Washington University in St Louis and University of California, San Diego). A total of 585 older adults (aged 65-84 y) with subjective cognitive concerns, but not dementia, were randomized (enrollment from November 19, 2015, to January 23, 2019; final follow-up on March 16, 2020).

INTERVENTIONS

Participants were randomized to undergo the following interventions: MBSR with a target of 60 minutes daily of meditation (n = 150); exercise with aerobic, strength, and functional components with a target of at least 300 minutes weekly (n = 138); combined MBSR and exercise (n = 144); or a health education control group (n = 153). Interventions lasted 18 months and consisted of group-based classes and home practice.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The 2 primary outcomes were composites of episodic memory and executive function (standardized to a mean [SD] of 0 [1]; higher composite scores indicate better cognitive performance) from neuropsychological testing; the primary end point was 6 months and the secondary end point was 18 months. There were 5 reported secondary outcomes: hippocampal volume and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex thickness and surface area from structural magnetic resonance imaging and functional cognitive capacity and self-reported cognitive concerns.

RESULTS

Among 585 randomized participants (mean age, 71.5 years; 424 [72.5%] women), 568 (97.1%) completed 6 months in the trial and 475 (81.2%) completed 18 months. At 6 months, there was no significant effect of mindfulness training or exercise on episodic memory (MBSR vs no MBSR: 0.44 vs 0.48; mean difference, -0.04 points [95% CI, -0.15 to 0.07]; P = .50; exercise vs no exercise: 0.49 vs 0.42; difference, 0.07 [95% CI, -0.04 to 0.17]; P = .23) or executive function (MBSR vs no MBSR: 0.39 vs 0.31; mean difference, 0.08 points [95% CI, -0.02 to 0.19]; P = .12; exercise vs no exercise: 0.39 vs 0.32; difference, 0.07 [95% CI, -0.03 to 0.18]; P = .17) and there were no intervention effects at the secondary end point of 18 months. There was no significant interaction between mindfulness training and exercise (P = .93 for memory and P = .29 for executive function) at 6 months. Of the 5 prespecified secondary outcomes, none showed a significant improvement with either intervention compared with those not receiving the intervention.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Among older adults with subjective cognitive concerns, mindfulness training, exercise, or both did not result in significant differences in improvement in episodic memory or executive function at 6 months. The findings do not support the use of these interventions for improving cognition in older adults with subjective cognitive concerns.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02665481.

Use of an Interactive Obesity Treatment Approach in Individuals With Severe Mental Illness: Feasibility, Acceptability, and Proposed Engagement Criteria

BACKGROUND

Digital and mobile health interventions are increasingly being used to support healthy lifestyle change, including in certain high-risk populations such as those with severe mental illnesses (SMIs). Life expectancy in this population lags 15 years behind counterparts in the general population, primarily due to obesity-related health conditions.

OBJECTIVE

We tested the feasibility and usability of a 12-week interactive obesity treatment approach (iOTA) to adults with chronic SMIs (depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia spectrum disorder) receiving treatment in community settings. The iOTA incorporates short message service (SMS) text messages to supplement monthly in-person health coaching.

METHODS

Factors hypothesized to be associated with weight change were illness severity and treatment engagement. Severe psychiatric symptoms were defined as baseline Clinical Global Impression severity score of >5. Criterion engagement was defined as a text messaging response rate >80% during the first 4 weeks of treatment. Disordered eating, assessed with the Loss of Control Over Eating Scores, was also evaluated. Participants provided qualitative data, further informing assessment of intervention feasibility, usability, and acceptability.

RESULTS

A total of 26 participants were enrolled. The mean age was 48.5 (SD 15.67) years; 40% (10/26) were Black and 60% (15/26) female. Participants with lower symptom severity and adequate engagement demonstrated significantly decreased weight (F1,16=22.54, P<.001). Conversely, high symptom severity and lower text message response rates were associated with trend-level increases in weight (F1,7=4.33, P=.08). Loss-of-control eating was not observed to impact treatment outcome. Participants voiced preference for combination of live health coaching and text messaging, expressing desire for personalized message content.

CONCLUSIONS

These results demonstrate the feasibility of delivering an adapted iOTA to SMI patients receiving care in community settings and suggest testable criteria for defining sufficient treatment engagement and psychiatric symptom severity, two factors known to impact weight loss outcomes. These important findings suggest specific adaptations may be needed for optimal treatment outcomes in individuals with SMI.

Covariance and Correlation Analysis of Resting State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Data Acquired in a Clinical Trial of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Exercise in Older Individuals

We describe and apply novel methodology for whole-brain analysis of resting state fMRI functional connectivity data, combining conventional multi-channel Pearson correlation with covariance analysis. Unlike correlation, covariance analysis preserves signal amplitude information, which feature of fMRI time series may carry physiological significance. Additionally, we demonstrate that dimensionality reduction of the fMRI data offers several computational advantages including projection onto a space of manageable dimension, enabling linear operations on functional connectivity measures and exclusion of variance unrelated to resting state network structure. We show that group-averaged, dimensionality reduced, covariance and correlation matrices are related, to reasonable approximation, by a single scalar factor. We apply this methodology to the analysis of a large, resting state fMRI data set acquired in a prospective, controlled study of mindfulness training and exercise in older, sedentary participants at risk for developing cognitive decline. Results show marginally significant effects of both mindfulness training and exercise in both covariance and correlation measures of functional connectivity.

Prolonged ketamine infusion modulates limbic connectivity and induces sustained remission of treatment-resistant depression

Ketamine produces a rapid antidepressant response in over 50% of adults with treatment-resistant depression. A long infusion of ketamine may provide durable remission of depressive symptoms, but the safety, efficacy, and neurobiological correlates are unknown. In this open-label, proof-of-principle study, adults with treatment-resistant depression (N = 23) underwent a 96-h infusion of intravenous ketamine (0.15 mg/kg/h titrated toward 0.6 mg/kg/h). Clonidine was co-administered to reduce psychotomimetic effects. We measured clinical response for 8 weeks post-infusion. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to assess functional connectivity in patients pre- and 2 weeks post-infusion and in matched non-depressed controls (N = 27). We hypothesized that responders to therapy would demonstrate response-dependent connectivity changes while all subjects would show treatment-dependent connectivity changes. Most participants completed infusion (21/23; mean final dose 0.54 mg/kg/h, SD 0.13). The infusion was well tolerated with minimal cognitive and psychotomimetic side effects. Depressive symptoms were markedly reduced (MADRS 29 ± 4 at baseline to 9 ± 8 one day post-infusion), which was sustained at 2 weeks (13 ± 8) and 8 weeks (15 ± 8). Imaging demonstrated a response-dependent decrease in hyperconnectivity of the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex to the default mode network, and a treatment-dependent decrease in hyperconnectivity within the limbic system (hippocampus, amygdala, medial thalamus, nucleus accumbens). In exploratory analyses, connectivity was increased between the limbic system and frontal areas, and smaller right hippocampus volume at baseline predicted larger MADRS change. A single prolonged infusion of ketamine provides a tolerated, rapid, and sustained response in treatment-resistant depression and normalizes depression-related hyperconnectivity in the limbic system and frontal lobe. ClinicalTrials.gov : Treatment Resistant Depression (Pilot), NCT01179009.

A Smartphone-Based Technique to Detect Dynamic User Preferences for Tailoring Behavioral Interventions: Observational Utility Study of Ecological Daily Needs Assessment

Background

Mobile health apps are promising vehicles for delivering scalable health behavior change interventions to populations that are otherwise difficult to reach and engage, such as young adults with psychiatric conditions. To improve uptake and sustain consumer engagement, mobile health interventions need to be responsive to individuals’ needs and preferences, which may change over time. We previously created an ecological daily needs assessment to capture microprocesses influencing user needs and preferences for mobile health treatment adaptation.

Objective

The objective of our study was to test the utility of a needs assessment anchored within a mobile app to capture individualized, contextually relevant user needs and preferences within the framework of a weight management mobile health app.

Methods

Participants with an iOS device could download the study app via the study website or links from social media. In this fully remote study, we screened, obtained informed consent from, and enrolled participants through the mobile app. The mobile health framework included daily health goal setting and self-monitoring, with up to 6 daily prompts to determine in-the-moment needs and preferences for mobile health–assisted health behavior change.

Results

A total of 24 participants downloaded the app and provided e-consent (22 female; 2 male), with 23 participants responding to at least one prompt over 2 weeks. The mean length of engagement was 5.6 (SD 4.7) days, with a mean of 2.8 (1.1) responses per day. We observed individually dynamic needs and preferences, illustrating daily variability within and between individuals. Qualitative feedback indicated preferences for self-adapting features, simplified self-monitoring, and the ability to personalize app-generated message timing and content.

Conclusions

The technique provided an individually dynamic and contextually relevant alternative and complement to traditional needs assessment for assessing individually dynamic user needs and preferences during treatment development or adaptation. The results of this utility study suggest the importance of personalization and learning algorithms for sustaining app engagement in young adults with psychiatric conditions. Further study in broader user populations is needed.

Mindfulness, Education, and Exercise for age-related cognitive decline: Study protocol, pilot study results, and description of the baseline sample

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Age-related cognitive decline is a pervasive problem in our aging population. To date, no pharmacological treatments to halt or reverse cognitive decline are available. Behavioral interventions, such as physical exercise and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, may reduce or reverse cognitive decline, but rigorously designed randomized controlled trials are needed to test the efficacy of such interventions.

METHODS

Here, we describe the design of the Mindfulness, Education, and Exercise study, an 18-month randomized controlled trial that will assess the effect of two interventions-mindfulness training plus moderate-to-vigorous intensity exercise or moderate-to-vigorous intensity exercise alone-compared with a health education control group on cognitive function in older adults. An extensive battery of biobehavioral assessments will be used to understand the mechanisms of cognitive remediation, by using structural and resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging, insulin sensitivity, inflammation, and metabolic and behavioral assessments.

RESULTS

We provide the results from a preliminary study (n = 29) of non-randomized pilot participants who received both the exercise and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction interventions. We also provide details on the recruitment and baseline characteristics of the randomized controlled trial sample (n = 585).

CONCLUSION

When complete, the Mindfulness, Education, and Exercise study will inform the research community on the efficacy of these widely available interventions improve cognitive functioning in older adults.

Adiposity, Hepatic Triglyceride, and Carotid Intima Media Thickness During Behavioral Weight Loss Treatment in Antipsychotic-Treated Youth: A Randomized Pilot Study

Objectives: The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate changes in adiposity, carotid intima media thickness (CIMT), and hepatic fat content measured via magnetic resonance imaging-estimated hepatic proton density fat fraction (PDFF) in antipsychotic (AP)-treated youth versus nonpsychiatric (NP) participants during participation in a 16-week behavioral weight loss (BWL) intervention. Subjects/Methods: Overweight/obese AP-treated youth (n = 26) were randomized 2:1 to weekly treatment versus recommended care (RC) over 16 weeks. NP controls (n = 21) were assigned to weekly treatment. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA)-measured adiposity, CIMT, and PDFF were measured at baseline and 16 weeks. Analyses assessed group differences in the effect of BWL on adiposity, CIMT, and PDFF. Results: BWL was well tolerated in both AP-treated and NP groups. DEXA-measured fat decreased significantly in the NP group (F[1,16] = 11.81, p = 0.003), with modest improvements in adiposity and hepatic fat in the AP-treated group, while an increase in adiposity was observed in the RC group. Significant differences in endpoint DEXA total fat (F[2,34] = 4.81, p = 0.01) and PDFF (F[2,30] = 3.60, p = 0.04) occurred across treatment groups, explained by larger improvements in NP versus RC youth in DEXA total fat (p = 0.03) and PDFF (p = 0.04). Conclusions: Intensive, family-based BWL treatment can improve whole-body adiposity and liver fat in obese youth, with decreases or attenuation of additional fat gain observed in AP-treated youth.

Metabolic Effects of Antipsychotics on Adiposity and Insulin Sensitivity in Youths: A Randomized Clinical Trial

IMPORTANCE

Antipsychotic medications are commonly used to treat nonpsychotic disruptive behavioral disorders in youths.

OBJECTIVE

To characterize the metabolic effects of first exposure to antipsychotics in youths using criterion standard assessments of body composition and insulin sensitivity.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This randomized clinical trial recruited antipsychotic-naive youths aged 6 to 18 years in the St Louis, Missouri, metropolitan area who were diagnosed with 1 or more psychiatric disorders and clinically significant aggression and in whom antipsychotic treatment was considered. Participants were enrolled from June 12, 2006, through November 10, 2010. Enrolled participants were randomized (1:1:1) to 1 of 3 antipsychotics commonly used in children with disruptive behavioral disorders and evaluated for 12 weeks. Data were analyzed from January 17, 2011, through August 9, 2017.

INTERVENTIONS

Twelve weeks of treatment with oral aripiprazole (n = 49), olanzapine (n = 46), or risperidone (n = 49).

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Primary outcomes included percentage total body fat measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and insulin sensitivity in muscle measured via hyperinsulinemic clamps with stable isotopically labeled tracers. Secondary outcomes included abdominal adiposity measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and adipose and hepatic tissue insulin sensitivity measured via clamps with tracers.

RESULTS

The intention-to-treat sample included 144 participants (98 males [68.1%]; mean [SD] age, 11.3 [2.8] years); 74 (51.4%) were African American, and 43 (29.9%) were overweight or obese at baseline. For the primary outcomes, from baseline to week 12, DXA percentage total body fat increased by 1.18% for risperidone, 4.12% for olanzapine, and 1.66% for aripiprazole and was significantly greater for olanzapine than risperidone or aripiprazole (time by treatment interaction P < .001). From baseline to week 12, insulin-stimulated change in glucose rate of disappearance increased by 2.30% for risperidone and decreased by 29.34% for olanzapine and 30.26% for aripiprazole, with no significant difference across medications (time by treatment interaction, P < .07). This primary measure of insulin sensitivity decreased significantly during 12 weeks in the pooled study sample (effect of time, F = 17.38; P < .001). For the secondary outcomes from baseline to week 12, MRI measured abdominal fat increased, with subcutaneous fat increase significantly greater for olanzapine than risperdone or aripiprazole (time by treatment, P = .003). Behavioral improvements occurred with all treatments.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Adverse changes in adiposity and insulin sensitivity were observed during 12 weeks of antipsychotic treatment in youths, with the greatest fat increases on olanzapine. Such changes, likely attributable to treatment, may be associated with risk for premature cardiometabolic morbidity and mortality. The results inform risk-benefit considerations for antipsychotic use in youths.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00205699.

Behavioral Weight Loss Treatment in Antipsychotic Treated Youth

BACKGROUND

Antipsychotic-treated youth have increased risk for the development of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Behavioral weight loss treatments show promise in reducing obesity and diabetes risk in antipsychotic treated adults, but have received no study in antipsychotic treated youth.

OBJECTIVE

We describe a rationale for behavioral weight loss interventions in high-weight antipsychotic treated youth, and report behavioral, anthropomorphic, and metabolic findings from a case series of obese antipsychotic-treated adolescents participating in a short-term, family-based behavioral weight loss intervention.

METHODS

We adapted the Traffic Light Plan, a 16-week family-based weight loss intervention that promotes healthy energy balance using the colors of the traffic light to categorize the nutritional value of foods and intensity of physical activity, adapting a social ecological framework to address health behavior change in multiple social contexts. The intervention was administered to three obese adolescents with long-term antipsychotic medication exposure. Efficacy of the intervention was evaluated with a battery of anthropomorphic and metabolic assessments including weight, body mass index percentile, whole body adiposity, liver fat content, and fasting plasma glucose and lipids. Participants and their parents also filled out a treatment satisfaction questionnaire upon study completion.

RESULTS

Two males and 1 female (all aged 14 years) participated. All 3 participants attended all 16 sessions, and experienced beneficial changes in adiposity, fasting lipids and liver fat content associated with weight stabilization or weight loss. Adolescents and their parents all reported a high level of satisfaction with the treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Family-based behavioral weight loss treatment can be feasibly delivered and is acceptable to antipsychotic-treated youth and their families. Randomized controlled trials are needed to fully evaluate the effectiveness and acceptability of behavioral weight loss interventions in antipsychotic treated youth and their families.

Adiposity and Cardiometabolic Risk in Children With and Without Antipsychotic Drug Treatment

CONTEXT

Pediatric obesity is common, particularly in children treated with antipsychotic medications. Antipsychotic exposure can increase cardiometabolic risk by increasing adiposity, and possibly via other adiposity-independent pathways.

OBJECTIVE

The objectives were to characterize relationships of adiposity with intrahepatic triglyceride (IHTG) content and carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) in children with and without antipsychotic drug treatment, and to explore whether vitamin D alters any effects in these relationships.

DESIGN

This was a cross-sectional case-control study.

SETTING

The setting was an academic medical center.

PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS

Participants were 44 children (ages, 6-19 y): 25 cases treated with antipsychotic and other psychotropic drug therapies and 19 untreated controls, frequency-matched on age, gender, and body mass index.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Main outcome measures were dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry percentage body fat (DEXA %fat), IHTG measured by magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and CIMT measured by ultrasonography. Fasting blood glucose, insulin, lipids, C-reactive protein, and liver enzymes were also evaluated.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences between cases and controls on measures of IHTG, CIMT, or DEXA %fat. In combined crude and adjusted analyses, DEXA %fat predicted IHTG (R(2) = 0.30) but not CIMT. Low levels of vitamin D were associated with larger effects of DEXA %fat on IHTG.

CONCLUSION

In treated and untreated children alike, adiposity is a significant predictor of liver fat content. This relationship was altered by low vitamin D level. These results suggest a modifiable pathway to hepatic steatosis. Further research is needed to test the hypothesis that children with high adiposity and low vitamin D have particularly increased risks for the development of fatty liver.

Best practices: implementation of a glucose screening program based on diffusion of innovation theory methods

There is public health interest in the identification and treatment of modifiable cardiometabolic risk factors among patients treated with antipsychotic medications. However, best-practice screening recommendations endorsed by multiple medical organizations have not translated into real-world clinical practice. Quality improvement strategies may help to address the gap between policy and implementation. This column describes the successful implementation of a best-practice glucose screening program in a large network of community mental health centers that was based on Six Sigma and diffusion of innovation theory.