Dexmedetomidine Cuts Incidence of Postpartum Depression After C-Section
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, Jan. 26, 2024 -- For women with prenatal depression undergoing cesarean delivery, dexmedetomidine reduces the incidence of positive postpartum depression (PPD) screening, according to a study published online Jan. 25 in JAMA Network Open.
Yingyong Zhou, Ph.D., from The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University in Changsha, China, and colleagues conducted a randomized clinical trial involving 338 women who screened positive for prenatal depression and were scheduled for elective cesarean delivery at two hospitals to assess the efficacy and safety of dexmedetomidine for prevention of PPD. A total of 338 participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive dexmedetomidine or saline, infused for 10 minutes after delivery. After infusion, sufentanil or dexmedetomidine plus sufentanil was administered for 48 hours in the control and dexmedetomidine groups, respectively.
The researchers found that the incidence of positive PPD screening at seven and 42 days postpartum was significantly reduced in the dexmedetomidine group versus the control group (day 7: 12.6 versus 32.1 percent; risk ratio, 0.39; day 42: 11.4 versus 30.3 percent; risk ratio, 0.38). No significant difference was seen between the groups in terms of adverse events, but an increased incidence of hypotension was seen in the dexmedetomidine group (18.3 versus 9.5 percent; risk ratio, 2.15).
"Preventive administration of dexmedetomidine in the early postpartum period reduced the incidence of positive PPD screening, reduced postoperative pain, improved sleep quality, and maintained a favorable safety profile," the authors write. "Its antidepressant effect may be related to brain-derived neurotrophic factor upregulation and/or downregulation of pro-brain-derived neurotrophic factor."
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted January 2024
Read this next
Risk for Depressive Symptoms Increased for Perimenopausal Women
THURSDAY, May 9, 2024 -- Perimenopausal women have an increased risk for depressive symptoms and diagnoses, according to a review published in the July 15 issue of the Journal of...
Majority of U.S. Adults Give Health Care System a 'D' for Handling Mental Health
WEDNESDAY, May 8, 2024 -- Three-quarters of U.S. adults believe mental health issues are identified and treated worse than physical health issues, according to the results of a...
Mortality Risk Up for Cancer Survivors With Elevated Loneliness
MONDAY, May 6, 2024 -- Cancer survivors with elevated loneliness have a higher mortality risk, according to a study published online April 25 in the Journal of the National...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.