Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders: Wessel T

Erman MK, Zammit G, Rubens R, Schaefer K, Wessel T, Amato D, Caron J, Walsh JK. · Pacific Sleep Medicine Services, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA. · J Clin Sleep Med. · Pubmed #18595435 links to  free full text

Abstract: STUDY OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the polysomnographic efficacy and the safety of a range of doses of eszopiclone relative to placebo in patients with primary insomnia. Zolpidem 10 mg was included as an active control. METHODS: This multicenter, randomized, crossover study enrolled patients aged 21-64 years meeting the DSM-IV criteria for primary insomnia (n = 65). Patients received 2 nights treatment each with placebo, eszopiclone 1 mg, 2 mg, 2.5 mg, or 3 mg, and zolpidem 10 mg after randomization to one of 6 treatment sequences. Visits were separated by a 3-7 day washout. Objective efficacy was assessed by polysomnography (PSG). The primary endpoint was latency to persistent sleep (LPS); key secondary endpoints were sleep efficiency (SE) and wake time after sleep onset (WASO); other endpoints included wake time during sleep (WTDS) and number of awakenings (NAW), as well as patient-reported variables. RESULTS: LPS and SE were significantly different than placebo for all active treatments (p < 0.05 for all). Significant differences from placebo were noted in the 3 objective sleep maintenance measures (WASO, WTDS, and NAW) for eszopiclone 3 mg (p < 0.05), which was not the case for zolpidem 10 mg or the other eszopiclone doses. The incidence of central nervous system adverse events was 23.4% for zolpidem 10 mg, 6.2% to 12.5% for the eszopiclone doses, and 7.9% for placebo. CONCLUSIONS: Relative to placebo, all active treatments were effective in reducing LPS and increasing SE. Eszopiclone 3 mg was significantly different from placebo on the 3 PSG measures of sleep maintenance (WASO, WTDS, and NAW). Significant differences between zolpidem 10 mg and eszopiclone (2 mg or 3 mg) were not observed for PSG-measured outcomes, although the study was not powered to detect differences between the active drug conditions.

Krystal A, Fava M, Rubens R, Wessel T, Caron J, Wilson P, Roth T, McCall WV. · Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA. · J Clin Sleep Med. · Pubmed #17557453 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Insomnia and major depressive disorder (MDD) may coexist. This study evaluated hypnotic discontinuation effects following an 8-week placebo-controlled study of eszopiclone/fluoxetine cotherapy in patients with insomnia and comorbid MDD. METHODS: Patients meeting DSM-IV criteria for MDD and insomnia received fluoxetine each morning for 8 weeks and were randomized to concomitant treatment with nightly eszopiclone 3 mg (cotherapy) or placebo (monotherapy). Thereafter, patients received 2 weeks of continued fluoxetine plus single-blind placebo. RESULTS: Incidence rates of central nervous system (CNS) and potentially CNS-related adverse events (AEs) during the run-out period were similar between treatment groups (8.8% with monotherapy vs 9.8% with cotherapy), and there was no evidence of benzodiazepine withdrawal AEs. Physician-assessed Clinical Global Impression improvements in depressive symptoms were maintained after eszopiclone discontinuation. Improvements in 17-item Hamilton-Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17) scores with cotherapy versus monotherapy seen at Week 8 (p = .0004) were maintained at Week 10 (p < .0001) and significantly higher depression response and remission rates were observed after cotherapy at Week 10 (p < .02). Patients discontinued from eszopiclone maintained improvements in SL (sleep latency), WASO (wake after sleep onset), and TST (total sleep time) during the 2 weeks following discontinuation (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, eszopiclone discontinuation did not result in significant CNS or benzodiazepine withdrawal AEs, rebound insomnia, or rebound depression; and improvements in sleep and depressive symptoms were maintained.

McCall WV, Erman M, Krystal AD, Rosenberg R, Scharf M, Zammit GK, Wessel T. · Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA. · Curr Med Res Opin. · Pubmed #16968566 No free full text.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of eszopiclone 2 mg in elderly patients (aged 64-86 years) with chronic insomnia. METHODS: This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled 2-week study. Patients meeting DSM-IV criteria for primary insomnia and screening polysomnography criteria (wakefulness after sleep onset [WASO] >or= 20 min and latency to persistent sleep >or= 20 min) were randomized to 2 weeks of nightly treatment with eszopiclone 2 mg (n = 136) or placebo (n = 128). Efficacy was assessed using polysomnography (Nights 1, 2, 13, and 14) and patient reports (Nights 1-14); safety was assessed using adverse events, clinical labs, physical examination, and vital signs. The mean of all efficacy results during the double-blind period was used for the efficacy analysis. RESULTS: Results indicated that eszopiclone was associated with significantly shorter sleep onset, less WASO, higher sleep efficiency, more total sleep time, and greater patient-reported quality and depth of sleep scores than placebo (p < 0.05 for all) with a trend in patient-reported morning sleepiness (p = 0.07). Other measures of daytime functioning (ability to function, daytime alertness, and sense of well-being) were not significantly different between the two treatment groups. Among patients who napped, eszopiclone patients reported fewer naps (p = 0.03) and less cumulative naptime (median: 98 min placebo, 70 min eszopiclone, p = 0.07). Unpleasant taste, dry mouth, somnolence, and dizziness were higher in the eszopiclone group (12.5%, 8.8%, 6.6%, and 6.6%, respectively) than in the placebo group (0%, 1.6%, 5.5%, and 1.6%, respectively). CONCLUSION: In this study, eszopiclone was well tolerated and produced significant improvements in both polysomnographic and patient-reported measures of sleep maintenance, sleep induction, and sleep duration in elderly patients with chronic primary insomnia.

Fava M, McCall WV, Krystal A, Wessel T, Rubens R, Caron J, Amato D, Roth T. · Depression Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA. · Biol Psychiatry. · Pubmed #16581036 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Insomnia and major depressive disorder (MDD) can coexist. This study evaluated the effect of adding eszopiclone to fluoxetine. METHODS: Patients who met DSM-IV criteria for both MDD and insomnia (n = 545) received morning fluoxetine and were randomized to nightly eszopiclone 3 mg (ESZ+FLX) or placebo (PBO+FLX) for 8 weeks. Subjective sleep and daytime function were assessed weekly. Depression was assessed with the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D-17) and the Clinical Global Impression Improvement (CGI-I) and Severity items (CGI-S). RESULTS: Patients in the ESZ+FLX group had significantly decreased sleep latency, wake time after sleep onset (WASO), increased total sleep time (TST), sleep quality, and depth of sleep at all double-blind time points (all p < .05). Eszopiclone co-therapy also resulted in: significantly greater changes in HAM-D-17 scores at Week 4 (p = .01) with progressive improvement at Week 8 (p = .002); significantly improved CGI-I and CGI-S scores at all time points beyond Week 1 (p < .05); and significantly more responders (59% vs. 48%; p = .009) and remitters (42% vs. 33%; p = .03) at Week 8. Treatment was well tolerated, with similar adverse event and dropout rates. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, eszopiclone/fluoxetine co-therapy was relatively well tolerated and associated with rapid, substantial, and sustained sleep improvement, a faster onset of antidepressant response on the basis of CGI, and a greater magnitude of the antidepressant effect.

Roth T, Walsh JK, Krystal A, Wessel T, Roehrs TA. · Henry Ford Hospital Sleep Center, 2799 West Grand Blvd, CFP-3, Detroit, MI 48202, USA. · Sleep Med. · Pubmed #16230048 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: A double-blind placebo-controlled study of eszopiclone found significant, sustained improvement in sleep and daytime function. The 6-month open-label extension phase is described herein. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Adults (21-64) with primary insomnia who reported sleep duration <6.5 h/night or sleep latency >30 min/night were included. Patient-reported endpoints included sleep and daytime function. Safety and compliance were assessed at monthly clinic visits. The final double-blind month was used as the baseline for efficacy analyses of the open-label period. RESULTS: Patients who were initially randomized to double-blind placebo and then switched to open-label eszopiclone (n=111) significantly reported the following: (1) decreased sleep latency, wake time after sleep onset, and number of awakenings; (2) increased total sleep time and sleep quality; and (3) improved ratings of daytime ability to function, alertness and sense of physical well-being compared to baseline (P<or=0.0001 all monthly endpoints). There was no evidence of tolerance on any measure in either group. These subjects (n=360) sustained the double-blind treatment gains for all sleep and daytime parameters, with further significant improvement in a number of measures. Eszopiclone was well tolerated in both groups; unpleasant taste was the only undesirable effect reported by >5% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: The significant improvements in sleep and daytime function were evident in those switched from double-blind placebo to 6 months of open-label eszopiclone therapy and were sustained during the 6 months of open-label treatment for those receiving prior double-blind eszopiclone. During 12 months of nightly treatment, eszopiclone 3mg was well tolerated; tolerance was not observed.