TY - JOUR

T1 - Wake and light therapy for moderate-to-severe depression

T2 - a randomized controlled trial

AU - Kragh, M.

AU - Martiny, K.

AU - Videbech, P.

AU - Møller, D. N.

AU - Wihlborg, C. S.

AU - Lindhardt, T.

AU - Larsen, E. R.

PY - 2017/12

Y1 - 2017/12

N2 - Objective: To examine the efficacy of using wake and light therapy as a supplement to standard treatment of hospitalized patients with depression. Method: In this randomized, controlled study, 64 patients with moderate-to-severe depression were allocated to standard treatment or to the intervention, which additionally consisted of three wake therapy sessions in one week, 30-min daily light treatment and sleep time stabilization over the entire nine-week study period. Results: Patients in the wake therapy group had a significant decrease in depressive symptoms in week one as measured by HAM-D17, 17.39 (CI 15.6–19.2) vs. 20.19 (CI 18.3–22.09) (P = 0.04), whereas no statistically significant differences were found between the groups in weeks two to nine. At week nine, the wake therapy group had a significantly larger increase in general self-efficacy (P = 0.001), and waking up during nights was a significantly less frequent problem (1.9 times vs. 3.2) (P = 0.0008). In most weeks, significantly fewer patients in the wake therapy group slept during the daytime, and if they slept, their naps were shorter (week three: 66 min vs. 117 min P = 0.02). Conclusion: The antidepressant effect initially achieved could not be maintained during the nine-week study period. However, sleep and general self-efficacy improved.

AB - Objective: To examine the efficacy of using wake and light therapy as a supplement to standard treatment of hospitalized patients with depression. Method: In this randomized, controlled study, 64 patients with moderate-to-severe depression were allocated to standard treatment or to the intervention, which additionally consisted of three wake therapy sessions in one week, 30-min daily light treatment and sleep time stabilization over the entire nine-week study period. Results: Patients in the wake therapy group had a significant decrease in depressive symptoms in week one as measured by HAM-D17, 17.39 (CI 15.6–19.2) vs. 20.19 (CI 18.3–22.09) (P = 0.04), whereas no statistically significant differences were found between the groups in weeks two to nine. At week nine, the wake therapy group had a significantly larger increase in general self-efficacy (P = 0.001), and waking up during nights was a significantly less frequent problem (1.9 times vs. 3.2) (P = 0.0008). In most weeks, significantly fewer patients in the wake therapy group slept during the daytime, and if they slept, their naps were shorter (week three: 66 min vs. 117 min P = 0.02). Conclusion: The antidepressant effect initially achieved could not be maintained during the nine-week study period. However, sleep and general self-efficacy improved.

KW - chronotherapy

KW - depressive disorder

KW - light therapy

KW - randomized controlled trial

KW - sleep deprivation

U2 - 10.1111/acps.12741

DO - 10.1111/acps.12741

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 28422269

AN - SCOPUS:85018598381

VL - 136

SP - 559

EP - 570

JO - Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. Supplementum

JF - Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. Supplementum

SN - 0065-1591

IS - 6

ER -