eIMPACT Trial: Modernized Collaborative Care to Reduce the Excess CVD Risk of Older Depressed Patients

NCT ID: NCT02458690

Last Updated: 2023-10-19

Study Results

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Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

PHASE2

Total Enrollment

216 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2015-07-31

Study Completion Date

2021-03-31

Brief Summary

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The objective of this randomized controlled trial is to evaluate whether the investigators modernized IMPACT intervention for depression (eIMPACT), delivered before the onset of cardiovascular disease (CVD), reduces the risk of future CVD. Participants will be primary care patients who are depressed but do not have a history of CVD. Half of the participants will receive standard depression treatment in primary care (usual care), and the other half will receive one year of eIMPACT, a collaborative stepped care program including antidepressants and computerized and telephonic cognitive-behavioral therapy. To evaluate change in CVD risk, the investigators will measure artery function using ultrasound before and after the 1-year treatment period. It is hypothesized that patients who receive the eIMPACT intervention will have greater improvements in artery function than patients who receive usual care.

Detailed Description

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Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one killer of American men and women, and its economic burden is substantial and on the rise. Adults with depression are at elevated risk of CVD events and poor CVD prognosis. Unfortunately, past trials of depression treatments have not observed the anticipated cardiovascular benefits. A novel explanation for these null results is that the interventions in these trials, which all involved patients with preexisting CVD, were delivered too late in the natural history of CVD. To begin to evaluate our hypothesis that treating depression before clinical CVD onset could reduce CVD risk, the investigators are conducting a phase II randomized controlled trial of 216 primary care patients aged ≥ 50 years with a depressive disorder and CVD risk factors but no clinical CVD. Patients will be randomized to one year of eIMPACT, our modernized IMPACT intervention, or usual primary care for depression. eIMPACT is a collaborative stepped care intervention involving a multidisciplinary team delivering evidenced-based depression treatments consistent with patient preference. The investigator shave modernized our intervention by incorporating computerized cognitive-behavioral therapy and delivering other treatment components via telephone. Our central hypothesis is that eIMPACT will improve endothelial dysfunction, which is considered a barometer of CVD risk, in depressed adults by decreasing depressive symptoms, autonomic dysfunction, systemic inflammation, and platelet activation. The investigators will test our central hypothesis by carrying out these specific aims: (1) to determine whether eIMPACT reduces the excess CVD risk of depressed patients (primary outcome: endothelial dysfunction; exploratory outcome: incident CVD events) and (2) to examine candidate mechanisms underlying the effect of eIMPACT on CVD risk (secondary outcomes: depressive symptoms, autonomic dysfunction, systemic inflammation, and platelet activation). A positive trial would generate the mechanistic rationale, efficacy evidence, and effect size estimates needed to justify and design a multisite, event-driven, phase III trial to confirm eIMPACT's efficacy in reducing CVD risk. Demonstrating that depression treatment reduces CVD risk, the primary expected outcome of this line of research, would have a substantial positive impact. It would identify a novel target (depression) for CVD prevention efforts, and it would equip providers with a new disseminable and scalable tool (eIMPACT) to simultaneously treat depression and manage the CVD risk of a large cohort of high-risk patients. Collectively, these changes to clinical practice should translate into reduced CVD morbidity, mortality, and costs.

Conditions

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Depression Major Depressive Disorder Dysthymic Disorder Depressive Symptoms Cardiovascular Diseases Heart Diseases Coronary Artery Disease Stroke

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

PREVENTION

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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eIMPACT

eIMPACT is a 12-month, modernized, collaborative, stepped care intervention consisting of (1) computerized and telephonic cognitive-behavioral therapy for depression and (2) select antidepressant medications included in an algorithm optimized for cardiovascular disease risk reduction. It is a collaborative care intervention in which a multidisciplinary team delivers established depression treatments consistent with patient preference. It uses a stepped, flexible, treat-to-target approach that modernizes the IMPACT intervention by harnessing technology to minimize staff and space requirements. Interventions are Beating the Blues, Problem Solving Treatment in Primary Care, and select FDA-approved antidepressants. The treatment team consists of a depression clinical specialist, a supervising MD with expertise in primary care and IMPACT, and the patients' primary care providers.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Beating the Blues (BtB)

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

BTB is a widely used, empirically supported, stand-alone CBT program for depression designed for primary care patients and appropriate for adults with little computer experience and a 5th-6th grade reading level. BtB utilizes an interactive, multimedia format to deliver eight 50-minute, weekly therapy sessions. Although sessions are tailored to each patient's problems, general topics include challenging dysfunctional thoughts, activity scheduling, problem solving, graded exposure, task breakdown, sleep management, and relapse prevention. Patients are also assigned tailored homeworks that are customized to their needs and reviewed at the start of each session.

Problem Solving Treatment in Primary Care (PST-PC)

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

PST-PC is a manualized, empirically supported CBT developed for use by healthcare professionals in primary care. The focus of the 6-10 30-minute sessions is teaching patients approaches for solving current problems contributing to depression. We are delivering PST-PC via telephone.

Antidepressant Medications

Intervention Type DRUG

The IMPACT treatment manual provides guidelines for using antidepressants, such as selecting a medication, titrating, switching to another medication, managing side effects, and avoiding drug interactions. To optimize eIMPACT for CVD risk reduction, we have restricted the IMPACT list of antidepressants to SSRIs (sertraline, escitalopram, paroxetine, fluoxetine, citalopram), duloxetine, bupropion, and mirtazapine. These medications are FDA approved for the treatment of depression and are the safest from a cardiovascular perspective.

Usual Care

Patients and their primary care providers are informed of the depressive disorder diagnosis, and follow-up is encouraged. There are no restrictions on the care received. The Eskenazi Health primary care clinics utilize a team care approach, with PCPs supported by embedded behavioral health clinicians and affiliated psychiatrists.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Usual Care

Intervention Type OTHER

Patients randomized to usual primary care for depression are informed of their depression diagnosis, encouraged to follow-up with their Eskenazi Health primary care provider, and provided a list of local mental health services. The patient's primary care provider will receive a letter indicating that their patient has a depressive disorder and was randomized to usual care. This letter also provides a list of local mental health services. Like those in the intervention group, usual care patients continue to have access to services that are part of usual care in the targeted systems. There are no restrictions on the care received. The Eskenazi Health primary care clinics utilize a team care approach, with PCPs supported by embedded behavioral health clinicians and affiliated psychiatrists.

Interventions

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Beating the Blues (BtB)

BTB is a widely used, empirically supported, stand-alone CBT program for depression designed for primary care patients and appropriate for adults with little computer experience and a 5th-6th grade reading level. BtB utilizes an interactive, multimedia format to deliver eight 50-minute, weekly therapy sessions. Although sessions are tailored to each patient's problems, general topics include challenging dysfunctional thoughts, activity scheduling, problem solving, graded exposure, task breakdown, sleep management, and relapse prevention. Patients are also assigned tailored homeworks that are customized to their needs and reviewed at the start of each session.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Problem Solving Treatment in Primary Care (PST-PC)

PST-PC is a manualized, empirically supported CBT developed for use by healthcare professionals in primary care. The focus of the 6-10 30-minute sessions is teaching patients approaches for solving current problems contributing to depression. We are delivering PST-PC via telephone.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Antidepressant Medications

The IMPACT treatment manual provides guidelines for using antidepressants, such as selecting a medication, titrating, switching to another medication, managing side effects, and avoiding drug interactions. To optimize eIMPACT for CVD risk reduction, we have restricted the IMPACT list of antidepressants to SSRIs (sertraline, escitalopram, paroxetine, fluoxetine, citalopram), duloxetine, bupropion, and mirtazapine. These medications are FDA approved for the treatment of depression and are the safest from a cardiovascular perspective.

Intervention Type DRUG

Usual Care

Patients randomized to usual primary care for depression are informed of their depression diagnosis, encouraged to follow-up with their Eskenazi Health primary care provider, and provided a list of local mental health services. The patient's primary care provider will receive a letter indicating that their patient has a depressive disorder and was randomized to usual care. This letter also provides a list of local mental health services. Like those in the intervention group, usual care patients continue to have access to services that are part of usual care in the targeted systems. There are no restrictions on the care received. The Eskenazi Health primary care clinics utilize a team care approach, with PCPs supported by embedded behavioral health clinicians and affiliated psychiatrists.

Intervention Type OTHER

Other Intervention Names

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Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Computer-Based Psychotherapy Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Telephonic Psychotherapy Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor (SNRI) Norepinephrine-Dopamine Reuptake Inhibitor (NDRI) Tetracyclic Antidepressant (TeCA) Treatment As Usual (TAU)

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Primary care patients
* Age ≥ 50 years
* Current depressive disorder
* Elevated cardiovascular disease risk

Exclusion Criteria

* History of clinical cardiovascular disease
* Presence of the following chronic disorders: HIV/AIDS, chronic kidney disease, systemic inflammatory disease, or past-year cancer
* History of bipolar disorder or psychosis
* Continuous (e.g., daily) treatment for a systemic inflammatory condition (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis) in the past 3 months. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use is allowed, given its high prevalence in the target population.
* Current use of anticoagulants (Aspirin and cholesterol and blood pressure medications are allowed)
* Acute risk of suicide
* Severe cognitive impairment
* Current pregnancy
* Ongoing depression treatment with a psychiatrist outside of the Eskenazi Health/Midtown system (ongoing depression treatment with a Eskenazi Health/Midtown psychiatrist is allowed, as we will be able to collaborate and coordinate depression care)
Minimum Eligible Age

50 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

NIH

Sponsor Role collaborator

Indiana University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Jesse Stewart

Professor of Psychology

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Jesse C Stewart, Ph.D.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)

Locations

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IUPUI Department of Psychology

Indianapolis, Indiana, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

References

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Williams MK, Shell AL, Wu W, MacDonald KL, Callahan CM, Nurnberger JI Jr, Crawford CA, Schuiling MD, Stewart JC. Longer-term effects of modernized collaborative care for depression on multiple mental health factors (eIMPACT): A randomized controlled trial. J Affect Disord. 2025 Sep 8;392:120272. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.120272. Online ahead of print.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 40930184 (View on PubMed)

Schuiling MD, Wu W, Polanka BM, Shell AL, Williams MK, Crawford CA, MacDonald KL, Nurnberger JI Jr, Callahan CM, Stewart JC. Effect of depression treatment on subjective sleep components among primary care patients: Data from the eIMPACT trial. J Mood Anxiety Disord. 2025 Jun 3;11:100132. doi: 10.1016/j.xjmad.2025.100132. eCollection 2025 Sep.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 40822596 (View on PubMed)

Schuiling MD, Shell AL, Callahan CM, Nurnberger JI Jr, MacDonald KL, Considine RV, Wu W, Hirsh AT, Crawford CA, Williams MK, Lipuma TC, Gupta SK, Kovacs RJ, Rollman BL, Stewart JC. Effect of depression treatment on health behaviors and cardiovascular risk factors in primary care patients with depression and elevated cardiovascular risk: data from the eIMPACT trial. Psychol Med. 2024 Sep 10:1-14. doi: 10.1017/S0033291724001429. Online ahead of print.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 39252547 (View on PubMed)

Crawford CA, Williams MK, Shell AL, MacDonald KL, Considine RV, Wu W, Rand KL, Stewart JC. Effect of modernized collaborative care for depression on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and depressive symptom clusters: Data from the eIMPACT trial. Psychiatry Res. 2023 Dec;330:115581. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115581. Epub 2023 Oct 30.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 37931480 (View on PubMed)

Stewart JC, Patel JS, Polanka BM, Gao S, Nurnberger JI, MacDonald KL, Gupta SK, Considine RV, Kovacs RJ, Vrany EA, Berntson J, Hsueh L, Shell AL, Rollman BL, Callahan CM. Effect of modernized collaborative care for depression on depressive symptoms and cardiovascular disease risk biomarkers: eIMPACT randomized controlled trial. Brain Behav Immun. 2023 Aug;112:18-28. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.05.007. Epub 2023 May 18.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 37209779 (View on PubMed)

Shell AL, Gonzenbach V, Sawhney M, Crawford CA, Stewart JC. Associations between affective factors and high-frequency heart rate variability in primary care patients with depression. J Psychosom Res. 2022 Oct;161:110992. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2022.110992. Epub 2022 Jul 22.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 35917659 (View on PubMed)

Provided Documents

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Document Type: Study Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan

View Document

Document Type: Informed Consent Form

View Document

Other Identifiers

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R01HL122245

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

1411802537

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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