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Association between a selective 5-HT4 receptor agonist and incidence of major depressive disorder: emulated target trial

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 August 2024

Angharad N. de Cates*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, UK; and Institute for Mental Health, University of Birmingham, UK
Catherine J. Harmer
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, UK; Warneford Hospital, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK; and Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity and Oxford Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, UK
Paul J. Harrison
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, UK; Warneford Hospital, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK; and Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity and Oxford Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, UK
Philip J. Cowen
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, UK; and Warneford Hospital, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
Anton Emmanuel
Affiliation:
GI Physiology Unit, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
Simon Travis
Affiliation:
Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, UK; and Translational Gastroenterology and Liver Unit, University of Oxford, UK
Susannah E. Murphy
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, UK; and Warneford Hospital, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
Maxime Taquet
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, UK; and Warneford Hospital, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
*
Correspondence: Angharad N. de Cates. Email: angharad.decates@psych.ox.ac.uk
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Abstract

Background

The serotonin 4 receptor (5-HT4R) is a promising target for the treatment of depression. Highly selective 5-HT4R agonists, such as prucalopride, have antidepressant-like and procognitive effects in preclinical models, but their clinical effects are not yet established.

Aims

To determine whether prucalopride (a 5-HT4R agonist and licensed treatment for constipation) is associated with reduced incidence of depression in individuals with no past history of mental illness, compared with anti-constipation agents with no effect on the central nervous system.

Method

Using anonymised routinely collected data from a large-scale USA electronic health records network, we conducted an emulated target trial comparing depression incidence over 1 year in individuals without prior diagnoses of major mental illness, who initiated treatment with prucalopride versus two alternative anti-constipation agents that act by different mechanisms (linaclotide and lubiprostone). Cohorts were matched for 121 covariates capturing sociodemographic factors, and historical and/or concurrent comorbidities and medications. The primary outcome was a first diagnosis of major depressive disorder (ICD-10 code F32) within 1 year of the index date. Robustness of the results to changes in model and population specification was tested. Secondary outcomes included a first diagnosis of six other neuropsychiatric disorders.

Results

Treatment with prucalopride was associated with significantly lower incidence of depression in the following year compared with linaclotide (hazard ratio 0.87, 95% CI 0.76–0.99; P = 0.038; n = 8572 in each matched cohort) and lubiprostone (hazard ratio 0.79, 95% CI 0.69–0.91; P < 0.001; n = 8281). Significantly lower risks of all mood disorders and psychosis were also observed. Results were similar across robustness analyses.

Conclusions

These findings support preclinical data and suggest a role for 5-HT4R agonists as novel agents in the prevention of major depression. These findings should stimulate randomised controlled trials to confirm if these agents can serve as a novel class of antidepressant within a clinical setting.

Information

Type
Original Article
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution and reproduction, provided the original article is properly cited.
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Royal College of Psychiatrists
Figure 0

Fig. 1 Locations of 5-HT4Rs in the brain and actions of prucalopride. (a) Brain regions where 5-HT4Rs are particularly highly expressed (see Beliveau et al7). Darker shading indicates regions of highest expression (i.e. basal ganglia); lighter shading indicates relatively lower expression (i.e. neocortex). (b) Action of prucalopride at a serotonin synapse as a highly selective agonist at transmembrane G-protein-coupled 5-HT4Rs. 5-HT4R, serotonin 4 receptor; 5-HTP, 5-hydroxytryptophan; cAMP, cyclic adenosine monophosphate.

Figure 1

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of matched cohorts of patients receiving prucalopride versus linaclotide (left columns) or prucalopride versus lubiprostone (right columns)

Figure 2

Fig. 2 Kaplan–Meier curves showing the cumulative incidence of depression diagnosis over 12 months in those receiving (a) prucalopride versus linaclotide and (b) prucalopride versus lubiprostone. The shaded areas around curves represent 95% CI.

Figure 3

Table 2 Results for secondary outcomes comparing matched cohorts of individuals prescribed prucalopride versus linaclotide/lubiprostone

Figure 4

Fig. 3 Interrupted time-series analysis comparing (a) the incidence of depression and (b) any negative control outcomes, before and after prucalopride prescription, shown as a proportion of people who had a healthcare encounter during each month.

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