This PRAISED trial is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of agomelatine in the prevention of PSD in patients with acute ischemic stroke. The sample size is 420. The participants will be randomized to receive a 6-month treatment of agomelatine 25mg/d or placebo 25mg/d. The primary end point is the proportion of PSD within 180 days. PSD is defined as the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-17 (HAMD-17) ≥7 or diagnosis of depression by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disorders-V (DSM-V). The second end point are rate of recurrence of ischemic stroke within 90 days, modified Rankin Scale (mRS), National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), vascular death, transient ischemic attack (TIA)/stroke or myocardial infarction during the 6-months, cognitive function(Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Stroke Specific Quality Of Life (SS-QOL) scale, adherence to medication, adverse events. The study consists of five visits including the day of randomization, day 14±3 days, day 28±3 days, day 90±7 days, day 180±7 days.
The incidence of depression in stroke patients with frontal lobe involvement was reported to be as high as 42%. Agomelatin, a type 1/2 melatonin receptor agonist and serotonin 2C receptor antagonist, is effective in treatment of depression, but whether it can prevent poststroke depression (PSD) remains unknown. The PRAISED trial is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind trial and is designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of agomelatine in the prevention of PSD in stroke patients with frontal lobe involvement. The primary outcome is the rate of post-stroke depression for 180 days.