Could a common cholesterol drug boost mood treatment?
NCT ID NCT07712367
First seen Jul 17, 2026 · Last updated Jul 22, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study looks at whether taking two approved medicines together—escitalopram for depression and atorvastatin for high cholesterol—can improve both mood and blood fat levels in adults. Participants are adults diagnosed with both a depressive episode and mild-to-moderate dyslipidemia. The study follows standard hospital care, collecting routine health data during clinic visits to check mood scores and blood fat results, while also recording any mild side effects.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- escitalopram plus atorvastatin
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this combination could offer a simple way to treat both depression and high cholesterol together, potentially improving overall health.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage observation study with only 60 participants, so results may not apply broadly. Side effects like dizziness or stomach upset are possible.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Participants
-
60 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Sep 2025
- Finished
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May 2026
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
Who is studied
The study population consists of patients aged 18-65 years diagnosed with depressive episode (ICD-10) combined with mild-to-moderate dyslipidemia. Subjects with HAMD-17 total score ≥17 at admission, complete clinical data and willingness to complete 4-week follow-up are enrolled. Patients with severe organic diseases, other psychiatric disorders, drug allergies, recent use of statins or antidepressants, substance abuse, concurrent trials, pregnancy or lactation are excluded.
- Ages
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18 to 65 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * 1.Meet the diagnostic criteria for depressive episode in the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10), with a total score of the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17) ≥ 17 at admission. 2.Subjects are diagnosed with mild-to-moderate dyslipidemia if any one of the following fasting venous blood lipid indicators is satisfied, referring to the Chinese Guidelines for Lipid Management (Primary Care Version, 2024): Total cholesterol (TC) 5.2-6.19 mmol/L, triglycerides (TG) 1.7-2.25 mmol/L, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) 3.4-4.1 mmol/L, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) \<1.0 mmol/L. 3.Aged 18 to 65 years old, without gender restriction. 4.Complete clinical medical records, laboratory test results and scale follow-up data; able to cooperate with 4-week full follow-up, scale assessment and repeated blood lipid examination. 5.Voluntarily participate in this study and sign written informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: * 1.Combined with severe organic lesions of vital organs such as severe cardiac insufficiency, liver cirrhosis and chronic renal failure. 2.Previously diagnosed with other mental disorders including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and organic mental disorders. 3.History of allergy to atorvastatin or SSRIs antidepressants. 4.Regular use of statin lipid-lowering drugs or other 5.antidepressant/anxiolytic drugs within the past 1 month. 6.Long-term abuse history of psychoactive substances such as alcohol and opioids. Concurrent participation in other clinical drug intervention studies. 7.Pregnant or lactating women.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Hengshui City Seventh People's Hospital
Hengshui, Hebei, 053800, China
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