Could a simple pill stop depression after a broken bone?

NCT ID NCT05851898

Recruiting now Prevention Sponsor: Wake Forest University Health Sciences Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 2 times

Summary

This study looks at whether giving the antidepressant duloxetine to adults aged 65 and older right after a broken leg can prevent depression. One hundred participants will take duloxetine daily for a year and be screened monthly for depressive symptoms. The main goal is to see if this approach is practical and acceptable, not yet to prove it works.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Duloxetine (an antidepressant)
What this could lead to: If this works, it could point toward a way to prevent depression in older adults after a serious injury like a broken leg.
What could go wrong: This is a small pilot study, so results may not apply to everyone. It only tests feasibility, not whether duloxetine truly prevents depression. Side effects of duloxetine are possible.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

depressive disorder prevention target

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

DEPRESSION IN OLD AGE FRAGILITY FRACTURE

Contacts and locations

Locations

Wake Forest University Health Sciences
RECRUITING

Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27157, United States

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