New combo therapy aims to lift mood after heart surgery in seniors
NCT ID NCT05575128
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tested whether a program combining behavioral activation (helping people do meaningful activities) and medication optimization (adjusting meds) can reduce depression and anxiety in adults 60 and older undergoing heart surgery. 105 participants were split into two groups: one received the program, the other usual care. The goal was to see if symptoms improved 3 months after surgery.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- behavioral activation and medication optimization
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a simple, drug-free way to improve mental health recovery after heart surgery in older adults.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, completed study (105 participants) without a later phase, so results may not apply broadly. The intervention combines two approaches, making it hard to know which part helped.
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.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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105 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Nov 2022
- Finished
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Mar 2025
- 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.
- Ages
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60 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion criteria: * Adults ≥ 60 years * Scheduled major cardiac procedure * PHQ-ADS ≥ 10, indicating clinically significant depression or anxiety symptoms Exclusion criteria: * Barrier to communication (Unable to read, speak, and understand English) * Severe cognitive impairment screened by the SBT (Short Blessed Test) \>10 * Acutely suicidal * Previous participation in this study or CPMH feasibility study 202101103.
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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
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Washington University in St. Louis
St Louis, Missouri, 63110, United States
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