Centralized, stepped depression care significantly reduced depressive symptoms compared to usual care in patients with post-ACS depression (mean difference -3.5 BDI points; 95% CI -6.1 to -0.7; P=.01).
RCT (n=150)
randomized
Yes
Does centralized, stepped, patient preference-based depression care improve depressive symptoms and health care costs in patients with post-ACS depression?
Centralized, stepped depression care based on patient preference significantly improves depressive symptoms in post-ACS patients without increasing overall healthcare costs.
Mean Difference: -3.5 (95% CI -6.1–-0.7)
p-value: p=.01
IMPORTANCE: Controversy remains about whether depression can be successfully managed after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and the costs and benefits of doing so. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of providing post-ACS depression care on depressive symptoms and health care costs. DESIGN: Multicenter randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Patients were recruited from 2 private and 5 academic ambulatory centers across the United States. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 150 patients with elevated depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory BDI score ≥10) 2 to 6 months after an ACS, recruited between March 18, 2010, and January 9, 2012. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomized to 6 months of centralized depression care (patient preference for problem-solving treatment given via telephone or the Internet, pharmacotherapy, both, or neither), stepped every 6 to 8 weeks (active treatment group; n = 73), or to locally determined depression care after physician notification about the patient's depressive symptoms (usual care group; n = 77). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Change in depressive symptoms during 6 months and total health care costs. RESULTS: Depressive symptoms decreased significantly more in the active treatment group than in the usual care group (differential change between groups, -3. 5 BDI points; 95% CI, -6. 1 to -0. 7; P =. 01). Although mental health care estimated costs were higher for active treatment than for usual care, overall health care estimated costs were not significantly different (difference adjusting for confounding, -325; 95% CI, -2639 to 1989; P =. 78). CONCLUSIONS: For patients with post-ACS depression, active treatment had a substantial beneficial effect on depressive symptoms. This kind of depression care is feasible, effective, and may be cost-neutral within 6 months; therefore, it should be tested in a large phase 3 pragmatic trial. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials. gov Identifier: NCT01032018.
Davidson et al. (2013) conducted an RCT in Post-acute coronary syndrome depression (n=150). Centralized, stepped depression care vs. Locally determined depression care (usual care) was evaluated on Change in depressive symptoms during 6 months (MD -3.5, 95% CI -6.1 to -0.7, p=.01). Centralized, stepped depression care significantly reduced depressive symptoms compared to usual care in patients with post-ACS depression (mean difference -3.5 BDI points; 95% CI -6.1 to -0.7; P=.01).