Key result
Comparator antidepressant administration boosts expected depression improvement by ~1.5 effect size vs placebo control.
Why the study?
Does comparator administration of antidepressant medication improve expected magnitude of depression improvement in out-patients with MDD?
Population
20 out-patients aged 18-65 years with major depressive disorder (MDD), mean age 56.5+/-11.7 years
Comparison
Comparator administration of antidepressant… vs Placebo-controlled administration of…
Design
RCT, randomized
Follow-up
8-week
Authors
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Comparator arms may inflate response rates via expectancy; challenges efficacy interpretations from non-placebo antidepressant trials.
RCT (n=20)
randomized
Does comparator administration of antidepressant medication improve expected magnitude of depression improvement in out-patients with MDD?
Standardized Mean Difference: 1.5
p-value: p=significant
Randomization to an active comparator arm rather than a placebo-controlled arm significantly increases patients' expected magnitude of improvement, potentially explaining higher response rates in comparator trials.
Rutherford et al. (2009) conducted an RCT in major depressive disorder (MDD) (n=20). Comparator administration (escitalopram or citalopram) vs. Placebo-controlled administration (escitalopram or placebo) was evaluated on expected magnitude of improvement (effect size 1.5, p=significant). Randomization to comparator versus placebo-controlled antidepressant administration produced a significantly greater expected magnitude of improvement (effect size 1.5).
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