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Question clinique
In patients identified with symptoms of depression in primary care settings, is treatment with sertraline (Zoloft) more effective than treatment with placebo?
L’Essentiel
After 6 weeks, treatment with either sertraline or placebo produces similar decreases, on average, in depressive symptoms. By 12 weeks of therapy, the average scores will be better with active treatment, though still in the mild range. With sertraline, more patients will achieve remission, anxiety scores will decrease, and mental health–related quality of life scores will be better. 1b
Référence
Plan de l'etude: Randomized controlled trial (double-blinded)
Financement: Government
Cadre: Outpatient (primary care)
Sommaire
This extensive real-world study of treating depression in primary care settings enrolled patients with any degree of depressive symptoms rather than targeting a specific level of depression. The study was conducted in 179 primary care offices across the United Kingdom. The authors enrolled 653 adults with depressive symptoms of any severity or duration for whom there was clinical uncertainty about the benefit of antidepressant treatment and who were not receiving antidepressant treatment. Some patients were identified by chart review as having depressive symptoms within the past 2 years and were asked if they wished to have treatment. The Patient Health Questionnaire, 9-item version (PHQ-9) was used to categorize severity, with an average score of 12 out of a possible 27 (moderate depression). The patients were randomized, using concealed allocation, to receive sertraline 50 mg daily for 1 week and then 100 mg, or matching placebo, for up to 11 weeks. Approximately 15% of patients dropped out of the study. Using intention-to-treat analysis, at 6 weeks both groups had lower PHQ-9 scores—8.0 with sertraline vs 8.8 with placebo (the difference not significant). By 12 weeks the average scores were lower with treatment (6.9 vs 8.0) and remission rates (PHQ-9 score 0 - 4) were statistically higher with treatment (45% vs 35%; number needed to treat = 10). Response rates did not vary with degree of initial depression. Anxiety scores were lower and general mental health–related quality of life scores (assessed with the Short Form Health Survey-12) were higher with treatment. Patients in the treatment group were more likely to report they felt an improvement.
Reviewer
Allen F. Shaughnessy, PharmD, MMedEd
Professor of Family Medicine
Tufts University
Boston, MA
Commentaires
Evaluating treatment of depression.
This study shows that subjective improvement matches objective improvement. What the patient tells us is often the best guide to effectiveness of treatment. Moreover, it assures the patients acceptance of treatment and adherence.