Endpoint

Antidepressant treatment response rate

CAT:outcome/antidepressant-response-ratereported in risk ratio3 findings from 3 compounds

What moved it

3 findings · 3 compounds · by evidence strength

Compound	Direction	Findings	Strongest evidence
escitalopram	up	1	Evidence strength: moderate. Human evidence with one recorded weakness, or capped at moderate by its design or by unread numbers.
paroxetine	up	1	Evidence strength: moderate. Human evidence with one recorded weakness, or capped at moderate by its design or by unread numbers.
quetiapine	up	1	Evidence strength: moderate. Human evidence with one recorded weakness, or capped at moderate by its design or by unread numbers.

Reported to move it

3 findings

quetiapine — increases
ModerateEvidence strength: moderate. Human evidence with one recorded weakness, or capped at moderate by its design or by unread numbers.Finding
“The overall response rate, defined as ≥50% reduction on the depression rating scale scores, was higher in the quetiapine group at the end of the studies (RR 1.31, 95% CI 1.23 to 1.40; number needed to treat [NNT] 6, 95% CI 5 to 8).”
Quoted verbatim from Quetiapine for acute bipolar depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis..
Study

meta-analysis
Dose

150-600 mg/day
Population

Adults and children/adolescents with acute bipolar I or II depression; pooled RCTs of quetiapine versus placebo, end of studies
Effect 1.31 risk ratio, 95% CI 1.23 to 1.4
Quetiapine for acute bipolar depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis.2014PMID:25028535Permalink
paroxetine — increases
ModerateEvidence strength: moderate. Human evidence with one recorded weakness, or capped at moderate by its design or by unread numbers.Finding
“Paroxetine therapy for dPD markedly increased the antidepressant response rate (OR 3.62, 95% CI 2.63 to 4.98, P <.00001).”
Quoted verbatim from The effects of paroxetine therapy on depressive symptom and motor function in the treatment of depression with Parkinson's disease: A meta-analysis..
Study

meta-analysis
Dose

20 mg/d in most trials
Population

Patients with depression and idiopathic Parkinson's disease; paroxetine added to background anti-parkinsonian drug therapy versus that therapy alone (or placebo in 3 trials); 22 trials, 1808 participants
Effect 3.62 odds ratio, 95% CI 2.63 to 4.98
The effects of paroxetine therapy on depressive symptom and motor function in the treatment of depression with Parkinson's disease: A meta-analysis.2023PMID:37653795Permalink
escitalopram — increases
ModerateEvidence strength: moderate. Human evidence with one recorded weakness, or capped at moderate by its design or by unread numbers.Finding
“The proportion of responders was significantly greater with citalopram and escitalopram than placebo and the two effect sizes were of similar magnitude.”
Quoted verbatim from Impact of evergreening on patients and health insurance: a meta analysis and reimbursement cost analysis of citalopram/escitalopram antidepressants..
Study

meta-analysis
Population

Adults with major depression in placebo-controlled trials of escitalopram (12 trials), eight-week acute treatment, pooled
Impact of evergreening on patients and health insurance: a meta analysis and reimbursement cost analysis of citalopram/escitalopram antidepressants.2012PMID:23167972Permalink

How it is measured

Proportion of patients meeting a protocol-defined response criterion on a depression rating scale, conventionally at least a 50% reduction from baseline on the HDRS or MADRS. The scale and the threshold are recorded with each finding.

Sources cited

3 papers

Subject: antidepressant treatment response rate
Findings: 3
Papers: 3

Compound

Direction

Findings

Strongest evidence

escitalopram

paroxetine

quetiapine