Depression remission rate

Method

Proportion of patients whose post-treatment score on a named depression rating scale falls below the protocol-defined remission cut-off (for example Hamilton Depression Rating Scale 7 or below, or Montgomery-Asberg 10 or below), pooled as an odds ratio or risk ratio. The scale and the cut-off are recorded on the edge.

The method is part of the endpoint identity. Studies measuring the same quantity by a different method are held as separate endpoints.

Notes

An absolute-threshold endpoint. Its near-miss is antidepressant treatment response rate, defined by a 50 percent reduction from baseline. Same sign, same patients, same scale - and the findings diverge: in PMID 41189312 remission was strongly positive (OR 3.60, CI 1.76 to 7.56) while response in the same review was null (OR 0.72, CI 0.28 to 1.88). Remission requires reaching a low absolute state; response only requires halving, so a severely ill responder is not a remitter. Distinct also from the continuous Hamilton total score, which improves by FALLING while this improves by RISING.