Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

BACKGROUND: Stratified medicine aims to improve clinical and cost-effectiveness by identifying moderators of treatment that indicate differential response to treatment. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is often offered as a 'next-step' for patients who have not responded to antidepressants, but no research has examined moderators of response to CBT in this population. We aimed, therefore, to identify moderators of response to CBT in treatment resistant depression. METHODS: We used linear regression to test for interactions between treatment effect and 14 putative moderator variables using data from the CoBalT randomised controlled trial. This trial examined the effectiveness of CBT given in addition to usual care (n=234) compared with usual care alone (n=235) for primary care patients with treatment resistant depression. RESULTS: Age was the only variable with evidence for effect modification (p Value for interaction term=0.012), with older patients benefiting the most from CBT. We found no evidence of effect modification by any other demographic, life, illness, personality trait, or cognitive variable (p≥0.2). CONCLUSIONS: Given the largely null findings, a stratified approach that might limit offering CBT is premature; CBT should be offered to all individuals where antidepressant medication has failed.

Original publication

DOI

10.1016/j.jad.2014.11.057

Type

Journal article

Journal

J Affect Disord

Publication Date

15/03/2015

Volume

174

Pages

272 - 280

Keywords

Cognitive behavioural therapy, Depression, Moderators, Primary care, Stratified medicine, Treatment resistance, Adolescent, Adult, Age Factors, Aged, Antidepressive Agents, Cognition, Cognitive Therapy, Combined Modality Therapy, Cost-Benefit Analysis, Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Personality, Primary Health Care, Treatment Outcome, Young Adult