Effectiveness of preventive cognitive therapy while tapering antidepressants versus maintenance antidepressant treatment versus their combination in prevention of depressive relapse or recurrence (DRD study): a three-group, multicentre, randomised controlled trial

Publication date: Available online 3 April 2018 Source:The Lancet Psychiatry Author(s): Claudi L H Bockting, Nicola S Klein, Hermien J Elgersma, Gerard D van Rijsbergen, Christien Slofstra, Johan Ormel, Erik Buskens, Jack Dekker, Peter J de Jong, Willem A Nolen, Aart H Schene, Steven D Hollon, Huibert Burger Background Keeping individuals on antidepressants after remission or recovery of major depressive disorder is a common strategy to prevent relapse or recurrence. Preventive cognitive therapy (PCT) has been proposed as an alternative to maintenance antidepressant treatment, but whether its addition would allow tapering of antidepressants or enhance the efficacy of maintenance antidepressant treatment is unclear. We aimed to compare the effectiveness of antidepressants alone, with PCT while tapering off antidepressants, or PCT added to antidepressants in the prevention of relapse and recurrence. Methods In this single-blind, multicentre, parallel, three-group, randomised controlled trial, individuals recruited by general practitioners, pharmacists, secondary mental health care, or media were randomly assigned (10:10:8) to PCT and antidepressants, antidepressants alone, or PCT with tapering of antidepressants, using computer-generated randomised allocation stratified for number of previous depressive episodes and type of care. Eligible participants had previously experienced at least two depressive episodes and were in remission or recovery on antidepressants...
Source: The Lancet Psychiatry - Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research