Author:
Janela Duarte,Jerónimo Joana,Rema João,Telles-Correia Diogo,Novais Filipa
Abstract
Abstract
Purpose of Review
To evaluate the effectiveness of psychostimulant augmentation of antidepressants in the treatment of depression in adults.
Recent Findings
In our analysis of 13 RCTs involving 2478 participants, psychostimulant augmentation demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in depressive symptom severity compared to placebo augmentation (N = 1827; SMD = − 0.18; 95% CI (− 0.36, − 0.01); p = 0.04, I2 = 65%). However, we did not observe a significant increase in remission rates (N = 1709; OR = 1.30; 95% CI (0.97, 1.75); p = 0.08, I2 = 32%).
Summary
Depression, a pressing global health issue, is typically treated with antidepressant monotherapy, offering limited relief. Our study introduces a potential breakthrough: psychostimulant augmentation of antidepressants, which significantly alleviates depressive symptoms. Nevertheless, larger high-quality trials evaluating a wider range of drugs are necessary to further explore and strengthen our findings.
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
Psychiatry and Mental health,Clinical Psychology