Antidepressant treatment of depression: a metaanalysis.
OBJECTIVE
To carry out a metaanalysis of antidepressant studies to calculate the effect sizes for antidepressant effect in depressive disorder.


METHODS
A metaanalysis of all antidepressant studies that included an active comparison drug as well as placebo was used to calculate the effect size. Articles were selected from a MEDLINE search for the period January 1966 to June 1995. Forty-nine studies were included in the metaanalysis.


RESULTS
The effect sizes for antidepressant treatment are moderately larger than for placebo. A larger effect size was observed in studies where objective diagnostic criteria for depression were used.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that the superior efficacy of antidepressants over placebo can be demonstrated.
Joffe
R
R
Department of Psychiatry, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario.
Sokolov
S
S
Streiner
D
D
D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D010555:Personality Inventory; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000928:Antidepressive Agents