Selecting methodologies for the evaluation of differences in time to response between antidepressants.
BACKGROUND
The delay in the therapeutic effect of antidepressants is a considerable impediment to their successful clinical use, and attention has recently been focused on antidepressant drugs that may have a faster onset of action.


RESULTS
Several methodologies exist for evaluating differences in time to response between antidepressants including the identification of the timepoint at which statistically or clinically significant differences between treatment groups emerge, pattern analysis, and survival analytical approaches. All have conceptual as well as practical advantages and disadvantages.


CONCLUSIONS
The survival analytical approach is generally considered to be the most rigorous and sensitive in detecting differences in the speed of response of antidepressants, but the other methodologies provide useful information.
Imperial College School of Medicine, London, United Kingdom. stuart@samontgomery.co.uk
Stuart A
SA
Montgomery
Per
P
Bech
Pierre
P
Blier
Hans-Jürgen
HJ
Möller
Andrew A
AA
Nierenberg
Roger M
RM
Pinder
Frederic M
FM
Quitkin
Paul-Egbert
PE
Reimitz
Jerrold F
JF
Rosenbaum
A John
AJ
Rush
H H
HH
Stassen
Michael E
ME
Thase
D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015990:Placebo Effect; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012107:Research Design; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000928:Antidepressive Agents