title: Validation of the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale definition of response for adults with major depressive disorder using equipercentile linking to Clinical Global Impression scale ratings: analysis of Pharmacogenomic Research Network Antidepressant Medication Pharmacogenomic Study (PGRN-AMPS) data.
abstract: The study aimed to define thresholds of clinically significant change in 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-17) scores using the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I) Scale as a gold standard.
  
  
  
  We conducted a secondary analysis of individual patient data from the Pharmacogenomic Research Network Antidepressant Medication Pharmacogenomic Study, an 8-week, single-arm clinical trial of citalopram or escitalopram treatment of adults with major depression. We used equipercentile linking to identify levels of absolute and percent change in HDRS-17 scores that equated with scores on the CGI-I at 4 and 8 weeks. Additional analyses equated changes in the HDRS-7 and Bech-6 scale scores with CGI-I scores.
  
  
  
  A CGI-I score of 2 (much improved) corresponded to an absolute decrease (improvement) in HDRS-17 total score of 11 points and a percent decrease of 50-57%, from baseline values. Similar results were observed for percent change in HDRS-7 and Bech-6 scores. Larger absolute (but not percent) decreases in HDRS-17 scores equated with CGI-I scores of 2 in persons with higher baseline depression severity.
  
  
  
  Our results support the consensus definition of response based on HDRS-17 scores (>50% decrease from baseline). A similar definition of response may apply to the HDRS-7 and Bech-6. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: William V
authors.initials: WV
authors.lastname: Bobo
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.|School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
authors.forename: Gabriela C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Angleró
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Hall-Flavin
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Weinshilboum
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.|Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Joanna M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Biernacka
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015283:Citalopram / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010597:Pharmacogenetics; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015283:Citalopram; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
keywords: Hamilton Depression Rating Scale; citalopram; equipercentile linking; escitalopram; major depressive disorder; response