title: A naturalistic, multi-site study of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy for depression.
abstract: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) was approved in 2008 in the United States, and there are relatively few studies describing its use in regular clinical practice since approval.
  
  
  
  From April 2011 to October 2014, ten sites within the National Network of Depression Centers (NNDC) provided data on 62 evaluable patients with a depressive episode. Treatment was determined naturalistically. Response was assessed by the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms, Self-Report (QIDS-SR) as the primary outcome, and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and the clinician-rated Clinical Global Impression (CGI) as secondary depression measures.
  
  
  
  Enrolled patients exhibited significant treatment resistance, with 70.2% reporting more than 4 prior depressive episodes. Most patients received treatment with standard parameters (10Hz over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex), although 22.6% of the patients received 1 or 5Hz stimulation at some point. Over 6 weeks of treatment, response and remission rates were 29.4% and 5.9%, respectively, for the QIDS-SR; 39.2% and 15.7%, respectively, for the PHQ-9; and 50.9% and 17.9%, respectively, for the CGI. Moderator analyses revealed no effect of prior depressive episodes, history of ECT or gender, although early life stress predicted a better response to rTMS therapy.
  
  
  
  The study was an open-label, registry trial, with relatively coarse clinical data, reflecting practice only in academic, depression-specialty centers. Because of the relatively small size and heterogeneity of the sample, type 2 errors are possible and positive findings are in need of replication.
  
  
  
  rTMS demonstrates effectiveness in clinical practice within the NNDC, although remission rates appear slightly lower in comparison with other recent naturalistic studies.
authors: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. Electronic address: sftaylor@umich.edu.
authors: Stephan F
authors: SF
authors: Taylor
authors: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: Mahendra T
authors: MT
authors: Bhati
authors: Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, USA.
authors: Marc J
authors: MJ
authors: Dubin
authors: Linder Center/University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
authors: John M
authors: JM
authors: Hawkins
authors: Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; National Institute of Mental Health, USA.
authors: Sarah H
authors: SH
authors: Lisanby
authors: McLean Hospital, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
authors: Oscar
authors: O
authors: Morales
authors: Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors: Irving M
authors: IM
authors: Reti
authors: Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors: Shirlene
authors: S
authors: Sampson
authors: Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
authors: E Baron
authors: EB
authors: Short
authors: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors: Catherine
authors: C
authors: Spino
authors: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors: Kuanwong
authors: K
authors: Watcharotone
authors: University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA.
authors: Jesse
authors: J
authors: Wright
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D000328:Adult; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012074:Remission Induction; D057566:Self Report; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Brain; Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; Neuromodulation; Registry