title: Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for the Acute Treatment of Major Depressive Episodes: A Systematic Review With Network Meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although several strategies of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) have been investigated as treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD), their comparative efficacy and acceptability is unknown.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To establish the relative efficacy and acceptability of the different modalities of rTMS used for MDD by performing a network meta-analysis, obtaining a clinically meaningful treatment hierarchy.
  
  
  METHODS
  PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycInfo, and Web of Science were searched up until October 1, 2016.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized clinical trials that compared any rTMS intervention with sham or another rTMS intervention. Trials performing less than 10 sessions were excluded.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two independent reviewers used standard forms for data extraction and quality assessment. Random-effects, standard pairwise, and network meta-analyses were performed to synthesize data.
  
  
  METHODS
  Response rates and acceptability (dropout rate). Remission was the secondary outcome. Effect sizes were reported as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CIs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-one studies (4233 patients, 59.1% women, mean age of 46 years) were included. The interventions more effective than sham were priming low-frequency (OR, 4.66; 95% CI, 1.70-12.77), bilateral (OR, 3.96; 95% CI, 2.37-6.60), high-frequency (OR, 3.07; 95% CI, 2.24-4.21), θ-burst stimulation (OR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.07-6.05), and low-frequency (OR, 2.37; 95% CI, 1.52-3.68) rTMS. Novel rTMS interventions (accelerated, synchronized, and deep rTMS) were not more effective than sham. Except for θ-burst stimulation vs sham, similar results were obtained for remission. All interventions were at least as acceptable as sham. The estimated relative ranking of treatments suggested that priming low-frequency and bilateral rTMS might be the most efficacious and acceptable interventions among all rTMS strategies. However, results were imprecise and relatively few trials were available for interventions other than low-frequency, high-frequency, and bilateral rTMS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Few differences were found in clinical efficacy and acceptability between the different rTMS modalities, favoring to some extent bilateral rTMS and priming low-frequency rTMS. These findings warrant the design of larger RCTs investigating the potential of these approaches in the short-term treatment of MDD. Current evidence cannot support novel rTMS interventions as a treatment for MDD.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: PROSPERO CRD42015019855.
authors.affiliation: Service of Interdisciplinary Neuromodulation, Department and Institute of Psychiatry, Laboratory of Neurosciences (LIM-27), University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil2Interdisciplinary Center for Applied Neuromodulation University Hospital, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andre R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Brunoni
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Ioannina School of Medicine, Ioannina, Greece.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chaimani
authors.affiliation: Service of Interdisciplinary Neuromodulation, Department and Institute of Psychiatry, Laboratory of Neurosciences (LIM-27), University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil2Interdisciplinary Center for Applied Neuromodulation University Hospital, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Adriano H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Moffa
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Center for Applied Neuromodulation University Hospital, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lais B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Razza
authors.affiliation: Service of Interdisciplinary Neuromodulation, Department and Institute of Psychiatry, Laboratory of Neurosciences (LIM-27), University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil2Interdisciplinary Center for Applied Neuromodulation University Hospital, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Wagner F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Gattaz
authors.affiliation: Temerty Centre for Therapeutic Brain Intervention, Ontario, Canada5Campbell Family Research Institute, Ontario, Canada6Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Zafiris J
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Daskalakis
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine and Translational Psychiatry Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andre F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Carvalho
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome