Inclusion/exclusion criteria in late life depression antidepressant efficacy trials

Authors:
ZIMMERMAN Mark, et al
Journal article citation:
International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 32(9), 2017, pp.1009-1016.
Publisher:
Wiley

Objective: The generalisability of antidepressant efficacy trials (AETs) has been questioned. No studies have examined the inclusion/exclusion criteria used in placebo-controlled studies of late life depression and compared them to the criteria used in non-late life AETs. Method: The authors conducted a comprehensive literature review of placebo-controlled AETs published from January, 1995 through December, 2014. They compared the inclusion/exclusion criteria used in the 18 studies of late life depression to those used in non-late life depression. Results: There were nine inclusion/exclusion criteria that were used in more than half of the late life depression AETs: minimum severity on a symptom severity scale (100.0%), significant suicidal ideation (77.8%), psychotic features during the current episode of depression or history of a psychotic disorder (94.4%), history of bipolar disorder (77.8%), diagnosis of alcohol or drug abuse or dependence (83.3%), presence of a comorbid nondepressive, nonsubstance use Axis I disorder (55.6%), episode duration too short (66.7%), and an insufficient score on a cognitive screen (88.3%) or the presence of a cognitive disorder (55.6%). There were some differences between the late life and non-late life depression studies—use of a screening measure of cognitive functioning, presence of a cognitive disorder such as dementia, and the minimum depression severity cutoff score required at baseline. Conclusions: The inclusion/exclusion criteria in AETs of late life depression were generally similar to the criteria used in non-late life depression (Edited publisher abstract)

Subject terms:
depression, older people, literature reviews, mental health problems;
Content type:
research
Location(s):
United States
Link:
Journal home page
ISSN online:
1099-1166
ISSN print:
0885-6230

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