Sexual orientation differences among men in a randomized clinical trial of extended-release naltrexone and bupropion for methamphetamine use disorder.

BACKGROUND: Methamphetamine use disorder (MethUD) disproportionately affects men who have sex exclusively with men or with men and women (collectively MSM/W), compared to men who have sex with women (MSW). This study is the first MethUD medication trial to compare treatment effect for these groups, hypothesizing that extended-release injectable naltrexone 380mg every 3 weeks plus oral extended-release bupropion 450mg daily would be less effective for MSM/W than MSW. METHODS: Data come from men (N = 246) in a multi-site, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial with sequential parallel comparison design. In Stage 1 (6-weeks), participants were randomized to active treatment or placebo. In Stage 2 (6-weeks), Stage 1 placebo non-responders were rerandomized. Treatment response was ≥3 methamphetamine-negative urine samples, out of four obtained at the end of Stages 1 and 2. Treatment effect was the active-versus-placebo between-group difference in the weighted average Stages 1 and 2 responses. RESULTS: MSM/W (n = 151) were more likely than MSW (n = 95) to be Hispanic, college-educated, and living with HIV. Adjusting for demographics, among MSM/W, response rates were 13.95 % (active treatment) and 2.78 % (placebo) in Stage 1; 23.26 % (active treatment) and 4.26 % (placebo) in Stage 2. Among MSW, response rates were 7.69 % (active treatment) and 5.80 % (placebo) in Stage 1; 3.57 % (active treatment) and 0 % (placebo) in Stage 2. Treatment effect was significantly larger for MSM/W (h = 0.1479) than MSW (h = 0.0227) (p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest efficacy of extended-release naltrexone plus bupropion for MSM/W, a population heavily burdened by MethUD. While a secondary outcome, this intriguing finding merits testing in prospective trials.

Adaption of tele-behavioral activation to increase physical activity in depression: Protocol for iterative development and evaluation.

Background: Poor treatment outcomes, disease recurrence, and medical co-morbidities contribute to the significant burden caused by depressive disorders. Increasing physical activity in persons with depression has the potential to improve both depression treatment outcomes and physical health. However, evidence for physical activity interventions that can be delivered as part of depression treatment remains limited. This study will examine a Behavioral Activation teletherapy intervention adapted to include a specific focus on increasing physical activity. Methods: The two-phase study will include a preliminary pilot study (n = 15) to evaluate and refine the manualized intervention using a mixed-methods approach followed by a single-arm study to evaluate feasibility and preliminary efficacy of the adapted BA teletherapy. Participants will be adults, age 18-64, with moderate to severe depressive symptoms (defined as a PHQ-9 score ≥10) and who currently engage in 90 min or less of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Individuals will be excluded if they have a current or past manic or hypomanic episode, psychosis, schizophrenia or schizophreniform disorder, or active suicidal ideation, or if not medically-cleared to exercise. The BA intervention will consist of 8 weekly sessions, followed by 2 bi-weekly booster sessions. Feasibility outcomes will include metrics of screening, enrollment, intervention adherence and fidelity, and participant retention. Intervention preliminary efficacy will be evaluated through assessment of changes in depressive symptoms and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Conclusion: Data from this trial will be used to support the conduct of a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of the adapted BA intervention.

Considering depression as a secondary outcome in the optimization of physical activity interventions for breast cancer survivors in the PACES trial: a factorial randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Depressive symptoms result in considerable burden for breast cancer survivors. Increased physical activity may reduce these burdens but existing evidence from physical activity interventions in equivocal. Furthermore, physical activity intervention strategies may differentially impact depressive symptoms, which should be considered in designing and optimizing behavioral interventions for breast cancer survivors. METHODS: The Physical Activity for Cancer Survivors (PACES) trial enrolled 336 participants breast cancer survivors, who were 3 months to 10 years post-treatment, and insufficiently active (< 150 min of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week). Participants were randomly assigned to a combination of 4 intervention strategies in a full-factorial design: 1) supervised exercise sessions, 2) facility access, 3) Active Living Every Day, and 4) Fitbit self-monitoring. Depressive symptoms were assessed at baseline, mid-intervention (3 months), and post-intervention (6 months) using the Quick Inventory for Depressive Symptoms. Change in depressive symptoms were analyzed using a linear mixed-effects model. RESULTS: Results from the linear mixed-effects model indicated that depressive symptoms decreased significantly across the entire study sample over the 6-month intervention (F = 4.09, p = 0.044). A significant ALED x time interaction indicated participants who received the ALED intervention experienced greater reductions in depressive symptoms (F = 5.29, p = 0.022). No other intervention strategy significantly impacted depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The ALED intervention consists of strategies (i.e., goal setting, social support) that may have a beneficial impact on depressive symptoms above and beyond the effect of increased physical activity. Our findings highlight the need to consider secondary outcomes when designing and optimizing physical activity interventions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03060941. Posted February 23, 2017.

The 9-item Concise Health Risk Tracking - Self-Report (CHRT-SR9) measure of suicidal risk: Performance in adult primary care patients.

Purpose: To evaluate the psychometric properties of a 9-item Concise Health Risk Tracking Self-Report (or CHRT-SR9) to assess suicidal risk in adult primary care outpatients. Methods: Overall, 369 adults completed the original 14-item version of CHRT-SR at baseline and within 4 months thereafter, from which the CHRT-SR9 was extracted using multigroup confirmatory factor analysis. Measurement invariance (across age and sex) and classical test theory characteristics of the CHRT-SR9 were evaluated. Concurrent validity was assessed by comparing CHRT-SR9 responses to those of the suicide item in the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), both cross-sectionally and as a change measure over time. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis identified the CHRT-SR9 as the optimal solution. Factors included pessimism, helplessness, despair (2 items each) and suicidal thoughts (3 items). Measurement invariance held across sex and age groups, indicating that mean differences among sub-groups were real and not attributable to measurement bias. Classical test theory revealed acceptable item-total correlations overall (0.57-0.79) and internal consistency (Spearman-Brown from 0.76 to 0.90). Concurrent validity analyses revealed that the CHRT-SR9 can measure both improvement and worsening of suicidality over time. A PHQ-9 response of 0, 1, 2, and 3 on the suicide item corresponded to 7.82 (5.53), 16.80 (4.99), 20.71 (5.36), and 25.95 (7.30) (mean and SD) on CHRT-SR9 total score, respectively. Conclusion: The CHRT-SR9 is a brief self-report evaluating suicidality with excellent psychometric properties that is sensitive to change over time.

The Concise Health Risk Tracking - Self-Report (CHRT-SR)-A measure of suicidal risk: Performance in adolescent outpatients.

OBJECTIVES: The Concise Health Risk Tracking Self-Report (CHRT-SR) assesses the risk of suicidal behavior. We report its psychometric properties in a representative sample of adolescent outpatients. METHODS: A sample (n = 657) of adolescents (<18 years of age) in primary or psychiatric care completed the 14-item version of CHRT-SR at both baseline and within 3 months. To identify an optimal brief solution for the scale, we evaluated the factor structure of CHRT-SR using multigroup confirmatory factor analysis, and testing measurement invariance across age and gender. The item response theory and classical test theory characteristics of the optimal solution were evaluated. Concurrent validity (both cross-sectional and as a change measure over time) of the optimal solution was assessed by comparing it to another suicide measure. RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analysis identified the 9-item CHRT-SR (CHRT-SR9 ) as the optimal solution. Classical test theory and item response theory indicated excellent fit. Concurrent validity analyses revealed that it can measure both improvement/worsening of suicidality over time. CONCLUSION: The CHRT-SR9 is a brief self-report with excellent psychometric properties in a sample of adolescents that is sensitive to changes in suicidality over time. Its performance in other populations and ability to predict future suicidal events deserves study.

Neural substrates of emotional conflict with anxiety in major depressive disorder: Findings from the Establishing Moderators and biosignatures of Antidepressant Response in Clinical Care (EMBARC) randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The brain circuitry of depression and anxiety/fear is well-established, involving regions such as the limbic system and prefrontal cortex. We expand prior literature by examining the extent to which four discrete factors of anxiety (immediate state anxiety, physiological/panic, neuroticism/worry, and agitation/restlessness) among depressed outpatients are associated with differential responses during reactivity to and regulation of emotional conflict. METHODS: A total of 172 subjects diagnosed with major depressive disorder underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while performing an Emotional Stroop Task. Two main contrasts were examined using whole brain voxel wise analyses: emotional reactivity and emotion regulation. We also evaluated the association of these contrasts with the four aforementioned anxiety factors. RESULTS: During emotional reactivity, participants with higher immediate state anxiety showed potentiated activation in the rolandic operculum and insula, while individuals with higher levels of physiological/panic demonstrated decreased activation in the posterior cingulate. No significant results emerged for any of the four factors on emotion regulation. When re-analyzing these statistically-significant brain regions through analyses of a subsample with (n = 92) and without (n = 80) a current anxiety disorder, no significant associations occurred among those without an anxiety disorder. Among those with an anxiety disorder, results were similar to the full sample, except the posterior cingulate was associated with the neuroticism/worry factor. CONCLUSIONS: Divergent patterns of task-related brain activation across four discrete anxiety factors could be used to inform treatment decisions and target specific aspects of anxiety that involve intrinsic processing to attenuate overactive responses to emotional stimuli.

The effectiveness of enhanced evidence-based care for depressive disorders: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Several care models have been developed to improve treatment for depression, all of which provide "enhanced" evidence-based care (EEC). The essential component of these approaches is Measurement-Based Care (MBC). Specifically, Collaborative Care (CC), and Algorithm-guided Treatment (AGT), and Integrated Care (IC) all use varying forms of rigorous MBC assessment, care management, and/or treatment algorithms as key instruments to optimize treatment delivery and outcomes for depression. This meta-analysis systematically examined the effectiveness of EEC versus usual care for depressive disorders based on cluster-randomized studies or randomized controlled trials (RCTs). PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and PsycInfo, EMBASE, up to January 6th, 2020 were searched for this meta-analysis. The electronic search was supplemented by a manual search. Standardized mean difference (SMD), risk ratio (RR), and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated and analyzed. A total of 29 studies with 15,255 participants were analyzed. EEC showed better effectiveness with the pooled RR for response of 1.30 (95%CI: 1.13-1.50, I2 = 81.9%, P < 0.001, 18 studies), remission of 1.35 (95%CI: 1.11-1.64, I2 = 85.5%, P < 0.001, 18 studies) and symptom reduction with a pooled SMD of -0.42 (95%CI: -0.61-(-0.23), I2 = 94.3%, P < 0.001, 19 studies). All-cause discontinuations were similar between EEC and usual care with the pooled RR of 1.08 (95%CI: 0.94-1.23, I2 = 68.0%, P = 0.303, 27 studies). This meta-analysis supported EEC as an evidence-based framework to improve the treatment outcome of depressive disorders.Review registration: PROSPERO: CRD42020163668.

Sex differences in the association of baseline c-reactive protein (CRP) and acute-phase treatment outcomes in major depressive disorder: Findings from the EMBARC study.

Peripheral inflammation is associated with poor response to antidepressant treatments. However, whether sex differentially affects this association remains unknown. Participants of Establishing Moderators and Biosignatures of Antidepressant Response for Clinical Care (EMBARC) with baseline plasma samples were included in this study (n = 220; male n = 75, female n = 145). Depression severity [Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression 17-item (HAMD-17)] was measured at baseline and weeks- 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8. Plasma c-reactive protein (CRP) was measured with commercially-available ELISA kits at baseline, week-1, and week-8. Sex difference in prediction of baseline-to-week-8 HAMD-17 change by baseline CRP was tested with sex-by-baseline-CRP-by-time interaction in mixed model analysis. Additionally, changes in CRP from baseline-to-week-8 CRP and its association with HAMD-17 changes over that period were also evaluated. Covariates included body mass index, site, smoking status, and age. There was a significant sex difference in association of baseline-to-week-8 HAMD-17 reduction with baseline CRP (p = 0.033). Higher baseline CRP was associated with lower baseline-to-week-8 HAMD-17 reduction in females (p < 0.0001) but not in males (p = 0.632). Additionally, CRP was significantly reduced (p = 0.041, effect size = 0.254) from baseline-to-week-8, but there were no sex differences in this reduction (p = 0.249). Baseline-to-week-8 changes in HAMD-17 and CRP were not significantly associated either overall (p = 0.348) or based on sex (p = 0.370). In a large study of depressed outpatients, we replicated previous findings that elevated baseline CRP levels are associated with worse antidepressant treatment outcomes. However, this effect was limited only to females. These findings emphasize the importance of studying sex differences in biological mechanisms linking inflammation and depression.

Anxiety and anhedonia in depression: Associations with neuroticism and cognitive control.

BACKGROUND: Despite the fact that higher levels of anxiety and anhedonia in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) are linked to poorer treatment outcomes, mechanisms contributing to these clinical presentations remain unclear. Neuroticism, impaired cognitive control, and blunted reward learning may be critical processes involved in MDD and may help to explain symptoms of anxiety and anhedonia. METHODS: Using baseline data from patients with early-onset MDD (N = 296) in the Establishing Moderators and Biosignatures of Antidepressant Response in Clinical Care (EMBARC) trial, we conducted a path analysis to model relationships between neuroticism, cognitive control, and reward learning to levels of anxiety and anhedonia. RESULTS: Neuroticism was positively associated with both anhedonia (standardized coefficient = 0.26, p < .001) and anxiety (standardized coefficient = 0.40, p < .001). Cognitive control was negatively associated with anxiety (standardized coefficient = -0.18, p < .05). Reward learning was not significantly associated with either anxiety or anhedonia. LIMITATIONS: Extraneous variables not included in the model may have even more influence in explaining symptoms of anxiety and anhedonia. Restricted range in these variables may have attenuated some of the hypothesized relationships. Most important, because this was a cross-sectional analysis in a currently depressed sample, we cannot draw any causal conclusions without experimental and longitudinal data. CONCLUSIONS: These cross-sectional findings suggest that neuroticism may contribute to anxiety and anhedonia in patients with early onset and either chronic or recurrent MDD, while enhanced cognitive control may protect against anxiety.

The Concise Health Risk Tracking-Self Report: Psychometrics within a placebo-controlled antidepressant trial among depressed outpatients.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: While substantial prior research has evaluated the psychometric properties of the 12-item Concise Health Risk Tracking-Self Report (CHRT-SR12), a measure of suicide propensity and suicidal thoughts, no prior research has investigated its factor structure, sensitivity to change over time, and other psychometric properties in a placebo-controlled trial of antidepressant medication, nor determined whether symptoms change throughout treatment. METHODS: Participants in the multi-site Establishing Moderators and Biosignatures of Antidepressant Response in Clinical Care (EMBARC) study ( n=278) provided data to evaluate the factor structure and sensitivity to change over time of the CHRT-SR12 through eight weeks of a clinical trial in which participants received either placebo or antidepressant medication (sertraline). RESULTS/OUTCOMES: Factor analysis confirmed two factors: propensity (comprised of first-order factors including pessimism, helplessness, social support, and despair) and suicidal thoughts. Internal consistency (α's ranged from 0.69-0.92) and external validity were both acceptable, with the total score and propensity factor scores significantly correlated with total scores and single-item suicidal-thoughts scores on the self-report Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms and the clinician-rated 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. Through analyzing CHRT-SR12 changes over eight treatment weeks, the total score and both the factors decreased regardless of baseline suicidal thoughts. Change in clinician-rated suicidal thoughts was reflected by change in both the total score and propensity factor score. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: These results confirm the reliability, validity, and applicability of the CHRT-SR12 to a placebo-controlled clinical trial of depressed outpatients receiving antidepressant medication.

The Concise Health Risk Tracking Self-Report (CHRT-SR) assessment of suicidality in depressed outpatients: A psychometric evaluation.

BACKGROUND: The 12-item Concise Health Risk Tracking Self-Report (CHRT-SR12 ) is a brief, self-report measure that systematically assesses both suicidal thinking and associated thoughts that may indicate the propensity for suicidal acts. It can be used as a tool to both assess risk and guide treatment interventions targeting associated cognitions. METHODS: This report used acute treatment data from a clinically representative sample of outpatients with nonpsychotic major depressive disorder (N = 665) participating in the Combining Medications to Enhance Depression Outcomes trial, who received up to 12 weeks of escitalopram, escitalopram plus bupropion SR, or venlafaxine XR plus mirtazapine. Outcome assessors and patients were masked to treatment. RESULTS: Factor analysis of CHRT-SR12 confirmed that the 12 items have higher order structure with two subscales (Propensity, Suicidal Thoughts) and a total score. Internal consistencies were acceptable for both subscales and total score. All three scales were modestly correlated with overall depression severity (r = 0.54 to r = 0.21) and highly discriminating among patients grouped by suicide item ratings on three different depressive symptom ratings. The three scales also distinguished change over the acute phase treatment for those with different levels of baseline suicidal ideation (measured by 30-item Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (item 18) and for those with change in suicidal ideation (baseline to last visit). CONCLUSIONS: The CHRT-SR12 has good to excellent psychometric properties and is sensitive to change in suicidal thinking and propensity toward suicidal behavior in outpatients with major depressive disorder. It allows for the monitoring of thoughts and feelings associated with increased suicidal risk as well as levels of thoughts about suicide.

The Promoting Activity in Cancer Survivors (PACES) trial: a multiphase optimization of strategy approach to increasing physical activity in breast cancer survivors.

BACKGROUND: Despite the significant, empirically supported benefits of physical activity, the majority of breast cancer survivors do not meet recommended guidelines for physical activity. A variety of effective strategies to increase physical activity in breast cancer survivors have been identified. However, it is unknown which of these strategies is most effective or how these strategies might be combined to optimize intervention effectiveness. METHODS: The proposed trial uses multiphase optimization strategy (MOST) to evaluate four evidence-based intervention strategies for increasing physical activity in breast cancer survivors. We will enroll 500 breast cancer survivors, age 18 and older, who are 3-months to 5 years post-treatment. Using a full-factorial design, participants will be randomized to receive a combination: 1) supervised exercise, 2) facility access, 3) self-monitoring, and 4) group-based active living counseling. The primary outcome, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) will be measured at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months using an Actigraph GT3X+. To evaluate intervention effects, a linear mixed-effects model will be conducted with MVPA as the outcome and with time (3 months and 6 months) as the within-subjects factor and intervention (i.e., supervised exercise, facility access, self-monitoring, and active living counseling) as the between subjects factor, along with all two-way interactions. DISCUSSION: The purpose of the PACES study is to evaluate multiple strategies for increasing physical activity in breast cancer survivors. Results of this study will provide in an optimized intervention for increasing physical activity in breast cancer survivors. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT03060941 . Registered February 23, 2017.

Characterizing anxiety subtypes and the relationship to behavioral phenotyping in major depression: Results from the EMBARC study.

The current study aimed to characterize the multifaceted nature of anxiety in patients with major depression by evaluating distinct anxiety factors. We then related these derived anxiety factors to performance on a Flanker Task of cognitive control, in order to further validate these factors. Data were collected from 195 patients with nonpsychotic chronic or recurrent major depression or dysthymic disorder. At baseline, participants completed self-report measures of anxiety, depression, and other related symptoms (mania, suicidality) and clinicians administered a structured diagnostic interview and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, including anxiety/somatization items. Four discrete factors (State Anxiety, Panic, Neuroticism/Worry, and Restlessness/Agitation) emerged, with high degrees of internal consistency. Discriminant and convergent validity analyses also yielded findings in the expected direction. Furthermore, the neuroticism/worry factor was associated with Flanker Task interference, such that individuals higher on neuroticism/worry responded more incorrectly (yet faster) to incongruent vs. congruent trials whereas individuals higher on the fear/panic factor responded more slowly, with no accuracy effect, to the Flanker Task stimuli. These results parse anxiety into four distinct factors that encompass physiological, psychological, and cognitive components of anxiety. While state anxiety, panic and neuroticism/worry are related to existing measures of anxiety, the Restlessness/Agitation factor appears to be a unique measure of general anxious arousal. Furthermore, two factors were independently validated through the Flanker Task. These results suggest that these anxiety domains have distinct behavioral profiles and could have differential responses to distinct treatments.

A psychometric evaluation of the Concise Health Risk Tracking Self-Report (CHRT-SR)- a measure of suicidality-in patients with stimulant use disorder.

Stimulant use disorders are both common and associated with suicidal ideation and attempts. The psychometric properties of the 12-item Concise Health Risk Tracking Scale Self-Report (CHRT-SR), a measure that was created to assess suicidal thinking and several factors associated with a propensity to act, has been established in persons with mood disorders. This is a secondary analysis to assess the CHRT-SR in 302 stimulant abusing patients that had participated in a clinical trial. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to assess the factor validity of the 12-item CHRT-SR model with a second-order Propensity factor. The CHRT-SR total score and 2 factor scores (Propensity and Suicidal Thoughts) demonstrated acceptable internal consistency and test-retest reliabilities. These two subscales and the total score were modestly but significantly associated with measures of depression and life satisfaction, demonstrating construct validity. Two additional items assessing Impulsivity were also analyzed, and demonstrated acceptable internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and construct validity. The CHRT-SR appears to be a reliable and valid tool to assess suicidality in persons with stimulant use disorder.

Adiponectin Moderates Antidepressant Treatment Outcome in the Combining Medications to Enhance Depression Outcomes Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is often comorbid with metabolic diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. A potential link between these disorders is adiponectin, an adipocyte-derived circulating hormone with insulin-sensitizing, anti-inflammatory, and neuroplasticity effects. Reductions in plasma levels of adiponectin have been reported in both humans with depression and in the chronic-defeat mouse model of depression. However, the predictive value of adiponectin for treatment response to depression has not been determined. METHODS: We investigated the potential predictive effect of baseline adiponectin levels in patients who provided plasma and were undergoing one of three pharmacological treatments (escitalopram monotherapy; escitalopram plus bupropion; and venlafaxine plus mirtazapine) in the Combining Medications to Enhance Depression Outcomes clinical trial (n=160). Specifically, we assessed whether adiponectin moderates-that is, differentially predicts-treatment response among the treatment arms. Improvements with treatment were assessed using change in the clinician-rated 30-item Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (IDS-C) from baseline through week 12. Moderator effects were tested using separate pairwise repeated measures mixed-effects models with a treatment-arm-by-adiponectin interaction. RESULTS: Baseline adiponectin levels moderated treatment outcome between two combination therapies. Specifically, low adiponectin predicted better response to escitalopram plus bupropion compared to venlafaxine plus mirtazapine, whereas high adiponectin predicted better response to venlafaxine plus mirtazapine compared to escitalopram plus bupropion (F=4.84, p=0.03). Adiponectin levels did not correlate with baseline depression severity (r=-0.03, p=.59). CONCLUSIONS: Antidepressant selection for patients with MDD can be personalized using pre-treatment blood-based biomarkers, such as adiponectin, thereby improving treatment outcomes.

Accurately identifying patients who are excellent candidates or unsuitable for a medication: a novel approach.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to determine whether a unique analytic approach - as a proof of concept - could identify individual depressed outpatients (using 30 baseline clinical and demographic variables) who are very likely (75% certain) to not benefit (NB) or to remit (R), accepting that without sufficient certainty, no prediction (NP) would be made. METHODS: Patients from the Combining Medications to Enhance Depression Outcomes trial treated with escitalopram (S-CIT) + placebo (n=212) or S-CIT + bupropion-SR (n=206) were analyzed separately to assess replicability. For each treatment, the elastic net was used to identify subsets of predictive baseline measures for R and NB, separately. Two different equations that estimate the likelihood of remission and no benefit were developed for each patient. The ratio of these two numbers characterized likely outcomes for each patient. RESULTS: The two treatment cells had comparable rates of remission (40%) and no benefit (22%). In S-CIT + bupropion-SR, 11 were predicted NB of which 82% were correct; 26 were predicted R - 85% correct (169 had NP). For S-CIT + placebo, 13 were predicted NB - 69% correct; 44 were predicted R - 75% correct (155 were NP). Overall, 94/418 (22%) patients were identified with a meaningful degree of certainty (69%-85% correct). Different variable sets with some overlap were predictive of remission and no benefit within and across treatments, despite comparable outcomes. CONCLUSION: In two separate analyses with two different treatments, this analytic approach - which is also applicable to pretreatment laboratory tests - identified a meaningful proportion (over 20%) of depressed patients for whom a treatment outcome was predicted with sufficient certainty that the clinician can elect to strongly recommend for or choose to avoid a particular treatment. Different persons seem to be remitting or not benefiting with these two different treatments.

Affect Following First Exercise Session as a Predictor of Treatment Response in Depression.

OBJECTIVE: Remission rates are low with first-step or even second-step antidepressant treatments. Furthermore, despite extensive investments from National Institutes of Health and from industry, novel treatments are not yet available in clinical care for depression. Predictors of treatment response very early in the course of treatment can avoid unnecessarily lengthy trials with ineffective treatments and reduce the trial and error process. This article examines the expression of positive affect immediately following an acute exercise session at the end of the first exercise session as a predictor of treatment response in the National Institute of Mental Health-funded TREAD (Treatment with Exercise Augmentation for Depression) study, which was conducted from April 2003 to August 2007. METHODS: 122 subjects with DSM-IV-diagnosed major depressive disorder were randomized to public health dose (16 kcal/kg/wk) or low dose (4 kcal/kg/wk) of exercise for 12 weeks. Affect following the first exercise session was assessed using the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), and depressive symptoms were assessed weekly using the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology, Clinician Rating (IDS-C) (primary outcome measure). RESULTS: The PANAS composite affect score (positive-negative total) predicted change in IDS-C score (P < .05), as well as treatment response (P < .02) and remission (P < .03) for those in the high-dose group but not in the low-dose group. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the composite positive affect following the first exercise session has clinical utility to predict treatment response to exercise in depression and match the "right patient" with the "right" treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00076258.

Atypical depressive symptoms as a predictor of treatment response to exercise in Major Depressive Disorder.

Effective treatment of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) will require the development of alternative treatments and the ability for clinicians to match patients with the treatment likely to produce the greatest effect. We examined atypical depression subtype as a predictor of treatment response to aerobic exercise augmentation in persons with non-remitted MDD. Our results revealed a small-to-moderate effect, particularly in a group assigned to high-dose exercise (semi-partial eta-squared =0.0335, p=0.0735), indicating that those with atypical depression tended to have larger treatment response to exercise. Through this hypothesis-generating analysis, we indicate the need for research to examine depression subtype, along with other demographic, clinical and biological factors as predictors of treatment response to exercise.

IMPROVEMENTS IN PSYCHOSOCIAL FUNCTIONING AND HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE FOLLOWING EXERCISE AUGMENTATION IN PATIENTS WITH TREATMENT RESPONSE BUT NONREMITTED MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER: RESULTS FROM THE TREAD STUDY.

BACKGROUND: Functional impairments often remain despite symptomatic improvement with antidepressant treatment, supporting the need for novel treatment approaches. The present study examined the extent to which exercise augmentation improved several domains of psychosocial functioning and quality of life (QoL) among depressed participants. METHODS: Data were collected from 122 partial responders to antidepressant medication. Participants were randomized to either high- (16 kcal/kg of weight/week [KKW]) or low-dose (4-KKW) exercise. Participants completed a combination of supervised and home-based exercise for 12 weeks. The Short-Form Health Survey, Work and Social Adjustment Scale, Social Adjustment Scale, Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire, and Satisfaction with Life Scale were collected at 6 and 12 weeks. Participants with data for at least one of the two follow-up time points (n = 106) were analyzed using a linear mixed model to assess change from baseline within groups and the difference between groups for each psychosocial outcome measure. All analyses controlled for covariates, including baseline depressive symptomatology. RESULTS: Participants experienced significant improvements in functioning across tested domains, and generally fell within a healthy range of functioning on all measures at Weeks 6 and 12. Although no differences were found between exercise groups, improvements were observed across a variety of psychosocial and QoL domains, even in the low-dose exercise group. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support exercise augmentation of antidepressant treatment as a viable intervention for treatment-resistant depression to improve function in addition to symptoms.

Establishing moderators and biosignatures of antidepressant response in clinical care (EMBARC): Rationale and design.

UNLABELLED: Remission rates for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) are low and unpredictable for any given antidepressant. No biological or clinical marker has demonstrated sufficient ability to match individuals to efficacious treatment. Biosignatures developed from the systematic exploration of multiple biological markers, which optimize treatment selection for individuals (moderators) and provide early indication of ultimate treatment response (mediators) are needed. The rationale and design of a multi-site, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial of sertraline examining moderators and mediators of treatment response is described. The target sample is 300 participants with early onset (≤30 years) recurrent MDD. Non-responders to an 8-week trial are switched double blind to either bupropion (for sertraline non-responders) or sertraline (for placebo non-responders) for an additional 8 weeks. Clinical moderators include anxious depression, early trauma, gender, melancholic and atypical depression, anger attacks, Axis II disorder, hypersomnia/fatigue, and chronicity of depression. Biological moderator and mediators include cerebral cortical thickness, task-based fMRI (reward and emotion conflict), resting connectivity, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), arterial spin labeling (ASL), electroencephalograpy (EEG), cortical evoked potentials, and behavioral/cognitive tasks evaluated at baseline and week 1, except DTI, assessed only at baseline. The study is designed to standardize assessment of biomarkers across multiple sites as well as institute replicable quality control methods, and to use advanced data analytic methods to integrate these markers. A Differential Depression Treatment Response Index (DTRI) will be developed. The data, including biological samples (DNA, RNA, and plasma collected before and during treatment), will become available in a public scientific repository. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Establishing Moderators and Biosignatures of Antidepressant Response for Clinical Care for Depression (EMBARC). Identifier: NCT01407094. URL: http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT01407094.