Relative effectiveness of augmentation treatments for treatment-resistant depression: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
International Review of Psychiatry June 5, 2020 Ben Carter, Rebecca Strawbridge, Muhammad Ishrat Husain et al. 45 citations
A network meta-analysis of 27 randomized trials found that NMDA-targeting medications (e.g., ketamine) are markedly more effective than placebo for augmenting treatment-resistant depression (effect size 0.91). Antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, and other pharmacological augmenters were also compared, but NMDA therapies had the highest probability of being effective. No psychological augmentation trials could be included due to the lack of a common comparator. The evidence is limited by few trials, heterogeneity, and inconsistent safety reporting.