A qualitative investigation of the Montgomery-Åsberg depression rating scale: discrepancies in rater perceptions and data trends in remote assessments of rapid-acting antidepressants in treatment resistant depression.
Frontiers in psychiatry January 1, 2024 Gianna Capodilupo, Raymond Blattner, Anita Must et al. 3 citations
In clinical trials of rapid-acting antidepressants for treatment-resistant depression, the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) is commonly used to track symptom changes. This study analyzed item-level score changes across 733 subjects over 10 visits and compared them with a survey of 75 raters on which items they found most helpful for assessing change. The items 'Reduced sleep', 'Apparent sadness', and 'Pessimistic thoughts' showed the greatest average score change per visit, while raters ranked 'Reported sadness', 'Lassitude', and 'Apparent sadness' as most helpful. This discrepancy may stem from difficulty assessing certain items, the novel treatment's effects, or raters' familiarity with traditional antidepressants.