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MRI-guided dmPFC-rTMS as a Treatment for Treatment-resistant Major Depressive Disorder
Published on: August 11, 2015
Maintenance transcranial magnetic stimulation reduces depression relapse: a propensity-adjusted analysis
Raphaëlle Richieri1, Eric Guedj, Pierre Michel
1Department of Psychiatry, Sainte-Marguerite University Hospital, 13009 Marseille, France. raphaellemarie.richieri@ap-hm.fr
Journal of Affective Disorders
|June 25, 2013
Summary
Maintenance transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) significantly lowers depression relapse rates in patients who responded to acute treatment. This study found a 37.8% relapse rate with maintenance TMS versus 81.8% without it over 20 weeks.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Research
Background:
- Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) effectiveness is established, but maintenance TMS studies are scarce.
- Investigating maintenance TMS to reduce depression relapse after acute treatment is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if maintenance TMS decreases the relapse rate in patients with pharmacoresistant depression following successful acute treatment.
Main Methods:
- 59 pharmacoresistant depression patients who responded to acute TMS were analyzed.
- Patients received either 20 weeks of maintenance TMS (n=37) or no further TMS (n=22).
- Propensity analysis adjusted for baseline differences to assess maintenance TMS's impact on relapse rates.
Main Results:
- The 20-week relapse rate was significantly lower in the maintenance TMS group (37.8%) compared to the non-maintenance group (81.8%) (p=0.004).
- Maintenance TMS was associated with a significantly reduced hazard ratio for relapse (HR=0.288).
Conclusions:
- Maintenance TMS significantly reduces relapse rates in patients with pharmacoresistant depression who are responders to acute treatment.
- Findings support the use of maintenance TMS in routine clinical practice for sustained depression remission.
