Comparison of treatment options for depression in heart failure: A network meta-analysis

Depression independently predicts poor outcomes in heart failure (HF) patients, including increased mortality, morbidity and 30-day re-hospitalization. In this network meta-analysis, we compared different interventions designed to treat depression in HF.

Electronic searches were conducted using Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, and PsycINFO up to November 2016. Included randomized clinical trials (RCTs) compared interventions (Exercise therapy (ET), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or antidepressant (AD) medications) for depression in heart failure patients. The primary outcome was change in depressive symptoms based on validated measures of depression. Network meta-analysis based on random effects model estimating standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI), compared the effects of the 3 classes of interventions with respect to usual care or placebo control conditions.

A total of 21 RCTs (including 4563 HF patients) reporting the effects of treating depression in HF patients were included in the analysis. In comparison to placebo or usual standard of care, ET (SMD -0.38; 95% CI -0.54 to -0.22) and CBT (SMD -0.29; 95% CI -0.58 to -0.01) were associated with reduction in depressive symptoms whereas AD (SMD -0.16; 95% CI -0.44 to 0.11) was less effective.

This meta-analysis is suggestive of therapeutic benefit of ET and CBT in comparison to usual standard of care in treating depression in HF patients. However, comparison among the three interventions was not conclusive. Future randomized clinical trials are warranted to compare the therapeutic effects of ET, CBT and AD in such patients.