Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38194498›Full record

SynthesisTrends in psychiatry and psychotherapy2025

Medication non-adherence in depression: a systematic review and metanalysis.

Roseane Dorte Halkjaer-Lassen, Walter S Gonçalves, Bruno R Gherman, Evandro S F Coutinho, Antonio E Nardi, Maria A A Peres, José Carlos Appolinario

Open access · diamondAbstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Trends in psychiatry and psychotherapy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
16citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
9.6field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

16 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 15 citations in OpenAlex.

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  5. Blood Never Lies: The PopPK-Based Lie Detector.Clinical pharmacokinetics · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Roseane Dorte Halkjaer-LassenAmbulatório de Depressão Resistente ao Tratamento, Instituto de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Walter S GonçalvesAmbulatório de Depressão Resistente ao Tratamento, Instituto de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Bruno R GhermanAmbulatório de Depressão Resistente ao Tratamento, Instituto de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Evandro S F CoutinhoDepartamento de Epidemiologia, Instituto de Medicina Social, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Antonio E NardiAmbulatório de Depressão Resistente ao Tratamento, Instituto de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Maria A A PeresAmbulatório de Depressão Resistente ao Tratamento, Instituto de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. Escola de Enfermagem Anna Nery, UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
José Carlos AppolinarioAmbulatório de Depressão Resistente ao Tratamento, Instituto de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro · BRUniversidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro · BR

Funding

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior 001
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveMedication non-adherence is frequently reported in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). The objective of this review is to consolidate data on the prevalence of non-adherence to antidepressant in MDD.

methodsA systematic review with meta-analysis was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline and the protocol was registered in International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) under the number CRD42021199987. Studies assessing medication adherence in MDD were searched in PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and PsycINFO. The data extraction was performed by two independents authors. Meta-analysis used random effects model and performed a subgroup analysis.

resultsFrom the articles retrieved, 11 studies were considered eligible for the final analysis. Most of them assessed non-adherence by self-report scales, followed by Pharmacy Dispensation Records, Monitoring Events Medication System (MEMS), and blood tests. The pooled proportion of non-adherence was 42% (95% confidence interval [95%CI] 30-54), but heterogeneity was very large (I² = 99%).

conclusionData from the selected studies suggests that a high number of individuals with MDD do not adequately take their medication as prescribed. The high heterogenicity of measures used for the assessment of adherence may have impacted the great variability of the results. The results suggest it is necessary that health care professionals should address this issue in order to achieve a better treatment outcome in major depression.

Indexed as

Antidepressive AgentsMajor Depressive DisorderHumansAntidepressive AgentsadherenceantidepressantCompliancemajor depressive disorder

Identifiers

PMID38194498
PMCPMC12908919
OpenAlexW4390707162

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.