Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40188031›Full record

ArticleBMC psychiatry2025

The augmentative efficacy of second-generation anti-psychotics (SGA) to anti-depressants in treating treatment-resistant depression: a network meta-regression analysis.

Binru Bai, Yuwei Li, Xi Chen, Jinsong Huang, Qiaoling Chen, Xinyuan Du, Chengfang Huang, Yi Yang

Abstract readNetwork Meta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Article in BMC psychiatry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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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

8 authors.

Binru BaiThe Seventh People's Hospital of Dalian, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, PR China. baibinru0903@163.com.
Yuwei LiThe Seventh People's Hospital of Dalian, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, PR China.
Xi ChenDepartment of Epidemiology and Statistics, School of Public Health, Medical College, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China.
Jinsong HuangThe Seventh People's Hospital of Dalian, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, PR China.
Qiaoling ChenThe Seventh People's Hospital of Dalian, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, PR China.
Xinyuan DuTianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, PR China.
Chengfang HuangDepartment of Neurology, Tianyou Hospital, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China.
Yi YangDepartment of Neurology, School of Medicine, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China.

Funding

The Science and Technology Department of Zhejiang Province Foundation Grant No. LGF20H060016The Zhejiang Medical and Health Science and Technology Projec Grant No. 2022+ZDXK-04
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTo compare the augmentative efficacy of second-generation anti-psychotics (SGA) to anti-depressants in adult patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) adjusting follow-up period and explore the underlying"time window"effects of the regimens.

methodsDatabases included Embase, PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library and Google Scholars as well as Clinicaltrials.gov from inception to May 15, 2024, for relevant randomized controlled studies (RCTs) were retrieved. The primary endpoint was Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). The secondary endpoint was MADRS response rate. The tertiary endpoints were Clinical Global Impression-severity (CGI-S) and MADRS remission rate. Standard mean difference (SMD) and hazard ratio (HR) were generated by Bayesian network meta-regression (NMR) for pairwise comparisons on dichotomous and consecutive variants, respectively.

resultsA total of 23 studies (N = 10679) with 24 augmentation agents were included in the NMR. For the primary endpoint, compared with ADT, aripiprazole 3 - 12 mg/d, brexpiprazole 1 - 3 mg/d, cariprazine 1.5 - 3 mg/d, olanzapine 6 - 12 mg/d and fluoxetine 25 - 50 mg/d combination, and quetiapine XR were significantly effective (SMD ranged from - 0.28 to - 0.114) and their effect sizes were comparable, after adjusting follow-up period, the results resembled the former except for quetiapine XR (SMD = - 0.10, 95%CI: - 0.212 to 0.014). Brexpiprazole 3 mg/d (7.22 weeks), cariprazine 1 - 2 mg/d (2.97 weeks), cariprazine 2-4.5 mg/d (2.81 weeks), cariprazine 3 mg/d (7.16 weeks), olanzapine 6 - 12 mg/d (4.11 weeks) and quetiapine 150 - 300 mg/d (3.89 weeks) showed"time window". For the secondary endpoint, brexpiprazole 3 mg/d and rispridone 0.5 - 3 mg/d was evidently superior to all others (HR ranged from 1.748 to 2.301). For the tertiary endpoints, as for CGI-S, aripiprazole 2 - 20 mg/d, brexpiprazole 2 - 3 mg/d, cariprazine 3 mg/d, olanzapine 6 - 12 mg/d and fluoxetine 25 - 50 mg/d combination, and rispridone 0.5 - 3 mg/d were conspicuously effective compared with ADT (SMD ranged from - 0.438 to - 0.126) and for MADRS remission rate, aripiprazole 2 - 20 mg/d, brexpiprazole 3 mg/d, cariprazine 3 mg/d, rispridone 0.5 - 3 mg/d were conspicuously effective compared with ADT (HR ranged from 0.477 to 3.326).

conclusionHolistically considering each endpoint and corresponding "time window", certain SGAs appeared to be efficient augmentation to anti-depressants for TRD, but aripiprazole was relatively more effective and better tolerated.

Indexed as

Antidepressive AgentsAntidepressive Agents, Second-GenerationAntipsychotic AgentsDepressive Disorder, Treatment-ResistantDrug Therapy, CombinationHumansAntidepressive AgentsAntidepressive Agents, Second-GenerationAntipsychotic AgentsEfficacyNetwork Meta-regressionSecond-generation antipsychoticsTime windowTreatment resistant depression

Identifiers

PMID40188031
PMCPMC11972498

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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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.