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Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression: A Systematic Review and Individual Patient Data Network Meta-analysis: A Systematic Review and Individual Patient Data Network Meta-analysis

  • Individual Patient Data Meta-Analyses for Depression (IPDMA-DE) Collaboration
  • University of Bern
  • Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
  • Harvard University
  • University of Oxford
  • University of Amsterdam
  • University of Wuppertal
  • Kyoto University
  • PROMOSAM Excellence in Research Program, MINECO, Valencia, Spain
  • University of Valencia
  • University of Melbourne
  • University of New South Wales
  • Department of Research and Business Development, HumanTotalCare B.V., Utrecht, AB, The Netherlands
  • GAIA AG
  • City, University of London
  • University of Gothenburg
  • Free University of Berlin
  • University of Texas at Austin
  • FISABIO–Universitat Jaume I–Universitat de València
  • Instituto de Salud Carlos III
  • Ohio State University
  • Northwestern University
  • Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg
  • Population Health Sciences, Bristol, United Kingdom
  • Department of Paediatric Nephrology and National Institute for Health Research/Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Manchester, UK
  • Mental Health Ireland
  • Clinical Research & Innovation, SilverCloud Health, Dublin, Ireland
  • University of York
  • Karolinska Institutet
  • China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences
  • Linköping University
  • University of Regina
  • The University of Sydney
  • University of Lübeck
  • University of Zaragoza
  • Primary Care Prevention and Health Promotion Research Network, RedIAPP, Madrid, Spain
  • Imperial College London
  • University of Nottingham
  • Psykologpartners, Linkoping, Sweden
  • University of Hamburg
  • Oregon Research Institute
  • National Health Care Institute, Diemen, the Netherlands
  • Australian National University
  • Hofstra University
  • Norwegian Center for E-health research, Tromsø, Norway
  • Stockholm University
  • The Clinical Psychology Centre, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
  • Tilburg University
  • Linnaeus University
  • MINECO
  • HumanTotalCare
  • Jaume I University
  • University of Bristol
  • National Institute for Health Research
  • SilverCloud Health
  • Primary Care Prevention and Health Promotion Research Network
  • Psykologpartners
  • Dutch National Health Care Institute
  • Norwegian Center for E-health Research
  • Clinical Psychology Centre

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articleAcademicpeer-review

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Abstract

Importance: Personalized treatment choices would increase the effectiveness of internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) for depression to the extent that patients differ in interventions that better suit them. Objective: To provide personalized estimates of short-term and long-term relative efficacy of guided and unguided iCBT for depression using patient-level information. Data Sources: We searched PubMed, Embase, PsycInfo, and Cochrane Library to identify randomized clinical trials (RCTs) published up to January 1, 2019. Study Selection: Eligible RCTs were those comparing guided or unguided iCBT against each other or against any control intervention in individuals with depression. Available individual patient data (IPD) was collected from all eligible studies. Depression symptom severity was assessed after treatment, 6 months, and 12 months after randomization. Data Extraction and Synthesis: We conducted a systematic review and IPD network meta-analysis and estimated relative treatment effect sizes across different patient characteristics through IPD network meta-regression. Main Outcomes and Measures: Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scores. Results: Of 42 eligible RCTs, 39 studies comprising 9751 participants with depression contributed IPD to the IPD network meta-analysis, of which 8107 IPD were synthesized. Overall, both guided and unguided iCBT were associated with more effectiveness as measured by PHQ-9 scores than control treatments over the short term and the long term. Guided iCBT was associated with more effectiveness than unguided iCBT (mean difference [MD] in posttreatment PHQ-9 scores, -0.8; 95% CI, -1.4 to -0.2), but we found no evidence of a difference at 6 or 12 months following randomization. Baseline depression was found to be the most important modifier of the relative association for efficacy of guided vs unguided iCBT. Differences between unguided and guided iCBT in people with baseline symptoms of subthreshold depression (PHQ-9 scores 5-9) were small, while guided iCBT was associated with overall better outcomes in patients with baseline PHQ-9 greater than 9. Conclusions and Relevance: In this network meta-analysis with IPD, guided iCBT was associated with more effectiveness than unguided iCBT for individuals with depression, benefits were more substantial in individuals with moderate to severe depression. Unguided iCBT was associated with similar effectiveness among individuals with symptoms of mild/subthreshold depression. Personalized treatment selection is entirely possible and necessary to ensure the best allocation of treatment resources for depression.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)361-371
Number of pages11
JournalJAMA psychiatry
Volume78
Issue number4
Early online date2021
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2021

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
    SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

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