Efficacy and Safety of Antidepressants in Patients With Comorbid Depression and Medical Diseases: An Umbrella Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This umbrella systematic review quantitatively summarised & meta-analysed 52 meta-analyses of antidepressant effects in 27 medical diseases, & found antidepressants showed better efficacy, worse tolerability & acceptability, and were more likely to prevent depression vs. placebo.

SPS commentary:

Across medical diseases (23 meta-analyses), antidepressants improved depression vs placebo, with largest effect for myocardial infarction, functional chest pain, coronary artery disease, and the smallest for low back pain and traumatic brain injury. The researchers note that too few large, high-quality trials exist.

JAMA Psychiatry