Advertisement
Review|Articles in Press

Heterogeneity across outcomes reported in clinical trials for older adults with depression: a systematic survey

  • Myanca Rodrigues
    Affiliations
    Health Research Methodology Graduate Program, Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada
    Search for articles by this author
  • Zuhayr Syed
    Affiliations
    Life Sciences Undergraduate Program, School of Interdisciplinary Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON
    Search for articles by this author
  • Alexander Dufort
    Affiliations
    Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
    Search for articles by this author
  • Nitika Sanger
    Affiliations
    Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
    Search for articles by this author
  • Pegah Ghiassi
    Affiliations
    Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, Toronto, ON, Canada
    Search for articles by this author
  • Stephanie Sanger
    Affiliations
    Health Sciences Library, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
    Search for articles by this author
  • Balpreet Panesar
    Affiliations
    Neuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada
    Search for articles by this author
  • Alessia D’Elia
    Affiliations
    Neuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada
    Search for articles by this author
  • Sameer Parpia
    Affiliations
    Department of Oncology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
    Search for articles by this author
  • Zainab Samaan
    Affiliations
    Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Mood Disorders Program, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada
    Search for articles by this author
  • Lehana Thabane
    Correspondence
    corresponding author Lehana Thabane, PhD, MSc, BSc, Professor, Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact; McMaster University Vice President, Research; St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton Scientific Director; The Research Institute of St. Joseph’s Hospital Hamilton, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Biostatistics Unit, 3rd. Floor, Martha Wing, Room H-325, 50 Charlton Avenue East, Hamilton ON L8N 4A6
    Affiliations
    Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton, ON, Canada; Father Sean O’Sullivan Research Centre, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton
    Search for articles by this author
Published:March 06, 2023DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2023.03.002
Heterogeneity across outcomes reported in clinical trials for older adults with depression: a systematic survey
Previous ArticleUnrestricted weighted least squares represent medical research better than random effects in 67,308 Cochrane meta-analyses
Next ArticleAn extension MID credibility item addressing construct proximity is a reliable alternative to correlation item
      This paper is only available as a PDF. To read, Please Download here.

      Abstract

      Objectives

      The objective of our study was to identify outcomes reported in trials for older adults with depression, and describe outcome heterogeneity.

      Study Design and Setting

      We searched four databases to identify trials assessing any intervention for major depressive disorder among older adults published between 2011 and 2021. We grouped reported outcomes thematically and mapped them onto core outcome areas (physiological/clinical, life impact, resource use, adverse events, and death), and used descriptive analysis to summarize outcome heterogeneity.

      Results

      There were 434 total outcomes reported by 49 included trials, which were measured using 135 different outcome measurement instruments and grouped into 100 unique outcome terms. Most outcome terms mapped to the physiological/clinical core area (47%), followed by life impact (42%). Over half of all terms (53%) were reported by only a single study. The majority of trials (n=31/49) reported a single, discernable primary outcome. The most commonly reported outcome, “depressive symptom severity” was assessed by 36 studies using 19 different outcome measurement instruments.

      Conclusion

      There is substantial heterogeneity in the outcomes and outcome measurement instruments used in geriatric depression trials. A standard set of outcomes and accompanying measurement tools is necessary to facilitate comparison and synthesis of trial findings.

      Keywords

      To read this article in full you will need to make a payment

      Purchase one-time access:

      Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online access
      One-time access price info
      • For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
      • For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'

      Subscribe:

      Subscribe to Journal of Clinical Epidemiology
      Already a print subscriber? Claim online access
      Already an online subscriber? Sign in
      Register: Create an account
      Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect

      Article info

      Publication history

      Accepted: March 1, 2023
      Received in revised form: February 17, 2023
      Received: November 25, 2022

      Publication stage

      In Press Journal Pre-Proof

      Footnotes

      Outcome heterogeneity in geriatric depression trials

      Target Journal: Journal of Clinical Epidemiology

      PROSPERO registration number: CRD42021244753

      Identification

      DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2023.03.002

      Copyright

      © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

      ScienceDirect

      Access this article on ScienceDirect
      We use cookies to help provide and enhance our service and tailor content. To update your cookie settings, please visit the for this site.
      Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. except certain content provided by third parties. The content on this site is intended for healthcare professionals.


      RELX