Agomelatine efficacy and acceptability revisited: systematic review and meta-analysis of published and unpublished randomised trials.

BACKGROUND: Agomelatine is a novel antidepressant drug with narrative, non-systematic reviews making claims of efficacy. AIMS: The present study systematically reviewed published and unpublished evidence of the acute and long-term efficacy and acceptability of agomelatine compared with placebo in th...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Koesters, M, Guaiana, G, Cipriani, A, Becker, T, Barbui, C
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: 2013
_version_ 1797085383757922304
author Koesters, M
Guaiana, G
Cipriani, A
Becker, T
Barbui, C
author_facet Koesters, M
Guaiana, G
Cipriani, A
Becker, T
Barbui, C
author_sort Koesters, M
collection OXFORD
description BACKGROUND: Agomelatine is a novel antidepressant drug with narrative, non-systematic reviews making claims of efficacy. AIMS: The present study systematically reviewed published and unpublished evidence of the acute and long-term efficacy and acceptability of agomelatine compared with placebo in the treatment of major depression. METHOD: Randomised controlled trials comparing agomelatine with placebo in the treatment of unipolar major depression were systematically reviewed. Primary outcomes were (a) Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) score at the end of treatment (short-term studies) and (b) number of relapses (long-term studies). RESULTS: Meta-analyses included 10 acute-phase and 3 relapse prevention studies. Seven of the included studies were unpublished. Acute treatment with agomelatine was associated with a statistically significant superiority over placebo of -1.51 HRSD points (99% CI -2.29 to -0.73, nine studies). Data extracted from three relapse prevention studies failed to show significant effects of agomelatine over placebo (relative risk 0.78, 99% CI 0.41-1.48). Secondary efficacy analyses showed a significant advantage of agomelatine over placebo in terms of response (with no effect for remission). None of the negative trials were published and conflicting results between published and unpublished studies were observed. CONCLUSIONS: We found evidence suggesting that a clinically important difference between agomelatine and placebo in patients with unipolar major depression is unlikely. There was evidence of substantial publication bias.
first_indexed 2024-03-07T02:08:13Z
format Journal article
id oxford-uuid:9fb59745-110d-457a-8b50-170099f5fc02
institution University of Oxford
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-07T02:08:13Z
publishDate 2013
record_format dspace
spelling oxford-uuid:9fb59745-110d-457a-8b50-170099f5fc022022-03-27T00:59:56ZAgomelatine efficacy and acceptability revisited: systematic review and meta-analysis of published and unpublished randomised trials.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:9fb59745-110d-457a-8b50-170099f5fc02EnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2013Koesters, MGuaiana, GCipriani, ABecker, TBarbui, CBACKGROUND: Agomelatine is a novel antidepressant drug with narrative, non-systematic reviews making claims of efficacy. AIMS: The present study systematically reviewed published and unpublished evidence of the acute and long-term efficacy and acceptability of agomelatine compared with placebo in the treatment of major depression. METHOD: Randomised controlled trials comparing agomelatine with placebo in the treatment of unipolar major depression were systematically reviewed. Primary outcomes were (a) Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) score at the end of treatment (short-term studies) and (b) number of relapses (long-term studies). RESULTS: Meta-analyses included 10 acute-phase and 3 relapse prevention studies. Seven of the included studies were unpublished. Acute treatment with agomelatine was associated with a statistically significant superiority over placebo of -1.51 HRSD points (99% CI -2.29 to -0.73, nine studies). Data extracted from three relapse prevention studies failed to show significant effects of agomelatine over placebo (relative risk 0.78, 99% CI 0.41-1.48). Secondary efficacy analyses showed a significant advantage of agomelatine over placebo in terms of response (with no effect for remission). None of the negative trials were published and conflicting results between published and unpublished studies were observed. CONCLUSIONS: We found evidence suggesting that a clinically important difference between agomelatine and placebo in patients with unipolar major depression is unlikely. There was evidence of substantial publication bias.
spellingShingle Koesters, M
Guaiana, G
Cipriani, A
Becker, T
Barbui, C
Agomelatine efficacy and acceptability revisited: systematic review and meta-analysis of published and unpublished randomised trials.
title Agomelatine efficacy and acceptability revisited: systematic review and meta-analysis of published and unpublished randomised trials.
title_full Agomelatine efficacy and acceptability revisited: systematic review and meta-analysis of published and unpublished randomised trials.
title_fullStr Agomelatine efficacy and acceptability revisited: systematic review and meta-analysis of published and unpublished randomised trials.
title_full_unstemmed Agomelatine efficacy and acceptability revisited: systematic review and meta-analysis of published and unpublished randomised trials.
title_short Agomelatine efficacy and acceptability revisited: systematic review and meta-analysis of published and unpublished randomised trials.
title_sort agomelatine efficacy and acceptability revisited systematic review and meta analysis of published and unpublished randomised trials
work_keys_str_mv AT koestersm agomelatineefficacyandacceptabilityrevisitedsystematicreviewandmetaanalysisofpublishedandunpublishedrandomisedtrials
AT guaianag agomelatineefficacyandacceptabilityrevisitedsystematicreviewandmetaanalysisofpublishedandunpublishedrandomisedtrials
AT cipriania agomelatineefficacyandacceptabilityrevisitedsystematicreviewandmetaanalysisofpublishedandunpublishedrandomisedtrials
AT beckert agomelatineefficacyandacceptabilityrevisitedsystematicreviewandmetaanalysisofpublishedandunpublishedrandomisedtrials
AT barbuic agomelatineefficacyandacceptabilityrevisitedsystematicreviewandmetaanalysisofpublishedandunpublishedrandomisedtrials