A systematic literature review of the clinical efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in non-treatment resistant patients with major depressive disorder

• Published in: BMC psychiatry 2019-01, Vol.19 (1), p.13-13, Article 13
• Main Authors: Voigt, Jeffrey, Carpenter, Linda, Leuchter, Andrew
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis; Antidepressants; Antidepressive Agents - therapeutic use; Care and treatment; Clinical efficacy; Clinical practice guidelines; Clinical trials; Cost analysis; Cost control; Depression (Mood disorder); Depressive Disorder, Major - diagnosis; Depressive Disorder, Major - psychology; Depressive Disorder, Major - therapy; Drug resistance; Drug therapy; FDA approval; Humans; Literature reviews; Magnetic brain stimulation; Magnetic fields; Major depressive disorder; Medical care quality; Medication errors; Medication resistance; Mental depression; Patients; Psychiatry; Quality; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic - methods; Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation; Systematic review; Transcranial magnetic stimulation; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation - methods; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 1471-244X; 1471-244X
• DOI: 10.1186/s12888-018-1989-z

The clinical efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in treatment resistant patients (at least 4 medication trials) appears to be well accepted and forms the coverage policies and rTMS's use in many of the largest US payers. However, less is known about rTMS's use in patients who have undergone ≤1 failed medication trial. The purpose of this analysis was to determine the clinical efficacy of rTMS in patients after ≤1 medication trials. A systematic review of the literature was undertaken to identify all articles which addressed the use of rTMS in ≤1 medication trial. All types of study designs were included and assessed for quality and strength of evidence using: GRADE and CEBM. Searches of peer reviewed articles were undertaken for the year 2000 to the present. All languages were considered. Electronic databases were searched and included: PubMed and EBSCO. Evidence assessment websites were also searched and included: Cochrane, NICE, AHRQ, and ICER. Additionally, the clinical guidelines for specialty societies which use rTMS was searched. Hand searches of the reference sections of identified articles was also undertaken. Electronic and other sources identified 165 after duplicates were removed. Twenty two articles were assessed for eligibility and ultimately 10 articles were included in the systematic review and graded. Six articles were graded high quality (CEBM/GRADE: 1c/B) demonstrating that the use of rTMS was clinically efficacious in patients after ≤1 medication trial. Four additional trials demonstrated a positive effect of rTMS in patients after ≤1 medication trial but were of a lower quality. The use of rTMS in patients after ≤1 medication trial should be considered. US payers should consider revising their coverage policies to include the use of rTMS in these patients.