@article{Driessen2021, abstract = { Background Antidepressant medication and interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) are both recommended interventions in depression treatment guidelines based on literature reviews and meta-analyses. However, ‘conventional’ meta-analyses comparing their efficacy are limited by their reliance on reported study-level information and a narrow focus on depression outcome measures assessed at treatment completion. Individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis, considered the gold standard in evidence synthesis, can improve the quality of the analyses when compared with conventional meta-analysis. Aims We describe the protocol for a systematic review and IPD meta-analysis comparing the efficacy of antidepressants and IPT for adult acute-phase depression across a range of outcome measures, including depressive symptom severity as well as functioning and well-being, at both post-treatment and follow-up (PROSPERO: CRD42020219891). Method We will conduct a systematic literature search in PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase and the Cochrane Library to identify randomised clinical trials comparing antidepressants and IPT in the acute-phase treatment of adults with depression. We will invite the authors of these studies to share the participant-level data of their trials. One-stage IPD meta-analyses will be conducted using mixed-effects models to assess treatment effects at post-treatment and follow-up for all outcome measures that are assessed in at least two studies. Conclusions This will be the first IPD meta-analysis examining antidepressants versus IPT efficacy. This study has the potential to enhance our knowledge of depression treatment by comparing the short- and long-term effects of two widely used interventions across a range of outcome measures using state-of-the-art statistical techniques. }, author = {Driessen, Ellen and Cohen, Zachary D. and Weissman, Myrna M. and Markowitz, John C. and Weitz, Erica S. and Hollon, Steven D. and Browne, Dillon T. and Rucci, Paola and Corda, Carolina and Menchetti, Marco and Bagby, R. Michael and Quilty, Lena C. and O'Hara, Michael W. and Zlotnick, Caron and Pearlstein, Teri and Blom, Marc B. J. and Altamura, Mario and Gois, Carlos and Schneider, Lon S. and Twisk, Jos W. R. and Cuijpers, Pim}, doi = {10.1192/bjo.2021.4}, journal = {Bjpsych Open}, month = {feb}, title = {The efficacy of antidepressant medication and interpersonal psychotherapy for adult acute-phase depression: study protocol of a systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data}, url = {https://doi.org/10.1192/bjo.2021.4}, volume = {7}, year = {2021} }