Bmc Fam Pract
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Protocol for the THREAD (THREshold for AntiDepressants) study: a randomised controlled trial to determine the clinical and cost-effectiveness of antidepressants plus supportive care, versus supportive care alone, for mild to moderate depression in UK general practice.
Depression guidelines in the UK recommended a policy of watchful waiting for mild depression due to a lack of evidence for the effectiveness of antidepressant treatment for mild cases. However there has been relatively little research carried out in primary care to help establish the severity threshold at which antidepressant treatment is effective and cost-effective. ⋯ The results of this study will give GPs important information to help them determine the severity of depression at which antidepressant treatment is likely to be cost-effective.