Table 1. Clinical and demographic characteristics of the sample of the present study at baseline.
| Placebo | Sertraline-only | tDCS-only | Combined treatment | p Value | Total | Total from the original study | p Value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical characteristics | ||||||||
| Sample size | 19 | 18 | 15 | 21 | 0.79 | 73 | 120 | – |
| Age, years (SD) | 50 (12) | 41 (1) | 41 (12) | 41 (13) | 0.1 | 41 (12) | 42 (12) | 0.58 |
| Women, n (%) | 12 (63) | 11 (61) | 10 (66) | 18 (85) | 0.3 | 51 (70) | 82 (68) | 0.77 |
| Using benzodiazepines (%) | 2 (10) | 2 (11) | 1 (7) | 5 (23) | 0.53 | 10 (14) | 23 (20) | 0.3 |
| BMI, kg/m2 (SD) | 26 (6) | 25 (3) | 25 (6) | 27 (5) | 0.54 | 26 (5) | 26 (5) | 0.92 |
| Depression characteristics at baseline, n (%) or mean (SD) | ||||||||
| Refractory depression | 7 (37) | 9 (50) | 6 (40) | 7 (33) | 0.75 | 29 (40) | 50 (42) | 0.78 |
| Severe depression | 12 (63) | 11 (61) | 11 (73) | 12 (57) | 0.8 | 46 (63) | 70 (58) | 0.49 |
| MADRS | 31.5 (6) | 31 (7) | 32 (6) | 31 (6) | 0.92 | 31 (6) | 31 (6) | 0.5 |
| HDRS17 | 22 (4) | 22 (4) | 22(4) | 22 (4) | 0.99 | 22(4) | 22(4) | 0.75 |
| Depression endpoint scores, mean (SD) and response, n (%) | ||||||||
| MADRS | 24 (9) | 19 (13) | 19 (12) | 10 (6) | <0.01 | 18 (11) | 19 (11) | 0.38 |
| HDRS17 | 17 (7) | 14 (8) | 13 (7) | 9 (5) | 0.01 | 14 (8) | 15 (7) | 0.34 |
| Response | 4 (21) | 7 (39) | 7 (46) | 16 (76) | <0.01 | 34 (46) | 47 (39) | 0.52 |
Significant p values (<0.05) are highlighted in bold
tDCS transcranial direct current stimulation; MADRS Montgomery-Asberg depression rating scale; HDRS17 Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, 17-items; BMI body mass index; SD standard deviation. Refractory depression patients who had therapeutic failure of two or more antidepressants in the current major depressive disorder. Severe Depression MADRS >30