Table 2.
Characteristics of excluded studies (n=13)
| Study | Region | Type of trial | Sample size | Intervention | Comparator | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hogberg et al.,[8] 2012 | Sweden | Case series | 48 | Daily dosage of oral Vitamin D3 | None | Depressed adolescents were investigated for vitamin D deficiency. Those found deficient were supplemented by vitamin D |
| Stokes et al.,[27] 2015 | Germany | Cross-sectional & interventional analysis. | 111 | 20000 IU/week oral Vitamin D3 | None | Patients with chronic liver disease were assessed for vitamin D deficiency and depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms were reassessed after vitamin D supplementation |
| Shipowick et al.,[49] 2009 | USA | Prospective interventional analysis | 9 | Oral vitamin D3 | None | A pilot study to assess effect of vitamin D supplementation on depressive symptoms in women during winter |
| Bertone Johnson et al.,[26] 2012 | USA | Double blinded RCT | 36282 | 400 IU/day oral Vitamin D3 | Placebo | Improvement in depression scores in postmenopausal women with vitamin D supplementation were assessed |
| Jorde et al.,[24] 2008 | Norway | Double blind RCT | 441 | 20000 vs 40000 IU/week oral vitamin D3 | Placebo | Improvement in depressive symptom scores after vitamin D supplementation |
| Yalamanchi et al.,[25] 2012 | USA | Double blind RCT | 488 | Hormone therapy, Oral Vitamin D3 | Placebo | Examine the effect of hormone therapy and calcitriol on depression scores in older postmenopausal women and to determine whether the response was associated with polymorphisms of estrogen receptor > and vitamin D receptor |
| Vaziri et al.,[50] 2016 | Iran | RCT | 169 | 2000 IU/day oral vitamin D3 | None | Effect of vitamin D supplementation on depressive symptoms in pregnant women were examined |
| Mousa et al.,[51] 2017 | Australia | Double blind RCT | 63 | Oral vitamin D3 | Placebo | Whether vitamin D levels were associated with depressive symptoms and whether supplementation reduced depressive symptoms who are obese and vitamin D deficient, but otherwise healthy i.e., Not clinically depressed |
| Kjaergaard et al,[13] 2012 | Norway | Case-control study & RCT | 243 | Oral vitamin D3 | Placebo | Effect of vitamin D supplement on depression scores in people with low vitamin D levels were evaluated |
| Frandsen et al.,[52] 2017 | Denmark | Double blind RCT | 34 | 70 microgram oral vitamin D3 daily | Placebo | Vitamin D supplementation was evaluated for treatment of seasonal affective symptoms in healthcare professionals |
| Zanetidou et al.,[53] 2011 | Italy | Non-randomized trial | 39 | 300000 IU oral vitamin D along with Anti-depressants | Routine anti-depressants | Vitamin D was additionally given to the routine anti-depressants in the study group to compare those on only antidepressants who were not willing to take oral vitamin D |
| Marsh et al.,[54] 2017 | USA | Double blind RCT | 33 | 5000 IU vitamin D/day | Placebo | Patients with DSM IV bipolar depression and vitamin D deficiency were selected and randomized to give vitamin D to evaluate whether vitamin D adjunct reduces bipolar depression |
| de Koning et al.,[55] 2015 | Netherlands | Double blind RCT | 155 | 1200 IU vitamin D/day | Placebo | Study aims to elucidate effects of vitamin D supplementation on depressive symptoms and physical functioning in older adults |
RCT: Randomized controlled trial, DSM IV: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, IU: International units