| Methods |
Allocation: randomized, 'randomly assigned', 'for the last 16 subjects stratified by baseline Hamilton scores'.
Blinding: double blind, 'rater blind'.
Duration: 1 week. |
| Participants |
Diagnosis: Major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder. Major depression recurrent (N = 27) or single episode (N = 12), dysthymia (N = 13), atypical bipolar (N = 6), bipolar depressed (N = 4), bipolar manic (N = 1), cyclothymic (N = 1). DSM‐III.
Inclusion criteria: adults, no psychotropic drugs for 10 days, no other drugs that might affect the treatment. HDRS (24‐item) and BDI at least 15.
Exclusion criteria: trend toward seasonality.
N = 61 (51 completers).
Age: mean 48 years (completers).
Sex: F 1, M 50.
Setting: inpatients. |
| Interventions |
1. Bright white light (2000‐3000 lux for 5 patients 1 hour in the morning and 1 hour in the evening, thereafter 3 hours in the evening). N = 25.
2. Dim red light (50 lux for 7 patients one hour in the morning and 1 hour in the evening, thereafter 3 hours in the evening). N = 26.
Device: ceiling mounted lights. |
| Outcomes |
Mental state (HDRS, BDI, circadian self‐rating).
Adverse effects (patient reports).
Patient expectation (patient reports). |
| Notes |
Light only. Minor SD (1‐to‐2 ‐hours before wakeup time) for 25% of the patients.
No pharmacotherapy. |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Allocation concealment? |
Unclear risk |
B ‐ Unclear |
