| Methods |
Concealment: unclear
Blinding: double‐blind (double‐dummy)
Drop‐outs/withdrawals: 7 of 15 hypericum patients, 3 of 15 sertraline patients
Jadad score: 1‐2‐0
IV score: 1‐0‐1‐1‐1‐0 |
| Participants |
Number of patients included/analyzed: 30/28
Demographics: 19 female, mean age 45 years
Diagnosis: mild to moderate depressive disorder
Setting: community hospital in USA
Baseline: HAMD score hypericum group 21.3 +/‐ 3.2, sertraline group 21.7 +/‐ 2.7 |
| Interventions |
Treatment: Hypericum extract LI 160 3x1 tablet (900 mg extract) for 7 weeks
Control: Sertraline 3x1 capsule (75 mg) for 7 weeks |
| Outcomes |
Observation period: 7 weeks
Physician‐rated: Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD, 17 items; response = at least 50% reduction), Clinical Global Impression Index (CGI)
Patient‐rated: von Zerssen Depression Scale (D‐S) |
| Notes |
Small study. High drop‐out rate with more losses in the hypericum group. In spite of intention to treat analysis bias cannot be ruled out |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Allocation concealment? |
Unclear risk |
B ‐ Unclear |
