Skip to main content
. 2021 Dec 7;2021(12):CD004044. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD004044.pub5

Summary of findings 2. Antipsychotic compared to placebo for psychotic depression.

Antipsychotic compared to placebo for psychotic depression
Patient or population: adults with psychotic depression
Setting: at least first week of study in hospital
Intervention: antipsychotic
Comparison: placebo
Outcomes Anticipated absolute effects* (95% CI) Relative effect
(95% CI) №. of participants
(studies) Certainty of evidence
(GRADE) Comments
Risk with placebo Risk with antipsychotic
Clinical response of depression Study population RR 1.13
(0.74 to 1.73) 201
(2 RCTs) ⊕⊝⊝⊝
Very lowa,b,c Studies defined depression response as reduction in HAMD‐24 ≥ 50% at endpoint
280 per 1000 316 per 1000
(207 to 484)
Overall dropouts Study population RR 0.79
(0.57 to 1.08) 201
(2 RCTs) ⊕⊝⊝⊝
Very lowa,b,c  
470 per 1000 371 per 1000
(268 to 508)
Depression remission See comment No study reported this outcome
Change in depression severity from baseline See comment No study reported this outcome
Quality of life See comment No study reported this outcome
Dropouts due to adverse effects See comment No study reported this outcome
*The risk in the intervention group (and its 95% confidence interval) is based on the assumed risk in the comparison group and the relative effect of the intervention (and its 95% CI).

CI: confidence interval; RCT: randomised controlled trial; RR: risk ratio.
GRADE Working Group grades of evidence.High certainty: we are very confident that the true effect lies close to that of the estimate of the effect.
Moderate certainty: we are moderately confident in the effect estimate: the true effect is likely to be close to the estimate of the effect, but there is a possibility that it is substantially different.
Low certainty: our confidence in the effect estimate is limited: the true effect may be substantially different from the estimate of the effect.
Very low certainty: we have very little confidence in the effect estimate: the true effect is likely to be substantially different from the estimate of effect.

aDowngraded one level for high risk of other bias.

bDowngraded one level for high risk of publication bias.

cDowngraded one level for imprecision due to small sample size; CIs are consistent with appreciable benefit and appreciable harm.