Treatment for Adolescents With Depression Study (TADS)

Depression Clinical Trial

Official title:

Treatment for Adolescents With Depression Study (TADS)

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT00006286
• Other study ID #: N01MH80008
• Secondary ID: DSIR CT
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 3
• First received: September 14, 2000
• Last updated: April 16, 2014
• Start date: September 1998
• Est. completion date: March 2004

Study information

• Verified date: November 2005
• Source: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: United States: Federal Government
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

TADS is designed to compare the effectiveness of established treatments for teenagers suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD). The treatments are: psychotherapy ("talking therapy"); medication; and the combination of psychotherapy and medication. Altogether, 432 teenagers (both males and females) ages 12 to 17, will take part in this study at 12 sites in the United States.

The TADS design will provide answers to the following questions: What is the long-term effectiveness of medication treatment of teenagers who have major depression? What is the long-term effectiveness of a specific psychotherapy ("talking therapy) in the treatment of teenagers who have major depression? How does medication treatment compare with psychotherapy in terms of effectiveness, tolerability and teenager and family acceptance? And, What is the cost-effectiveness of medication, psychotherapy and combined treatments?

The medication being used in this study is called fluoxetine. Fluoxetine is also known as Prozac. Research has shown that medications like Prozac help depression in young persons. Fluoxetine has been approved by the FDA for use in the treatment of child and adolescent (ages 7 to 17 years) depression.

The psychotherapy or "talking therapy" being used in this study is called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). CBT is a talking therapy that will teach both the teenager and his or her family member (e.g., parent) new skills to cope better with depression. Specific topics include education about depression and the causes of depression, setting goals, monitoring mood, increasing pleasant activities, social problem-solving, correcting negative thinking, negotiation, compromise and assertiveness. CBT sessions may also help with resolving disagreements as they affect families.

Description:

TADS is a randomized controlled clinical trial that will compare the effectiveness of established treatments---cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy, medication management, and their combination---for adolescents suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD).

The experimental design consists of three treatment stages and a follow-up phase. Stage I (12 weeks) is a four-group randomized comparison of four treatments: antidepressant medication alone (Fluoxetine); psychotherapy alone (CBT); a combination of the medication and psychotherapy (Comb); and a placebo control medication condition (Pbo). Stage II (six weeks) is a treatment consolidation phase in which we ask whether longer treatment in responders and higher intensity treatment in partial responders to their Stage I treatment would be helpful. Non-responders at the end of Stage I will be referred to open community treatment, or for ethical and practical reasons in the case of non-responders to Placebo, to open treatment of their choice with one of the three active study treatments administered by the study team. Responders at the end of Stage I advance to 6 weeks of maintenance treatment in their assigned arm. Partial responders to CBT receive an additional 6 weeks of CBT in their assigned arm; partial responders to Fluoxetine may receive a higher dose for six weeks. Partial responders to the Comb treatment will receive an additional 6 weeks of CBT and may receive a higher dose of medication for six weeks. Stage III (18 weeks) is a treatment maintenance phase for those teenagers who have continued to respond well. Treatment will be continued and progress will be monitored. Stage IV (one year) is an assessment-only follow-up phase to help us understand the long-term benefits of the treatments.

The recruitment strategy is designed to enter into treatment a volunteer clinical sample of 432 teenagers, both males and females, ages 12 to 17, at ten sites. A multiple gating procedure will be used in which patients will be screened, assessed for study eligibility, and if eligible, consented before randomization to one of the four treatment groups. Patients will be selected without regard to race, gender, or ethnicity and it is expected that the sample will match patients seen in general clinical practice. Patients will be recruited from multiple sources including: mental health identified children, i.e., children already coming to a clinic; primary care identified children (pediatric and family physicians); teacher or school identified children (i.e., school refers through the parents or primary caretaker); and families who self-refer.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 432
• Est. completion date: March 2004
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Both
• Age group: 12 Years to 17 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Primary diagnosis DSM-IV of Major Depressive Disorder, pervasive and stable; Children's Depression Rating Scale-R total score at least 45; Ages 12-17 inclusive; Grade in school: 6-12; Full-Scale IQ at least 80; Medication-free before start of study; Outpatient; Parent (or family member) involvement

Exclusion Criteria:

• Bipolar disorder; Severe Conduct Disorder; Substance Use/Abuse/Dependence; Pervasive Developmental Disorders; Thought Disorder; Suicidality or homicidality; Concurrent treatment with psychotropic drug (stable stimulant for ADHD permitted) or psychotherapy outside study; Two previous failed SSRI trials or a failed trial of CBT for depression; Intolerance to fluoxetine; Non-English speaking patient; Pregnancy or breastfeeding; No phone in home; Lack of parent or family member)involvement.

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Masking: Double-Blind, Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Depression
• Depressive Disorder
• Depressive Disorder, Major
• Major Depressive Disorder

Intervention

Drug:
• Fluoxetine

Behavioral:
• Psychotherapy

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	Johns Hopkins Hospital	Baltimore	Maryland
United States	Behavioral Health Center	Charlotte	North Carolina
United States	Northwestern University	Chicago	Illinois
United States	Children's Hospital Medical Center	Cincinnati	Ohio
United States	Case Western Reserve University	Cleveland	Ohio
United States	University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas	Dallas	Texas
United States	Wayne State University	Detroit	Michigan
United States	University of Oregon	Eugene	Oregon
United States	New York State Psychiatric Institute	New York	New York
United States	New York University Medical Center	New York	New York
United States	University of Nebraska Medical Center	Omaha	Nebraska
United States	Children's Hospital of Philadelphia	Philadelphia	Pennsylvania

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

References & Publications (12)

Curry J, Rohde P, Simons A, Silva S, Vitiello B, Kratochvil C, Reinecke M, Feeny N, Wells K, Pathak S, Weller E, Rosenberg D, Kennard B, Robins M, Ginsburg G, March J; TADS Team. Predictors and moderators of acute outcome in the Treatment for Adolescents — View Citation

Emslie G, Kratochvil C, Vitiello B, Silva S, Mayes T, McNulty S, Weller E, Waslick B, Casat C, Walkup J, Pathak S, Rohde P, Posner K, March J; Columbia Suicidality Classification Group; TADS Team. Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS): sa — View Citation

Glass RM. Treatment of adolescents with major depression: contributions of a major trial. JAMA. 2004 Aug 18;292(7):861-3. — View Citation

Herman KC, Ostrander R, Walkup JT, Silva SG, March JS. Empirically derived subtypes of adolescent depression: latent profile analysis of co-occurring symptoms in the Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS). J Consult Clin Psychol. 2007 Oct; — View Citation

Kennard B, Silva S, Vitiello B, Curry J, Kratochvil C, Simons A, Hughes J, Feeny N, Weller E, Sweeney M, Reinecke M, Pathak S, Ginsburg G, Emslie G, March J; TADS Team. Remission and residual symptoms after short-term treatment in the Treatment of Adolesc — View Citation

Kratochvil C, Emslie G, Silva S, McNulty S, Walkup J, Curry J, Reinecke M, Vitiello B, Rohde P, Feeny N, Casat C, Pathak S, Weller E, May D, Mayes T, Robins M, March J; TADS Team. Acute time to response in the Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Stu — View Citation

March J, Silva S, Petrycki S, Curry J, Wells K, Fairbank J, Burns B, Domino M, McNulty S, Vitiello B, Severe J; Treatment for Adolescents With Depression Study (TADS) Team. Fluoxetine, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and their combination for adolescents wi — View Citation

March J, Silva S, Vitiello B; TADS Team. The Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS): methods and message at 12 weeks. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2006 Dec;45(12):1393-403. — View Citation

March JS, Silva S, Petrycki S, Curry J, Wells K, Fairbank J, Burns B, Domino M, McNulty S, Vitiello B, Severe J. The Treatment for Adolescents With Depression Study (TADS): long-term effectiveness and safety outcomes. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2007 Oct;64(10): — View Citation

Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS) Team. The Treatment for Adolescents With Depression Study (TADS): demographic and clinical characteristics. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2005 Jan;44(1):28-40. Review. — View Citation

Treatment for Adolescents With Depression Study Team. Treatment for Adolescents With Depression Study (TADS): rationale, design, and methods. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2003 May;42(5):531-42. — View Citation

Vitiello B, Rohde P, Silva S, Wells K, Casat C, Waslick B, Simons A, Reinecke M, Weller E, Kratochvil C, Walkup J, Pathak S, Robins M, March J; TADS Team. Functioning and quality of life in the Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS). J Am — View Citation

* Note: There are 12 references in all — Click here to view all references

External Links

•   Coordinating Center Web Site
•   NIMH Press Release