Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Anne Schienle, Nina Jurinec
Summary: This study investigated the effects of placebo treatment on patients with depression while they waited for cognitive-behavioral therapy. The results showed that patients who received the placebo had a reduction in depressive symptoms and improved overall well-being compared to those in the standard group. Therefore, placebo treatment can make the waiting time for psychotherapy more tolerable for patients with depression.
CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Economics
Jacob D. Leshno
Summary: This paper introduces a stylized model to capture the distinctive features of waiting list allocation mechanisms. The model highlights the role of expected wait times, which function similarly to monetary prices in directing agents' choices and rationing items. The paper finds that the fluctuations in expected wait times lead to misallocation and a loss in welfare. However, a simple randomized assignment policy can mitigate misallocation and increase welfare.
AMERICAN ECONOMIC REVIEW
(2022)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Teemu Karjalainen, Juuso Heikkinen, Ljoudmila Busija, Jarkko Jokihaara, Adriane M. Lewin, Justine M. Naylor, Laura Harris, Ian A. Harris, Rachelle Buchbinder, Sam Adie
Summary: Nonspecific effects, including placebo effects, play a significant role in the observed effect of surgical treatment. The proportion of nonspecific effects varies among different surgical procedures. Trials with nonoperative controls consistently report similar treatment effects as placebo-controlled trials.
Article
Rheumatology
Andreas Kerschbaumer, Zaida Iasha Rivai, Josef S. Smolen, Daniel Aletaha
Summary: This study analyzed the response differences in patients with rheumatoid arthritis receiving placebo treatment, comparing those who continued background therapy with methotrexate (MTX) and those without any disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). The results showed that placebo responses were higher in patients who continued MTX background therapy, suggesting a more consequent intake of background therapy during the trial period.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Economics
James Schummer
Summary: This study investigates the impact of granting or restricting deferral rights on welfare, concluding that their desirability depends on agents' risk aversion and impatience. Deferral rights typically enhance welfare under risk aversion, while restricting them may benefit all agents on the list under discounting conditions. In a stylized model of organ spoilage, the results show that policy evaluations should consider preference characteristics instead of solely focusing on throughput metrics like organ utilization rates.
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC THEORY
(2021)
Article
Rheumatology
Andreas Kerschbaumer, Nina Maria Stimakovits, Josef S. Smolen, Tijen Stefanova, Eva Chwala, Daniel Aletaha
Summary: The study aims to investigate whether treatment effects of pharmaceutical compounds compared with placebo controls are systematically different to the effects of the same compounds compared with active treatment controls in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) clinical trials. Using mixed-model logistic regression, the researchers found that placebo controlled trials lead to smaller effect sizes of active compounds compared to head-to-head trials. The difference may be explained by potential nocebo effects in placebo-controlled settings.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2023)
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Elliot B. Tapper, Marina Serper, David S. Goldberg
Summary: Patients with chronic liver disease can benefit from pragmatic trial designs, which aim to provide evidence for the adoption of interventions in real-world clinical practice. The efficiency of identifying, recruiting, and following patients, the resemblance of interventions and design to usual clinical care, and the importance of outcomes to patients are key factors in determining the pragmatism of a trial. This review focuses on the promise, trade-offs, and purpose of pragmatic trials in hepatology.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Anat Rotstein, Stephen Z. Levine, Myrto Samara, Kazufumi Yoshida, Yair Goldberg, Andrea Cipriani, Takeshi Iwatsubo, Stefan Leucht, Toshiaki A. Furukawa
Summary: Psychometric network analysis presents a new conceptualization of cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease and reveals treatment effects and key aspects of cognitive impairment through computational networks.
EUROPEAN NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Marybeth A. Nedrud, Mohammad Chaudhry, Michael S. Middleton, Cynthia A. Moylan, Reginald Lerebours, Sheng Luo, Alfredo Farjat, Cynthia Guy, Rohit Loomba, Manal F. Abdelmalek, Claude B. Sirlin, Mustafa R. Bashir
Summary: This study analyzed the change in PDFF values among 187 NASH patients after placebo treatment. It found that placebo treatment led to a decrease in PDFF values, known as the placebo effect. To accurately evaluate the results of future clinical trials, it is suggested to consider the placebo effect in sample size calculations.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Desmond Curran, Sean Matthews, Celine Boutry, Nicolas Lecrenier, Anthony L. Cunningham, Kenneth Schmader
Summary: This post hoc analysis reveals the incidence and burden of HZ in immunocompetent adults and HSCT recipients. The incidence of HZ is high in immunocompetent adults aged 50 years and older, and even more severe in HSCT recipients aged 18 years and older.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND THERAPY
(2022)
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Olga Protic, Anna Rita Bonfigli, Roberto Antonicelli
Summary: Most nutraceutical combinations are effective against hypercholesterolemia, with red yeast rice being a common component. Increasing the number of clinical studies is essential to verify the efficacy and safety of new NCs.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Simona Cintoli, Camilla Elefante, Claudia Radicchi, Giulio Emilio Brancati, Silvia Bacciardi, Joyce Bonaccorsi, Gabriele Siciliano, Icro Maremmani, Giulio Perugi, Gloria Tognoni
Summary: This study examines the influence of affective temperament on the motivation of individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and subjective cognitive decline (SCD) to participate in clinical trials. The findings suggest that temperamental features can impact the willingness of patients with MCI and SCD to participate in clinical trials, particularly pharmacological studies.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Ronald C. Petersen, Paul S. Aisen, J. Scott Andrews, Alireza Atri, Brandy R. Matthews, Dorene M. Rentz, Eric R. Siemers, Christopher J. Weber, Maria C. Carrillo
Summary: Alzheimer's disease (AD) clinical trials are designed to detect the impact of therapeutic intervention, and there has been considerable discussion on defining a clinically meaningful change in treatment outcomes. The complexity of AD pathology and the need for early intervention make it crucial to assess meaningful change over the course of clinical trials. The Alzheimer's Association has convened experts to discuss key considerations for interpreting data and re-evaluating the expectations of therapeutic interventions in AD.
ALZHEIMERS & DEMENTIA
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Michael P. Jones, Liam Guthrie-Lyons, Yuri A. Sato, Nicholas J. Talley
Summary: Controlling for placebo effects is crucial for accurately estimating the effect of therapy. This study aimed to identify risk factors and suggest trial design changes to minimize the placebo effect in functional dyspepsia treatment trials.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY
(2023)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Leonie F. Maurer, Jules Schneider, Christopher B. Miller, Colin A. Espie, Simon D. Kyle
Summary: Sleep restriction therapy effectively improves insomnia severity and sleep continuity in the short term, with potential comparable efficacy to multicomponent cognitive-behavioural therapy; further studies are needed to assess long-term effects and effectiveness in clinical practice.
SLEEP MEDICINE REVIEWS
(2021)
Review
Substance Abuse
Fiona R. Beyer, Ryan P. W. Kenny, Eugenie Johnson, Deborah M. Caldwell, Claire Garnett, Stephen Rice, Julija Simpson, Colin Angus, Dawn Craig, Matt Hickman, Susan Michie, Eileen F. S. Kaner
Summary: This study compares the effectiveness of practitioner versus digitally delivered interventions for reducing hazardous and harmful alcohol consumption. The findings suggest that practitioner delivered interventions are more effective in reducing consumption up to 6 months, but there is no evidence of a difference at 12 months.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Rie Toyomoto, Masatsugu Sakata, Kazufumi Yoshida, Yan Luo, Yukako Nakagami, Teruhisa Uwatoko, Tomonari Shimamoto, Ethan Sahker, Aran Tajika, Hidemichi Suga, Hiroshi Ito, Michihisa Sumi, Takashi Muto, Masataka Itoi, Hiroshi Ichikawaj, Masaya Ikegawaj, Nao Shiraishi, Takafumi Watanabe, Edward R. Watkins, Hisashi Noma, Masaru Horikoshi, Taku Iwami, Toshi A. Furukawa
Summary: This study explored the prognostic factors and effect modifiers for five common components of internet-cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) for depression. The study found that baseline depressive symptoms and exercise habits are factors influencing the effectiveness of the self-monitoring component.
JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
(2023)
Letter
Health Care Sciences & Services
Yuki Kataoka, Masahiro Banno, Yasushi Tsujimoto, Toshi A. Furukawa
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Hannah S. Whitehead, Clare E. French, Deborah M. Caldwell, Louise Letley, Sandra Mounier-Jack
Summary: Misinformation and disinformation around vaccines have become more prominent, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. This systematic review examines communication-based strategies to combat vaccine misinformation and assesses their effectiveness. The review identifies nine intervention approaches, focusing on the content and delivery of the intervention or message. Some strategies, such as scare tactics, were found to be ineffective, while others, such as communicating the weight-of-evidence and incorporating warnings, showed promise. Further evaluation is needed to measure the impact on vaccine uptake.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yuya Kondo, Saori Abe, Hirofumi Toko, Tomoya Hirota, Hiroyuki Takahashi, Masaru Shimizu, Hisashi Noma, Hiroto Tsuboi, Isao Matsumoto, Toshiro Inaba, Takayuki Sumida
Summary: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of climatic environment on the immunological features of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Blood samples were collected from RA patients and healthy controls residing in two different locations with varying altitude, average air temperature, and atmospheric pressure. The analysis revealed significant differences in T and B cell subpopulations between the two sites. These findings suggest that climatic environment may influence immune cell proportions and functions, potentially contributing to the pathogenesis of RA.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Yuting Wang, Tahir Devji, Alonso Carrasco-Labra, Anila Qasim, Qiukui Hao, Elena Kum, Niveditha Devasenapathy, Madeleine T. King, Berend Terluin, Caroline B. Terwee, Michae Walsh, Toshi A. Furukawa, Yasushi Tsujimoto, Gordon H. Guyatt
Summary: The minimal important difference (MID) is the smallest change or difference that patients perceive as important to interpret patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) scores. A credibility instrument for anchor-based MID assessment typically includes a core item evaluating the correlation between the PROM and the anchor. However, many MID studies do not report this correlation. To address this, we developed an alternative construct proximity item to assess credibility when the correlation is lacking.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Tomotsugu Seki, Morio Aki, Toshi A. Furukawa, Hirotsugu Kawashima, Tomotaka Miki, Yujin Sawaki, Takaaki Ando, Kentaro Katsuragi, Takahiko Kawashima, Senkei Ueno, Takashi Miyagi, Shun'ichi Noma, Shiro Tanaka, Koji Kawakami
Summary: This study aimed to examine whether an electronic health record (EHR)-nested reminder system can help patients achieve therapeutically appropriate serum lithium levels. The study found insufficient evidence for the reminder system to increase the achievement of therapeutic serum lithium concentrations, but it did increase the number of monitoring. The EHR-based reminders may be useful for improving the quality of care for patients on lithium maintenance therapy.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jiro Masuya, Chihiro Morishita, Motoki Higashiyama, Ayaka Deguchi, Yoshitaka Ishii, Miki Ono, Mina Honyashiki, Yoshio Iwata, Takeshi Inoue
Summary: This study found that childhood victimization directly influences adult trait anxiety, depressive rumination, and depressive symptom severity, and indirectly worsens depressive symptoms through trait anxiety and depressive rumination as mediators. These results highlight the importance of preventing and addressing childhood victimization to reduce the risk of clinical depression in adulthood.
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Yuki Furukawa, Yan Luo, Satoshi Funada, Akira Onishi, Edoardo Ostinelli, Tasnim Hamza, Toshi A. Furukawa, Yuki Kataoka
Summary: This study aimed to identify the optimal treatment duration with antibiotics for adults with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) through a systematic review and duration-effect meta-analysis. The findings suggest that a shorter treatment duration (3-5 days) may provide the best balance between efficacy and treatment burden for treating CAP in adults who have achieved clinical stability. However, the limited number of included studies and the overall moderate-to-high risk of bias may affect the certainty of the results, highlighting the need for further research.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Toshi A. Furukawa, Aran Tajika, Masatsugu Sakata, Yan Luo, Rie Toyomoto, Masaru Horikoshi, Tatsuo Akechi, Norito Kawakami, Takeo Nakayama, Naoki Kondo, Shingo Fukuma, Hisashi Noma, Helen Christensen, Ronald C. Kessler, Pim Cuijpers, James M. S. Wason
Summary: This study aims to develop an iCBT platform that can adapt to the evolving internet technologies and examine the short-term and long-term efficacy of different CBT skills for depression. The study will recruit 3520 participants with subthreshold depression and approximately 1700 participants without subthreshold depression to evaluate the short-term efficacy for reducing depressive symptoms and the long-term efficacy for preventing depression in the total sample.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Akifumi Shimasaki, Ayaka Deguchi, Yoshitaka Ishii, Tomoteru Seki, Yoshio Iwata, Yu Tamada, Mina Honyashiki, Yota Fujimura, Takeshi Inoue, Jiro Masuya
Summary: In this study, the effects of perceived childhood rearing on presenteeism in adult workers were analyzed, and the mediating effects of trait anxiety and depressive rumination were examined. The results showed that the low perceived quality of childhood rearing indirectly worsened presenteeism through trait anxiety and depressive rumination. Therefore, assessing the quality of childhood rearing, trait anxiety, and depressive rumination may help to understand and effectively manage presenteeism in the workplace.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Kazuki Nakajima, Akiyoshi Shimura, Masayuki Kikkawa, Shunichiro Ito, Mina Honyashiki, Yu Tamada, Shinji Higashi, Masahiko Ichiki, Takeshi Inoue, Jiro Masuya
Summary: This study investigated the mediating effects of neuroticism and resilience between physical activity duration and depressive symptoms. The results showed that an optimal physical activity duration can reduce depressive symptoms, and a greater difference from the optimal duration increases depressive symptoms through neuroticism and resilience.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Adriani Nikolakopoulou, Anna Chaimani, Toshi A. Furukawa, Theodoros Papakonstantinou, Gerta Ruecker, Guido Schwarzer
Summary: The placebo effect is the result of a participant's belief or expectation in the effectiveness of a treatment. It can play a significant role in certain conditions, particularly those with subjective symptoms. Factors such as informed consent, number of arms in a study, occurrence of adverse events, and quality of blinding can influence placebo response and introduce bias in randomized controlled trials.
BMJ EVIDENCE-BASED MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Andrea Cipriani, Soraya Seedat, Lea Milligan, Georgia Salanti, Malcolm Macleod, Janna Hastings, James Thomas, Susan Michie, Toshi A. Furukawa, David Gilbert, Karla Soares-Weiser, Carmen Moreno, Stefan Leucht, Matthias Egger, Parisa Mansoori, James M. Barker, Spyridon Siafis, Edoardo Giuseppe Ostinelli, Robert McCutcheon, Simonne Wright, Matilda Simpson, Olufisayo Elugbadebo, Virginia Chiocchia, Thomy Tonia, Rania Elgarf, Ayse Kurtulmus, Emily Sena, Ouma Simple, Niall Boyce, Sophie Chung, Anjuli Sharma, Miranda Wolpert, Jennifer Potts, Julian H. Elliott
Summary: Progress in developing novel therapies for anxiety, depression, and psychosis has been slow, and predicting effective treatments for individuals remains challenging. Understanding the mechanisms of mental health conditions, developing targeted interventions, and improving diagnosis and prediction are crucial. Living systematic reviews can enhance efficiency and reduce waste in research. The Global Alliance for Living Evidence on aNxiety, depressiOn and pSychosis (GALENOS) aims to catalog and evaluate relevant scientific research, involving both human and preclinical studies, to advance mental health science. GALENOS will also facilitate collaboration and identify key research questions, accelerating the translation of discovery science into effective interventions.
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Ryuhei So, Naoki Emura, Kozue Okazaki, Sakiko Takeda, Takashi Sunami, Kohei Kitagawa, Yoshitake Takebayashi, Toshi A. Furukawa
Summary: This study compared the effects of therapist-guided internet interventions with unguided ones on gambling behavior, cognition, and stage of change. The results showed that there were no significant differences between the guided and unguided groups in terms of improvement in gambling symptoms, behavior, and stage of change.
ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS
(2024)
