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. 2021 Jun;8(6):500-511.
doi: 10.1016/S2215-0366(21)00077-8. Epub 2021 May 3.

Dismantling, optimising, and personalising internet cognitive behavioural therapy for depression: a systematic review and component network meta-analysis using individual participant data

Toshi A Furukawa  1 Aya Suganuma  2 Edoardo G Ostinelli  3 Gerhard Andersson  4 Christopher G Beevers  5 Jason Shumake  5 Thomas Berger  6 Florien Willemijn Boele  7 Claudia Buntrock  8 Per Carlbring  9 Isabella Choi  10 Helen Christensen  11 Andrew Mackinnon  11 Jennifer Dahne  12 Marcus J H Huibers  13 David D Ebert  14 Louise Farrer  15 Nicholas R Forand  16 Daniel R Strunk  17 Iony D Ezawa  17 Erik Forsell  18 Viktor Kaldo  19 Anna Geraedts  20 Simon Gilbody  21 Elizabeth Littlewood  21 Sally Brabyn  21 Heather D Hadjistavropoulos  22 Luke H Schneider  23 Robert Johansson  9 Robin Kenter  24 Marie Kivi  25 Cecilia Björkelund  26 Annet Kleiboer  13 Heleen Riper  13 Jan Philipp Klein  27 Johanna Schröder  28 Björn Meyer  29 Steffen Moritz  30 Lara Bücker  30 Ove Lintvedt  31 Peter Johansson  32 Johan Lundgren  32 Jeannette Milgrom  33 Alan W Gemmill  33 David C Mohr  34 Jesus Montero-Marin  3 Javier Garcia-Campayo  35 Stephanie Nobis  36 Anna-Carlotta Zarski  8 Kathleen O'Moore  11 Alishia D Williams  37 Jill M Newby  38 Sarah Perini  39 Rachel Phillips  40 Justine Schneider  41 Wendy Pots  42 Nicole E Pugh  43 Derek Richards  44 Isabelle M Rosso  45 Scott L Rauch  45 Lisa B Sheeber  46 Jessica Smith  47 Viola Spek  48 Victor J Pop  49 Burçin Ünlü  50 Kim M P van Bastelaar  51 Sanne van Luenen  52 Nadia Garnefski  52 Vivian Kraaij  52 Kristofer Vernmark  53 Lisanne Warmerdam  54 Annemieke van Straten  13 Pavle Zagorscak  55 Christine Knaevelsrud  55 Manuel Heinrich  55 Clara Miguel  13 Andrea Cipriani  56 Orestis Efthimiou  57 Eirini Karyotaki  58 Pim Cuijpers  13
Affiliations

Dismantling, optimising, and personalising internet cognitive behavioural therapy for depression: a systematic review and component network meta-analysis using individual participant data

Toshi A Furukawa et al. Lancet Psychiatry. 2021 Jun.

Abstract

Background: Internet cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) is a viable delivery format of CBT for depression. However, iCBT programmes include training in a wide array of cognitive and behavioural skills via different delivery methods, and it remains unclear which of these components are more efficacious and for whom.

Methods: We did a systematic review and individual participant data component network meta-analysis (cNMA) of iCBT trials for depression. We searched PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, and the Cochrane Library for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) published from database inception to Jan 1, 2019, that compared any form of iCBT against another or a control condition in the acute treatment of adults (aged ≥18 years) with depression. Studies with inpatients or patients with bipolar depression were excluded. We sought individual participant data from the original authors. When these data were unavailable, we used aggregate data. Two independent researchers identified the included components. The primary outcome was depression severity, expressed as incremental mean difference (iMD) in the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scores when a component is added to a treatment. We developed a web app that estimates relative efficacies between any two combinations of components, given baseline patient characteristics. This study is registered in PROSPERO, CRD42018104683.

Findings: We identified 76 RCTs, including 48 trials contributing individual participant data (11 704 participants) and 28 trials with aggregate data (6474 participants). The participants' weighted mean age was 42·0 years and 12 406 (71%) of 17 521 reported were women. There was suggestive evidence that behavioural activation might be beneficial (iMD -1·83 [95% credible interval (CrI) -2·90 to -0·80]) and that relaxation might be harmful (1·20 [95% CrI 0·17 to 2·27]). Baseline severity emerged as the strongest prognostic factor for endpoint depression. Combining human and automated encouragement reduced dropouts from treatment (incremental odds ratio, 0·32 [95% CrI 0·13 to 0·93]). The risk of bias was low for the randomisation process, missing outcome data, or selection of reported results in most of the included studies, uncertain for deviation from intended interventions, and high for measurement of outcomes. There was moderate to high heterogeneity among the studies and their components.

Interpretation: The individual patient data cNMA revealed potentially helpful, less helpful, or harmful components and delivery formats for iCBT packages. iCBT packages aiming to be effective and efficient might choose to include beneficial components and exclude ones that are potentially detrimental. Our web app can facilitate shared decision making by therapist and patient in choosing their preferred iCBT package.

Funding: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of interests TAF reports grants from Japan Society for Promotion of Science, during the conduct of the study; grants and personal fees from Mitsubishi-Tanabe, personal fees from MSD, grants and personal fees from Shionogi, outside the submitted work; a patent 2018-177688 concerning smartphone CBT apps pending; and an intellectual properties for Kokoro-app licensed to Tanabe-Mitsubishi. AC reports personal fees from Italian Network for Paediatric Trials and CARIPLO Foundation; and grants and personal fees from Angelini Pharma, outside the submitted work. EGO reports personal fees from Angelini Pharma, outside the submitted work. PCa reports personal fees from Osmond Foundation and Sandoz, outside the submitted work. JD is co-owner of Behavioral Activation Tech LLC, a small business that develops and evaluates mobile app-based treatments for depression and co-occurring disorders. DDE has served as a consultant to or on the scientific advisory boards of Sanofi, Novartis, Minddistrict, Lantern, Schoen Kliniken, Ideamed, German health insurance companies (BARMER, Techniker Krankenkasse), and a number of federal chambers for psychotherapy; is a stakeholder of the Institute for health training online (GET.ON), which aims to implement scientific findings related to digital health interventions into routine care. NRF is an employee of AbleTo. JPK reports grants and personal fees from Servier; personal fees from Beltz, Elsevier, Hogrefe, and Springer, outside the submitted work; funding for clinical trials (German Federal Ministry of Health and Servier); payments for presentations on internet interventions (Servier); and payments for workshops and books (Beltz, Elsevier, Hogrefe, and Springer) on psychotherapy for chronic depression and on psychiatric emergencies. BM is an employee of GAIA AG. DCM reports personal fees from Apple, Pear Therapeutics, and Otsuka Pharmaceuticals and has an equity interest in Adaptive Health, outside the submitted work. JMM is supported by a Wellcome Trust Grant (104908/Z/14/Z). SN is an employee of GET.ON Institut. DR is an employee of SilverCloud Health. LBS is an employee of Influents Innovations. PZ reports grants and non-financial support from Techniker Krankenkasse (German public health insurance company), outside the submitted work. CK reports personal fees from Oberbergklinik and Servier; and grants and non-financial support from Techniker Krankenkasse, outside the submitted work. MH reports grants and non-financial support from Techniker Krankenkasse, outside the submitted work. All other authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1:
Figure 1:. Network diagram
The width of the lines is proportional to the number of comparisons, which is given on each line.
Figure 2:
Figure 2:. Relative effects (mean differences in PHQ-9 scores with 95% CIs) of internet cognitive behavioural therapy of depression
Treatments (listed in alphabetical order) are shown in grey, direct effects (pairwise meta-analyses) are shown in blue, and the network meta-analysis results are shown in red. Common heterogeneity τ was estimated to be 1·1 in terms of the PHQ-9 scores. An effect size of less than 0 in the network meta-analysis results shows that the treatment in the column is favoured (ie, lower PHQ-9 scores) versus the treatment in the row. An effect size of less than 0 in the pariwise meta-analyses results shows that the treatment in the row is favoured versus the treatment in the column. 3W=third-wave cognitive behavioural therapy. APP=attention or psychological placebo. BA=behavioural activation. CBT=cognitive behavioural therapy. CT=cognitive therapy. NT=no treatment. PE=psychoeducation. PHQ-9=Personal Health Questionnaire-9. PST=problem-solving therapy. TAU=treatment as usual. WL=waiting list.
Figure 3:
Figure 3:. Individual participant data component network meta-analysis for depression severity
Potentially beneficial components are shown in green (darker green for stronger statistical evidence) and potentially harmful components are shown in red according to an index similar to the Z-score (median of the posterior distribution divided by the corresponding standard deviation for Bayesian analyses), thus taking account of the magnitude of the effect estimates and their uncertainty. More details about the colouring scheme are provided in the appendix (p 68). The specific efficacy for conventional drug treatment could not be estimated because this component was either present or absent in all comparisons in the network. Common heterogeneity τ was estimated to be 1·20 (95%CrI 0·89 to 1·57) in terms of the PHQ-9 scores. iCBT=internet cognitive behavioural therapy. iMD=incremental mean difference. CrI=credible interval. PHQ-9=Patient Health Questionnaire-9. *0=female and 1=male. †0=not in a relationship (single, separated, divorced, or widowed) and 1=in a relationship (married or having a stable partner).

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