The (cost-)effectiveness of exercise therapy adjunct to guideline-concordant care for depression: a pragmatic randomised controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Many patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) do not respond sufficiently to first-line treatments. Due to its biological and psychological mechanisms, exercise may enhance the effectiveness of other MDD treatments. In a pragmatic randomised superiority trial, we evaluated the clinical and cost-effectiveness of exercise therapy adjunct to guideline-concordant care as usual (CAU) for MDD in specialised mental health care.

Methods

MDD outpatients (N = 112; Mage = 37; 51% female) were randomized to CAU (96.9% psychotherapy, 59% pharmacotherapy) or CAU + EX (CAU plus 12 weeks of exercise therapy: one supervised and two home-based aerobic sessions/week). Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self Report. Remissio

SUBMITTER: Schmitter M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12438981 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature