.webp&w=384&q=75){kind=logo}
Loading, please wait...
Loading, please wait...
This systematic review and meta-analysis compared symptom improvement in placebo groups across randomized controlled trials involving nine psychiatric disorders: major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social phobia, mania, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and schizophrenia. The analysis included 90 studies, with 10 studies per diagnostic category, and used random-effects models to calculate pooled pre-to-post effect sizes (Cohen \(d_{av}\)) and 95% confidence intervals. Symptom severity improved significantly within placebo groups across all nine disorders, but the magnitude of improvement differed significantly between diagnoses (Q=88.5; 8 degrees of freedom; P≤0.001). MDD demonstrated the largest pooled effect size (1.40; 95% CI, 1.24–1.56), followed by GAD (1.23; 95% CI, 1.06–1.41), whereas schizophrenia showed the smallest effect size (0.59; 95% CI, 0.41–0.76), followed by OCD (0.65; 95% CI, 0.51–0.78). Substantial heterogeneity was observed for GAD, mania, MDD, PTSD, and schizophrenia, with \(I^2>75\%\), indicating considerable variation in placebo-associated symptom changes across trials. In multivariable analysis, the proportion of women in a study was also associated with greater placebo-associated improvement (slope, 0.0076; 95% CI, 0.0026–0.0126; P=0.003). The findings demonstrate that symptom improvement in placebo groups differs across psychiatric diagnoses and may influence the interpretation and design of clinical trials; however, pre-to-post improvement in a placebo group should not be interpreted as a causal placebo effect because natural symptom fluctuation, regression to the mean, and other nonspecific factors may contribute
Read summarized clinical updates, watch expert medical content, and earn CME certifications right from your smartphone.
Open your smartphone camera to scan and install.
This systematic review and meta-analysis compared symptom improvement in placebo groups across randomized controlled trials involving nine psychiatric disorders: major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social phobia, mania, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and schizophrenia. The analysis included 90 studies, with 10 studies per diagnostic category, and used random-effects models to calculate pooled pre-to-post effect sizes (Cohen \(d_{av}\)) and 95% confidence intervals. Symptom severity improved significantly within placebo groups across all nine disorders, but the magnitude of improvement differed significantly between diagnoses (Q=88.5; 8 degrees of freedom; P≤0.001). MDD demonstrated the largest pooled effect size (1.40; 95% CI, 1.24–1.56), followed by GAD (1.23; 95% CI, 1.06–1.41), whereas schizophrenia showed the smallest effect size (0.59; 95% CI, 0.41–0.76), followed by OCD (0.65; 95% CI, 0.51–0.78). Substantial heterogeneity was observed for GAD, mania, MDD, PTSD, and schizophrenia, with \(I^2>75\%\), indicating considerable variation in placebo-associated symptom changes across trials. In multivariable analysis, the proportion of women in a study was also associated with greater placebo-associated improvement (slope, 0.0076; 95% CI, 0.0026–0.0126; P=0.003). The findings demonstrate that symptom improvement in placebo groups differs across psychiatric diagnoses and may influence the interpretation and design of clinical trials; however, pre-to-post improvement in a placebo group should not be interpreted as a causal placebo effect because natural symptom fluctuation, regression to the mean, and other nonspecific factors may contribute
Today
A study demonstrates an explainable machine learning framework integrating clinical and echocardiographic metrics to predict left atrial appendage thrombus in non-valvular atrial fibrillation, utilizing SHAP analysis for clinical interpretability.
3 days back
A systematic review and transcriptomic cross-study consensus analysis illuminates the role of necroptosis in cervical cancer. By promoting anti-tumor immunogenicity and resolving apoptosis resistance, necroptotic pathways offer actionable prognostic signatures and promising avenues for combination immunotherapy.
Yesterday
Abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture remains a catastrophic vascular emergency. Groundbreaking research reveals that USP53 accelerates aneurysm progression by reprogramming smooth muscle cell metabolism toward aerobic glycolysis, highlighting a promising target beyond conventional diameter-based surveillance.
Last week
A breakthrough study leverages natural language processing to accurately identify incident medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw and track antiresorptive drug holidays from clinical narratives in electronic health records, advancing osteoporosis pharmacovigilance and dental safety.
Last week
Recent research defines ferro-aging as a conserved iron-lipid axis driving organ decline across primates. Age-related iron dyshomeostasis stimulates ACSL4-mediated lipid peroxidation, promoting cellular senescence. Notably, vitamin C directly inhibits ACSL4, suppressing phospholipid oxidation and multi-organ decay.
Last week
