ANTLER Trial: Antidepressants in Primary care

 2021 ANTLER TRIAL Maintenance or discontinuation of antidepressants in primary care Multicenter, randomized, double-blind trial M Objective: To assess the effects of maintenance antidepressant therapy, as compared with discontinuation of treatment, in patients taking antidepressants 478 patients Inclusion criteria: Participants 18 to 74 years of age with >2 prior episodes of depression or took antidepressants for > 2 years Maintenance group (n=238) 39 39 x Discontinuation group (n=240) PRIMARY OUTCOME Relapse of depression % HR 2.06; 95% CI, 1.56 to 2.70; P< 0.001 SECONDARY OUTCOME 56 56 4.1 PHQ-9 score at 12 weeks Diff: 2.2; 95% CI, 1.5 to 2.8 6.3 3.1 GAD-7 score at 12 weeks Diff: 2.4; 95% CI, 1.8 to 3.0 5.3 4 Adverse events % 3 Conclusion: Among patients in primary care practices who felt well enough to discontinue antidepressant therapy, those who were assigned to stop their medication had a higher risk of relapse of depression by 52 weeks than those who were assigned to maintain their current therapy. G Lewis et al. NEJM 2021; 385:1257-1267

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