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Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can be effective in depressed patients who don't respond to initial antidepressant drug therapy. In these two randomized trials, researchers explored its efficacy — compared with traditional next-step interventions — in nonresponders to two different antidepressants.
In one study, 89 patients who didn't respond to ≥2 antidepressants switched to a different antidepressant or received 25 rTMS sessions during 8 weeks (added to their current antidepressant); both groups also received psychotherapy. The proportions of patients whose depression responded or remitted was greater with rTMS than with switching (38% vs. 15% for response; 27% vs. 5% for remission). rTMS recipients also had greater imp…