AUTHOR=Ostacoli Luca , Carletto Sara , Cavallo Marco , Baldomir-Gago Paula , Di Lorenzo Giorgio , Fernandez Isabel , Hase Michael , Justo-Alonso Ania , Lehnung Maria , Migliaretti Giuseppe , Oliva Francesco , Pagani Marco , Recarey-Eiris Susana , Torta Riccardo , Tumani Visal , Gonzalez-Vazquez Ana I. , Hofmann Arne 

TITLE=Comparison of Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as Adjunctive Treatments for Recurrent Depression: The European Depression EMDR Network (EDEN) Randomized Controlled Trial

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=9

YEAR=2018

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00074

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00074

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Background:</bold> Treatment of recurrent depressive disorders is currently only moderately successful. Increasing evidence suggests a significant relationship between adverse childhood experiences and recurrent depressive disorders, suggesting that trauma-based interventions could be useful for these patients.</p><p><bold>Objectives:</bold> To investigate the efficacy of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy (EMDR) in addition to antidepressant medication (ADM) in treating recurrent depression.</p><p><bold>Design:</bold> A non-inferiority, single-blind, randomized clinical controlled trial comparing EMDR or CBT as adjunctive treatments to ADM. Randomization was carried out by a central computer system. Allocation was carried out by a study coordinator in each center.</p><p><bold>Setting:</bold> Two psychiatric services, one in Italy and one in Spain.</p><p><bold>Participants:</bold> Eighty-two patients were randomized with a 1:1 ratio to the EMDR group (<italic>n</italic> = 40) or CBT group (<italic>n</italic> = 42). Sixty-six patients, 31 in the EMDR group and 35 in the CBT group, were included in the completers analysis. <bold>Intervention:</bold> 15 ± 3 individual sessions of EMDR or CBT, both in addition to ADM. Participants were followed up at 6-months.</p><p><bold>Main outcome measure</bold>: Rate of depressive symptoms remission in both groups, as measured by a BDI-II score &lt;13.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> Sixty-six patients were analyzed as completers (31 EMDR vs. 35 CBT). No significant difference between the two groups was found either at the end of the interventions (71% EMDR vs. 48.7% CBT) or at the 6-month follow-up (54.8% EMDR vs. 42.9% CBT). A RM-ANOVA on BDI-II scores showed similar reductions over time in both groups [<italic>F</italic>(6,59) = 22.501, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001] and a significant interaction effect between time and group [<italic>F</italic>(6,59) = 3.357, <italic>p</italic> = 0.006], with lower BDI-II scores in the EMDR group at T1 [mean difference = –7.309 (95% CI [–12.811, –1.806]), <italic>p =</italic> 0.010]. The RM-ANOVA on secondary outcome measures showed similar improvement over time in both groups [<italic>F</italic>(14,51) = 8.202, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001], with no significant differences between groups [<italic>F</italic>(614,51) = 0.642, <italic>p</italic> = 0.817].</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> Although these results can be considered preliminary only, this study suggests that EMDR could be a viable and effective treatment for reducing depressive symptoms and improving the quality of life of patients with recurrent depression. Trial registration: ISRCTN09958202.</p>