STEP.De study—a multicentre cluster-randomised effectiveness trial of exercise therapy for patients with depressive symptoms in healthcare services: study protocol

Introduction Although exercise therapy has widely been shown to be an efficacious treatment modality for depression, evidence for its effectiveness and cost efficiency is lacking. The Sport/Exercise Therapy for Depression study is a multicentre cluster-randomised effectiveness trial that aims to com...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Andreas Heissel, Anou Pietrek, Melanie Schwefel, Kahar Abula, Gregor Wilbertz, Stephan Heinzel, Michael Rapp
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2020-04-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/4/e036287.full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850138598644383744
author Andreas Heissel
Anou Pietrek
Melanie Schwefel
Kahar Abula
Gregor Wilbertz
Stephan Heinzel
Michael Rapp
author_facet Andreas Heissel
Anou Pietrek
Melanie Schwefel
Kahar Abula
Gregor Wilbertz
Stephan Heinzel
Michael Rapp
author_sort Andreas Heissel
collection DOAJ
description Introduction Although exercise therapy has widely been shown to be an efficacious treatment modality for depression, evidence for its effectiveness and cost efficiency is lacking. The Sport/Exercise Therapy for Depression study is a multicentre cluster-randomised effectiveness trial that aims to compare the effectiveness and cost efficiency of exercise therapy and psychotherapy as antidepressant treatment.Methods and analysis 480 patients (aged 18–65) with an International Classification of Diseases diagnosis associated with depressive symptoms are recruited. Up to 30 clusters (psychotherapists) are randomly assigned to allocate patients to either an exercise or a psychotherapy treatment as usual in a 2:1 ratio. The primary outcome (depressive symptoms) and the secondary outcomes (work and social adjustment, quality of life) will be assessed at six measurement time points (t0: baseline, t1: 8 weeks after treatment initiation, t2: 16 weeks after treatment initiation, t3/4/5: 2, 6, 12 months after treatment). Linear regression analyses will be used for the primary endpoint data analysis. For the secondary endpoints, mixed linear and logistic regression models with fixed and random factors will be added. For the cost efficiency analysis, expenditures in the 12 months before and after the intervention and the outcome difference will be compared between groups in a multilevel model. Recruitment start date was 1 July 2018 and the planned recruitment end date is 31 December 2020.Ethics and dissemination The study protocol was approved by the ethics committee of the University of Potsdam (No. 17/2018) and the Freie Universität Berlin (No. 206/2018) and registered in the ISRCTN registry. Informed written consent will be obtained from all participants. The study will be reported in accordance with the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials and the Recommendations for Interventional Trials statements. The results will be published in peer-reviewed academic journals and disseminated to the public.Trial registration number ISRCTN28972230.
format Article
id doaj-art-b72c12c52a4f4118b22ca52a4aa38df7
institution OA Journals
issn 2044-6055
language English
publishDate 2020-04-01
publisher BMJ Publishing Group
record_format Article
series BMJ Open
spelling doaj-art-b72c12c52a4f4118b22ca52a4aa38df72025-08-20T02:30:32ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552020-04-0110410.1136/bmjopen-2019-036287STEP.De study—a multicentre cluster-randomised effectiveness trial of exercise therapy for patients with depressive symptoms in healthcare services: study protocolAndreas Heissel0Anou Pietrek1Melanie Schwefel2Kahar Abula3Gregor Wilbertz4Stephan Heinzel5Michael Rapp6Social and Preventive Medicine, Department of Sports and Health Sciences, Intra faculty unit Cognitive Sciences, Faculty of Human Science and Faculty of Health Sciences Brandenburg, Research Area Services Research and e-Health, Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany1 Social and Preventive Medicine, Department Sport and Health Sciences, Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany1 Social and Preventive Medicine, Department Sport and Health Sciences, Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany1 Social and Preventive Medicine, Department Sport and Health Sciences, Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany2 Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany2 Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany1 Social and Preventive Medicine, Department Sport and Health Sciences, Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Brandenburg, GermanyIntroduction Although exercise therapy has widely been shown to be an efficacious treatment modality for depression, evidence for its effectiveness and cost efficiency is lacking. The Sport/Exercise Therapy for Depression study is a multicentre cluster-randomised effectiveness trial that aims to compare the effectiveness and cost efficiency of exercise therapy and psychotherapy as antidepressant treatment.Methods and analysis 480 patients (aged 18–65) with an International Classification of Diseases diagnosis associated with depressive symptoms are recruited. Up to 30 clusters (psychotherapists) are randomly assigned to allocate patients to either an exercise or a psychotherapy treatment as usual in a 2:1 ratio. The primary outcome (depressive symptoms) and the secondary outcomes (work and social adjustment, quality of life) will be assessed at six measurement time points (t0: baseline, t1: 8 weeks after treatment initiation, t2: 16 weeks after treatment initiation, t3/4/5: 2, 6, 12 months after treatment). Linear regression analyses will be used for the primary endpoint data analysis. For the secondary endpoints, mixed linear and logistic regression models with fixed and random factors will be added. For the cost efficiency analysis, expenditures in the 12 months before and after the intervention and the outcome difference will be compared between groups in a multilevel model. Recruitment start date was 1 July 2018 and the planned recruitment end date is 31 December 2020.Ethics and dissemination The study protocol was approved by the ethics committee of the University of Potsdam (No. 17/2018) and the Freie Universität Berlin (No. 206/2018) and registered in the ISRCTN registry. Informed written consent will be obtained from all participants. The study will be reported in accordance with the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials and the Recommendations for Interventional Trials statements. The results will be published in peer-reviewed academic journals and disseminated to the public.Trial registration number ISRCTN28972230.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/4/e036287.full
spellingShingle Andreas Heissel
Anou Pietrek
Melanie Schwefel
Kahar Abula
Gregor Wilbertz
Stephan Heinzel
Michael Rapp
STEP.De study—a multicentre cluster-randomised effectiveness trial of exercise therapy for patients with depressive symptoms in healthcare services: study protocol
BMJ Open
title STEP.De study—a multicentre cluster-randomised effectiveness trial of exercise therapy for patients with depressive symptoms in healthcare services: study protocol
title_full STEP.De study—a multicentre cluster-randomised effectiveness trial of exercise therapy for patients with depressive symptoms in healthcare services: study protocol
title_fullStr STEP.De study—a multicentre cluster-randomised effectiveness trial of exercise therapy for patients with depressive symptoms in healthcare services: study protocol
title_full_unstemmed STEP.De study—a multicentre cluster-randomised effectiveness trial of exercise therapy for patients with depressive symptoms in healthcare services: study protocol
title_short STEP.De study—a multicentre cluster-randomised effectiveness trial of exercise therapy for patients with depressive symptoms in healthcare services: study protocol
title_sort step de study a multicentre cluster randomised effectiveness trial of exercise therapy for patients with depressive symptoms in healthcare services study protocol
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/4/e036287.full
work_keys_str_mv AT andreasheissel stepdestudyamulticentreclusterrandomisedeffectivenesstrialofexercisetherapyforpatientswithdepressivesymptomsinhealthcareservicesstudyprotocol
AT anoupietrek stepdestudyamulticentreclusterrandomisedeffectivenesstrialofexercisetherapyforpatientswithdepressivesymptomsinhealthcareservicesstudyprotocol
AT melanieschwefel stepdestudyamulticentreclusterrandomisedeffectivenesstrialofexercisetherapyforpatientswithdepressivesymptomsinhealthcareservicesstudyprotocol
AT kaharabula stepdestudyamulticentreclusterrandomisedeffectivenesstrialofexercisetherapyforpatientswithdepressivesymptomsinhealthcareservicesstudyprotocol
AT gregorwilbertz stepdestudyamulticentreclusterrandomisedeffectivenesstrialofexercisetherapyforpatientswithdepressivesymptomsinhealthcareservicesstudyprotocol
AT stephanheinzel stepdestudyamulticentreclusterrandomisedeffectivenesstrialofexercisetherapyforpatientswithdepressivesymptomsinhealthcareservicesstudyprotocol
AT michaelrapp stepdestudyamulticentreclusterrandomisedeffectivenesstrialofexercisetherapyforpatientswithdepressivesymptomsinhealthcareservicesstudyprotocol