A tailored cognitive behavioural therapy intervention for depression in those newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (ACTION-MS): A randomised, assessor-blinded, active comparator trial.
Litza A Kiropoulos, Trevor J Kilpatrick, Tomas Kalincik et al.
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In 30 seconds
The ACTION-MS trial evaluated a tailored cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) intervention for depression in 60 individuals newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). This randomized, assessor-blinded trial found that 63.3% of participants in the CBT group achieved a clinically meaningful reduction in depression severity compared to 33.3% in the supportive listening group at week 8 (p = 0.01).
Key findings
- 63.3% of CBT participants had a clinically meaningful 10-point reduction in BDI-II scores at week 8 vs 33.3% in the SL group (p = 0.01).
- CBT group showed an adjusted mean difference of -9.19 on the BDI-II at week 8 (p = 0.001).
- Significant reductions in anxiety, pain impact, and improved sleep quality were reported in the CBT group at week 8.
- Improvements in quality of life and MS illness acceptance were maintained in the CBT group at week 28.
Why it matters
This study highlights the potential of tailored CBT interventions to significantly reduce depressive symptoms in newly diagnosed MS patients, addressing a critical aspect of their mental health care. Effective management of depression can enhance overall quality of life and disease acceptance.