Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of the placebo response in RCTs in neurologic disorders, pain syndromes, and in psychiatric disorders
Note that this list is incomplete, as it reports only the meta-analysis with the largest number of studies included for the respective disease.
| Study | N* | Disease | PR Is Higher with…** |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rheims et al., 2008 | 32 | Epilepsy (children, adults) | younger age |
| Fulda and Wetter, 2008 | 36 | Restless Leg Syndrome | longer trial duration |
| Goetz et al., 2008 | 11* | Parkinson's Disease | higher baseline severity |
| Diener et al., 1999 | 15 | Migraine | higher drug probability |
| Macedo et al., 2006 | 98 | Migraine | European studies |
| Hauser et al., 2011 | 72 | Fibromyalgia syndrome | lower baseline severity |
| Hauser et al., 2012 | 70 | Diabetic neuropath pain | lower baseline severity |
| Capurso et al., 2012 | 7 | Pancreatitis | more study sites |
| Papakostas and Fava, 2009 | 182 | Depression, adults | higher drug probability |
| Bridge et al., 2009 | 12 | Depression, children | more study sites |
| Agid et al., 2013 | 50 | Psychosis | younger age, more recent trials |
| Yildiz et al., 2011 | 38 | Bipolar mania | more study sites, female sex |
| Cohen et al., 2010 | 40 | MDD, OCD, ANX (children) | children than in adolescents |
| Newcorn et al., 2009 | 10 | ADHD (children) | comorbid MDD, non-white |
| Buitelaar et al., 2012 | 2* | ADHD (adults) | higher baseline severity |
| Blom et al., 2014 | 10* | Binge Eating Disorder | lower baseline severity |
ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; ANX, anxiety disorder; MDD, major depressive disorder; OCD, obsessive compulsive disorder; PR, placebo response.
↵* Indicates availability of individual patient data; number of RCTs included into analysis.
↵** Only the most important influential variable listed.