Objective: To compare the effectiveness and feasibility of the measurement-based care (MBC) in the treatment of depression with clinician's treatment decisions, standardizing treatment (ST, clinicians' choice decisions) to two commonly prescribed antidepressants.
Methods: Selecting the patients in psychiatric hospitals and general hospitals with depression, with multi-center randomized controlled study design. Refer to STAR-D "measurement-based care" mode, to establish the whole measurement-based evaluation system. Eligible patients will be randomly assigned to 24 weeks of MBC or ST, restricting treatment to paroxetine (20-60mg/day) or mirtazapine (15-45mg/day) in both groups. the ST group will maximize simulate of the actual clinical situation, and the patients of the MBC group are required to complete the prospective Life-chart Methodology (LCM-p), 16-item Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Self-Report (QIDS-SR16) and other related symptoms and side effects of self-assessment, the doctor will make a comprehensive assessment according to the results of self-assessment, adjust treatment according to research programs. This is 1-year follow-up study; the independent members will have a blinded assessment in the baseline visit and each point of view. Depressive symptoms are measured using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD) and QIDS-SR.
