An open-label study of adjunctive repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for partial remission in major depressive disorder.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of adjunctive treatment with rTMS in patients with partial remission major depressive disorder.

Method: Subjects were patients meeting DSM-IV-TR criteria for non-psychotic major depressive disorder who responded to 8 weeks of medication treatment but still had residual symptoms (HAM-D score between 7 and 18). All patients were assigned to receive 10 daily sessions (total of 12,500 magnetic pulses) of rTMS applied at the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex as adjunctive treatment. The antidepressant effect was measured repeatedly at 6 days, and at 4 and 8 weeks after treatment with the Thai version of HAM-D scale as a primary outcome scale.

Results: Seven of nine patients (78%) reached the stage of remission (HAM-D < 8) after being treated with adjunctive rTMS. There was a statistically significant difference in decreasing of the HAM-D score during the treatment, χ(2) (df 3) = 17.929, P < 0.001. There was no severe adverse event. One patient had vertigo after the first session of treatment and one patient had a scalp contraction feeling during treatment but full recovered in half an hour with no medical intervention.

Conclusion: For patients with a major depressive disorder in partial remission, high frequency rTMS may provide benefits in adjunctive treatment which are tolerated well. However, the long term effects should be observed.