Arnaud Philippot1, Vincent Dubois2, Kate Lambrechts3, Denis Grogna2, Annie Robert4, Ugo Jonckheer2, Wagdan Chakib2, Alexandre Beine2, Yannick Bleyenheuft5, Anne G De Volder6. 1. MSL-In Laboratory, Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium; Psychiatric Hospital Area+/Epsylon, ASBL, Brussels, Belgium. 2. Psychiatric Hospital Area+/Epsylon, ASBL, Brussels, Belgium. 3. Psychiatric Hospital Area+/Epsylon, ASBL, Brussels, Belgium; Environmental, Aging (Integrative) Physiology Laboratory, Haute Ecole Bruxelles-Brabant (HE2B), Brussels, Belgium. 4. EPID Epidemiology and Biostatistics Research Pole Environmental, Institut de recherche expérimentale et clinique, Université catholique de Louvain. 5. MSL-In Laboratory, Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: yannick.bleyenheuft@uclouvain.be. 6. MSL-In Laboratory, Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium; Pediatric Neurology Service, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Physical exercise therapy is of proven efficacy in the treatment of adults with depression, but corresponding evidence is lacking in depressed adolescent inpatients. The aim of this study was to document the effect of add-on treatment with structured physical exercise in a clinical population of adolescents hospitalized for depression and anxiety in a psychiatric hospital. METHODS: A group of 52 adolescent inpatients was randomly assigned to a physical exercise or control program three to four times per week over a six-week period (20 hours in total). The primary outcome was the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS) for evaluation of depression and anxiety symptoms. Secondary outcomes were psychological self-assessments, diagnostic interviews, and physical examinations. RESULTS: Six participants were lost in each group, leaving 20 inpatients each in the intervention and control groups. A linear mixed model with F-test revealed a significant interaction in favor of physical exercise in reducing the mean depression score (HADS-D) by 3.8 points [95% (CI), range 1.8 to 5.7], compared to a mean reduction score of 0.7 [95% (CI), range -0,7 to 2.0] in the control group. No significant interaction was found for anxiety symptoms (HADS-A). LIMITATIONS: The investigation was limited to the six-week hospital window and the small sample size prevented exploring differences in social characteristics. CONCLUSION: Structured physical exercise add-on therapy integrated into the psychiatric hospitalization of adolescents has led to a reduction in their depressive symptoms, demonstrating its effectiveness in the care of adolescent inpatients with depression.
BACKGROUND: Physical exercise therapy is of proven efficacy in the treatment of adults with depression, but corresponding evidence is lacking in depressed adolescent inpatients. The aim of this study was to document the effect of add-on treatment with structured physical exercise in a clinical population of adolescents hospitalized for depression and anxiety in a psychiatric hospital. METHODS: A group of 52 adolescent inpatients was randomly assigned to a physical exercise or control program three to four times per week over a six-week period (20 hours in total). The primary outcome was the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS) for evaluation of depression and anxiety symptoms. Secondary outcomes were psychological self-assessments, diagnostic interviews, and physical examinations. RESULTS: Six participants were lost in each group, leaving 20 inpatients each in the intervention and control groups. A linear mixed model with F-test revealed a significant interaction in favor of physical exercise in reducing the mean depression score (HADS-D) by 3.8 points [95% (CI), range 1.8 to 5.7], compared to a mean reduction score of 0.7 [95% (CI), range -0,7 to 2.0] in the control group. No significant interaction was found for anxiety symptoms (HADS-A). LIMITATIONS: The investigation was limited to the six-week hospital window and the small sample size prevented exploring differences in social characteristics. CONCLUSION: Structured physical exercise add-on therapy integrated into the psychiatric hospitalization of adolescents has led to a reduction in their depressive symptoms, demonstrating its effectiveness in the care of adolescent inpatients with depression.
Authors: Arnaud Philippot; Vincent Dubois; Kate Lambrechts; Denis Grogna; Annie Robert; Ugo Jonckheer; Wagdan Chakib; Alexandre Beine; Yannick Bleyenheuft; Anne G De Volder Journal: Data Brief Date: 2022-04-12
Authors: Arnaud Philippot; Pauline Moulin; Marie-Hélène Charon; Costantino Balestra; Vincent Dubois; Philippe de Timary; Anne De Volder; Yannick Bleyenheuft; Kate Lambrechts Journal: Front Psychiatry Date: 2022-06-21 Impact factor: 5.435