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Left vs. Right Non-Inferiority Trial

Left Intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation vs. Right Low Frequency Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Effectiveness in Depression and Suicidal Ideation: A Randomized Non-Inferiority Trial

Status
Recruiting
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04999553
Acronym
LeRNIT
Enrollment
480
Registered
2021-08-11
Start date
2021-11-08
Completion date
2027-07-01
Last updated
2026-08-25

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Depression, Major Depressive Disorder, Major Depressive Episode

Keywords

rTMS, TMS, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, iTBS, Depression, Major Depressive Disorder

Brief summary

The aim of this study is to test the hypothesis that low-frequency rTMS (LFR) works as well as the established intermittent thetaburst rTMS (iTBS) treatment for treatment resistant depression (TRD).

Detailed description

In this multi-centre, triple-blinded, non-inferiority trial 420 patients with TRD will be recruited at two academic centres (UBC, CAMH). Patients will be randomised to receive either iTBS or LFR for 30 sessions. The primary outcome will be the improvement on a depression scale. Secondary outcome will be improvement of suicidal ideation. A secondary aim is to test the predictive capacity of a novel, easy to implement heart rate based biomarkers (i.e. heart rate variability).

Interventions

DEVICERepetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

rTMS will employ the MagPro X100/R30 stimulator equipped with the cool-B70 as we used a cool-B70 in our past non-inferiority trial. The dose will be a 120% rMT in accordance to our latest trial using iTBS. The target area to stimulate will be the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) for LFR and the left DLPFC for iTBS as established in prior clinical trials. The localization of both targets will follow the well-established procedures for either R-DLPFC or L-DLPFC using a heuristic method.

DEVICEIntermittent Theta Burst Stimulation (iTBS)

Intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation (iTBS)

DEVICELow Frequency Right (LFR)

Low Frequency Right (LFR)

Sponsors

University of British Columbia
Lead SponsorOTHER
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
CollaboratorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Masking description

Study doctors and raters obtaining outcome measures will be blind to treatment assignment.

Intervention model description

This is a two-arm multicenter parallel, clinician-blinded randomized non-inferiority trial

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

1. are female or male; 2. are outpatients; 3. are voluntary and competent to consent to treatment; 4. have a DSM 5 diagnosis of MDD,55 single or recurrent confirmed by Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) version 7.0; 5. are 18yo to 65yo; 6. have failed to achieve a clinical response to an adequate dose of an antidepressant based on an Antidepressant Treatment History Form (ATHF) score of \> 3 in the current episode OR have been unable to tolerate at least two separate trials of antidepressants at less than the minimum adequate dose and/or duration (ATHF 1 or 2); 7. have a score ≥ 18 on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-17 item); 8. have had no increase or initiation of any psychotropic medication in the 4 weeks prior to screening; 9. are able to adhere to the treatment schedule; 10. pass the TMS and MRI adult safety screening questionnaires.

Exclusion criteria

1. have a history of substance use within the last 3 months; 2. have a concomitant major unstable medical illness; 3. have active suicidal intent; 4. are pregnant; 5. have a lifetime (MINI) diagnosis of any psychotic or bipolar disorder; 6. have a MINI anxiety disorder or personality disorder assessed by a study investigator to be primary and causing greater impairment than MDD; 7. have failed a course of ECT in the current episode; 8. have any significant neurological disorder, any history of seizure (except those therapeutically induced by ECT), significant head trauma with loss of consciousness for \> 5 min; 9. have any intracranial implant (e.g., aneurysm clips) or any other metal object within or near the head, excluding the mouth, that cannot be safely removed; 10. are participating in psychotherapy, must have been in stable treatment for at least 3 months prior to study entry, with no anticipated change in the frequency of therapeutic sessions, or focus of therapeutic sessions over the duration of the study; 11. have a clinically significant laboratory abnormality, in the opinion of the one of the principal investigators; 12. have a non-correctable clinically significant sensory impairment (i.e., cannot hear well enough to cooperate with interview);

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Depression severity30 days17 item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-17) Change

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Suicidal ideation30 daysColumbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale Screen Version (C-SSRS) Change
Anxiety severity30 daysHamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) Change
Depression severity30 daysSelf-rated 16-item Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms (QIDS-16) Change

Countries

Canada

Contacts

CONTACTAmanda Ding
ninet.lab@ubc.ca604-827-1361
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORFidel Vila-Rodriguez, MD, PhD

University of British Columbia

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Aug 26, 2026