The Motivation and Energy Inventory (MEI): Analysis of the clinically relevant response threshold in patients with major depressive disorder and emotional blunting using data from the COMPLETE study

Background: The Motivation and Energy Inventory (MEI) is a patient-reported scale for assessment of the impact of mental/cognitive energy, social motivation, and physical energy on daily functioning in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). This analysis was undertaken to establish the clinically relevant response threshold for the MEI in patients with MDD receiving antidepressant treatment. Methods: Patients with MDD experiencing inadequate response and emotional blunting on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor or serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor monotherapy (adequate dose for >= 6 weeks) were switched to vortioxetine 10-20 mg/day for 8 weeks. Anchor-and distribution-based methods were used to determine the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) in MEI total score.Results: After 8 weeks of vortioxetine treatment, mean (standard deviation) change in MEI total score from baseline was 33.0 (27.3) points. At week 8, mean change in MEI total score from baseline was 37.5 (27.8) points in patients no longer reporting emotional blunting and 28.3 (26.2) points in those still experiencing emotional blunting. In patients considered minimally improved (i.e. Clinical Global Impression-Improvement [CGI-I] score of 3 after 8 weeks of vortioxetine), mean change in MEI total score from baseline was 14.7 (19.1) points. In patients defined as responders (CGI-I score of 2 at 8 weeks), mean change in MEI total score was 33.0 (24.7) points. Limitations: Short study duration.Conclusions: These results provide further validation of the clinical utility of the MEI for assessing treatment response in patients with MDD. The suggested MCID for MEI total score is 15 points. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03835715.

Automated summary

This study aimed to establish the clinically relevant response threshold for the Motivation and Energy Inventory (MEI), a scale used to assess the impact of mental, social, and physical energy on daily functioning in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). The results showed that the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for the MEI total score is 15 points.