A high physical symptom count reduces the effectiveness of treatment for depression, independently of chronic medical conditions

In this RCT, patients with MDD accompanied by a high physical symptom count benefited less from treatment for MDD in primary care, regardless of the type of treatment (either collaborative care or CAU). This was not explained by the presence of comorbid medical conditions. Further research is needed to improve treatment for MDD accompanied by a high physical symptom count, although collaborative care for depression is still more effective than CAU for this group of patients. Trial registration: Dutch trial register ISRCTN15266438.