{
  "abstract": "Introduction: Naturalistic repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) outcome data for treatment-resistant depression remain limited in Southeast Asia. This retrospective study describes such outcomes from a general hospital in Singapore.\n\nMethod: 28 outpatients received rTMS (10Hz high-frequency or intermittent theta-burst) targeting the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (F3 scalp position) between May 2022 and May 2025. Treatment-resistant depression was defined as failing ≥2 antidepressant classes for ≥6 weeks each. The primary outcome was change in the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) score; secondary outcomes included the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self Report (QIDS-SR16), the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), the Quality of Life, Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire-Short Form (Q-LES-Q-SF), the Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S), and the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF).\n\nResults: Despite 85.7% of patients having failed ≥3 antidepressant classes, the mean MADRS score decreased by 15.8 (SD 9.1), from 29.6 (SD 7.6) to 13.9 (SD 11.1, p<0.001). This corresponded to a 67.9% response rate and a 57.1% remission rate. All secondary measures (QIDS-SR16, DASS-21, Q-LES-Q-SF, CGI-S, and GAF) showed significant improvements (all p<0.001). Shorter episode duration and higher baseline quality of life were significantly associated with remission.\n\nConclusion: We report favourable response (67.9%) and remission (57.1%) rates within a general hospital cohort in Singapore following standardised rTMS targeting the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (approximated by the F3 position), despite extensive prior antidepressant medication failure. These findings contribute real-world data to the limited Southeast Asian literature on standardised rTMS protocols for treatment-resistant depression in general hospital and similar clinical settings.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Psychiatry, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore, Singapore"
  ],
  "article_type": "brief report",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 2,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Yi Hang Tay"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Ern Wei Christabel Thng"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/c5v794rp4y6tg.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1924135",
  "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13696402/",
  "id": "c5v794rp4y6tg",
  "issns": [
    "1664-0640"
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  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1924135",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
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      "openalex",
      "2808|Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Studies"
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  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13696402?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13696402",
  "pmid": "42935567",
  "published": "2026-10-12",
  "publisher": "Frontiers Media SA",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/c5v794rp4y6tg.ris",
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    },
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  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2808|Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Studies",
      "subfield": "neurology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for treatment-resistant depression in Singapore: a retrospective, naturalistic study",
  "title_text": "Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for treatment-resistant depression in Singapore: a retrospective, naturalistic study",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:33:44Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/c5v794rp4y6tg",
  "venue": "Frontiers in Psychiatry",
  "versions": []
}