Abstract
Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a highly potent and selective serotonergic antidepressant, escitalopram, in the treatment of bipolar depression. Method: Twenty outpatients with DSM-IV bipolar depression types I and II were enrolled in a 12-week open trial of escitalopram, 10 mg daily, adjunctive to their ongoing mood stabilizer. Assessments were carried out using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D), the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), and the Clinical Global Impressions for Severity (CGI-S) and Improvement (CGI-I) scales. The study was conducted from August 2003 to February 2004. Results: Escitalopram was associated with significant improvement as measured by the HAM-D total score, which showed a mean reduction from baseline (mean = 20.9, SD = 4.2) to endpoint (mean = 8.9, SD = 3.6; p < .001) of 12 points. The mean CGI-S score decreased by 3.3 points (baseline: mean = 4.8, SD = 0.7; week 12: mean = 1.5, SD = 0.6; p < .001). Adverse events emerged in 75% of the patients (N = 15), usually of mild-to-moderate severity. Four dropouts took place due to manic switch (N = 1), hypomanic symptoms (N = 2), and hospitalization due to the emergence of suicidal ideation and psychosis (N = 1). Conclusion: These findings suggest that escitalopram in association with mood stabilizers may be an effective and reasonably well-tolerated treatment for patients with moderate-to-severe bipolar depression. The switch rate was similar to what is described in the literature for the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Randomized controlled trials of escitalopram in bipolar depression are warranted.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 81-86 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Journal of Clinical Psychiatry |
| Volume | 67 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| State | Published - Jan 2006 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychiatry and Mental health
- Clinical Psychology
Cite this
An open trial of adjunctive escitalopram in bipolar depression. / Fonseca, Manoela; Soares, Jair C.; Hatch, John P.; Santin, Aida P.; Kapczinski, Flavio.
In: Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, Vol. 67, No. 1, 01.2006, p. 81-86.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - An open trial of adjunctive escitalopram in bipolar depression
AU - Fonseca, Manoela
AU - Soares, Jair C.
AU - Hatch, John P.
AU - Santin, Aida P.
AU - Kapczinski, Flavio
PY - 2006/1
Y1 - 2006/1
N2 - Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a highly potent and selective serotonergic antidepressant, escitalopram, in the treatment of bipolar depression. Method: Twenty outpatients with DSM-IV bipolar depression types I and II were enrolled in a 12-week open trial of escitalopram, 10 mg daily, adjunctive to their ongoing mood stabilizer. Assessments were carried out using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D), the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), and the Clinical Global Impressions for Severity (CGI-S) and Improvement (CGI-I) scales. The study was conducted from August 2003 to February 2004. Results: Escitalopram was associated with significant improvement as measured by the HAM-D total score, which showed a mean reduction from baseline (mean = 20.9, SD = 4.2) to endpoint (mean = 8.9, SD = 3.6; p < .001) of 12 points. The mean CGI-S score decreased by 3.3 points (baseline: mean = 4.8, SD = 0.7; week 12: mean = 1.5, SD = 0.6; p < .001). Adverse events emerged in 75% of the patients (N = 15), usually of mild-to-moderate severity. Four dropouts took place due to manic switch (N = 1), hypomanic symptoms (N = 2), and hospitalization due to the emergence of suicidal ideation and psychosis (N = 1). Conclusion: These findings suggest that escitalopram in association with mood stabilizers may be an effective and reasonably well-tolerated treatment for patients with moderate-to-severe bipolar depression. The switch rate was similar to what is described in the literature for the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Randomized controlled trials of escitalopram in bipolar depression are warranted.
AB - Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a highly potent and selective serotonergic antidepressant, escitalopram, in the treatment of bipolar depression. Method: Twenty outpatients with DSM-IV bipolar depression types I and II were enrolled in a 12-week open trial of escitalopram, 10 mg daily, adjunctive to their ongoing mood stabilizer. Assessments were carried out using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D), the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), and the Clinical Global Impressions for Severity (CGI-S) and Improvement (CGI-I) scales. The study was conducted from August 2003 to February 2004. Results: Escitalopram was associated with significant improvement as measured by the HAM-D total score, which showed a mean reduction from baseline (mean = 20.9, SD = 4.2) to endpoint (mean = 8.9, SD = 3.6; p < .001) of 12 points. The mean CGI-S score decreased by 3.3 points (baseline: mean = 4.8, SD = 0.7; week 12: mean = 1.5, SD = 0.6; p < .001). Adverse events emerged in 75% of the patients (N = 15), usually of mild-to-moderate severity. Four dropouts took place due to manic switch (N = 1), hypomanic symptoms (N = 2), and hospitalization due to the emergence of suicidal ideation and psychosis (N = 1). Conclusion: These findings suggest that escitalopram in association with mood stabilizers may be an effective and reasonably well-tolerated treatment for patients with moderate-to-severe bipolar depression. The switch rate was similar to what is described in the literature for the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Randomized controlled trials of escitalopram in bipolar depression are warranted.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=32244449256&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
C2 - 16426092
AN - SCOPUS:32244449256
VL - 67
SP - 81
EP - 86
JO - The Journal of clinical psychiatry
JF - The Journal of clinical psychiatry
SN - 0160-6689
IS - 1
ER -