Patterns of pharmacological maintenance treatment in a community mental health services bipolar disorder cohort study (SIN-DEPRES)

International Trends in Lithium Use for Pharmacotherapy and Clinical Correlates in Bipolar Disorder: A Scoping Review

Lithium remains an effective option in the treatment of bipolar disorder (BD). Thus, we aim to characterize the pharmaco-epidemiological patterns of lithium use internationally over time and elucidate clinical correlates associated with BD using a scoping review, which was conducted using the methodological framework by Arksey and O'Malley (2005). We searched several databases for studies that examined the prescriptions for lithium and clinical associations in BD from inception until December 2023. This review included 55 articles from 1967 to 2023, which collected data from North America (n = 24, 43.6%), Europe (n = 20, 36.4%), and Asia (n = 11, 20.0%). The overall prescription rates ranged from 3.3% to 84% (33.4% before and 30.6% after the median year cutoffs). Over time, there was a decline in lithium use in North America (27.7% before 2010 to 17.1% after 2010) and Europe (36.7% before 2003 to 35.7% after 2003), and a mild increase in Asia (25.0% before 2003 to 26.2% after 2003). Lithium use was associated with specific demographic (e.g., age, male gender) and clinical factors (e.g., lower suicide risk). Overall, we found a trend of declining lithium use internationally, particularly in the West. Specific clinical correlates can support clinical decision-making for continued lithium use.

Differential characteristics of bipolar I and II disorders: a retrospective, cross-sectional evaluation of clinical features, illness course, and response to treatment

BACKGROUND

The distinction between bipolar I and bipolar II disorder and its treatment implications have been a matter of ongoing debate. The aim of this study was to examine differences between patients with bipolar I and II disorders with particular emphasis on the early phases of the disorders.

METHODS

808 subjects diagnosed with bipolar I (N = 587) or bipolar II disorder (N = 221) according to DSM-IV criteria were recruited between April 1994 and March 2022 from tertiary-level mood disorder clinics. Sociodemographic and clinical variables concerning psychiatric and medical comorbidities, family history, illness course, suicidal behavior, and response to treatment were compared between the bipolar disorder types.

RESULTS

Bipolar II disorder patients were more frequently women, older, married or widowed. Bipolar II disorder was associated with later "bipolar" presentation, higher age at first (hypo)mania and treatment, less frequent referral after a single episode, and more episodes before lithium treatment. A higher proportion of first-degree relatives of bipolar II patients were affected by major depression and anxiety disorders. The course of bipolar II disorder was typically characterized by depressive onset, early depressive episodes, multiple depressive recurrences, and depressive predominant polarity; less often by (hypo)mania or (hypo)mania-depression cycles at onset or during the early course. The lifetime clinical course was more frequently rated as chronic fluctuating than episodic. More patients with bipolar II disorder had a history of rapid cycling and/or high number of episodes. Mood stabilizers and antipsychotics were prescribed less frequently during the early course of bipolar II disorder, while antidepressants were more common. We found no differences in global functioning, lifetime suicide attempts, family history of suicide, age at onset of mood disorders and depressive episodes, and lithium response.

CONCLUSIONS

Differences between bipolar I and II disorders are not limited to the severity of (hypo)manic syndromes but include patterns of clinical course and family history. Caution in the use of potentially mood-destabilizing agents is warranted during the early course of bipolar II disorder.

Which patients with bipolar depression receive antidepressant augmentation? Results from an observational multicenter study

BACKGROUND

To identify demographic and clinical characteristics of bipolar depressed patients who require antidepressant (AD) augmentation, and to evaluate the short- and long-term effectiveness and safety of this therapeutic strategy.

METHODS

One hundred twenty-two bipolar depressed patients were consecutively recruited, 71.7% of them received mood stabilizers (MS)/second-generation antipsychotics (SGA) with AD-augmentation and 28.3% did not. Patients were evaluated at baseline, and after 12 weeks and 15 months of treatment.

RESULTS

The AD-augmentation was significantly higher in patients with bipolar II compared with bipolar I diagnosis. Patients with MS/SGA + AD had often a seasonal pattern, depressive polarity onset, depressive index episode with anxious features, a low number of previous psychotic and (hypo)manic episodes and of switch. They had a low irritable premorbid temperament, a low risk of suicide attempts, and a low number of manic symptoms at baseline. After 12 weeks of treatment, 82% of patients receiving ADs improved, 58% responded and 51% remitted, 3.8% had suicidal thoughts or projects, 6.1% had (hypo)manic switch, and 4.1% needed hospitalization. During the following 12 months, 92% of them remitted from index episode, 25.5% did not relapse, and 11% needed hospitalization. Although at the start advantaged, patients with AD-augmentation, compared with those without AD-augmentation, did not significantly differ on any outcome as well on adverse events in the short- and long-term treatment.

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicate that ADs, combined with MS and/or SGA, are short and long term effective and safe in a specific subgroup for bipolar depressed patients.

Antidepressants in bipolar disorder: Analysis of correlates overall, and in BD-I and BD-II subsamples

BACKGROUND

Clinical therapeutic approaches to Bipolar Disorders (BDs) include diverse pharmacotherapies, targeting different symptomatic BD presentations. To date, guidelines about pharmacological treatment of BDs have focused on short-term treatment of mood episodes, at the expense of longer-term treatment, especially for (the most common) predominantly depressive polarity patients.

METHODS

A database of BD-I and BD-II patients was collected between 2013 and 2019 at the University Psychiatric Clinic of Ospedale Policlinico and Ospedale Luigi Sacco of Milan. Only patients in euthymic phases (no current mood episode) were included in the study. We then analyzed socio-demographic and clinical characteristic overall and in the subgroup BD-I and BD-II, comparing patients taking vs. not taking ADs.

RESULTS

Our results showed that approximately 1/3 of BD patients between acute episodes took ADs, also among patients from the subgroup with BD-I, especially those first presenting with a depressive episodes, and those with a most recent depressive (as opposed to elevated, irritable, or mixed) polarity episode.

LIMITATIONS

Although patients included in our study were primarily in follow up for Bipolar Disorder, use of ADs could be explained by other comorbidities, such as Anxiety or Eating Disorders.

CONCLUSIONS

These data shed light on how managing depressive symptoms is a very important aspect of treating BDs, highlighting the need for wider and more specific studies on the use of ADs in BDs.

DSM-5 and ICD-11 criteria for bipolar disorder: Implications for the prevalence of bipolar disorder and validity of the diagnosis - A narrative review from the ECNP bipolar disorders network

This narrative review summarizes and discusses the implications of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-5 and the upcoming International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-11 classification systems on the prevalence of bipolar disorder and on the validity of the DSM-5 diagnosis of bipolar disorder according to the Robin and Guze criteria of diagnostic validity. Here we review and discuss current data on the prevalence of bipolar disorder diagnosed according to DSM-5 versus DSM-IV, and data on characteristics of bipolar disorder in the two diagnostic systems in relation to extended Robin and Guze criteria: 1) clinical presentation, 2) associations with para-clinical data such as brain imaging and blood-based biomarkers, 3) delimitation from other disorders, 4) associations with family history / genetics, 5) prognosis and long-term follow-up, and 6) treatment effects. The review highlights that few studies have investigated consequences for the prevalence of the diagnosis of bipolar disorder and for the validity of the diagnosis. Findings from these studies suggest a substantial decrease in the point prevalence of a diagnosis of bipolar with DSM-5 compared with DSM-IV, ranging from 30-50%, but a smaller decrease in the prevalence during lifetime, corresponding to a 6% reduction. It is concluded that it is likely that the use of DSM-5 and ICD-11 will result in diagnostic delay and delayed early intervention in bipolar disorder. Finally, we recommend areas for future research.

Asenapine prescribing patterns in the treatment of manic in- and outpatients: Results from the MANACOR study

Background:

Asenapine is the most recent compound that has been FDA- and EMA-approved for treatment of mania. Its efficacy and safety have been assessed in placebo-controlled trials, but little is known about its performance in routine clinical conditions. In this study, we compared features of patients treated with adjunctive asenapine or other adjunctive antipsychotics and the costs of the treatment.

Methods:

A combined prospective and retrospective data collection and analysis was conducted from January 2011 to December 2013 following a clinical interview and assessment of manic and depressive symptoms (YMRS, HDRS-17), clinical state (CGI-BP-M), psychosocial functioning (FAST), sexual dysfunction (PRSexDQ) and health resource costs associated with treatment with adjunctive asenapine versus other adjunctive antipsychotics.

Results:

Hundred and fifty-two patients from different university hospitals were included. Fifty-three patients received adjunctive asenapine and 99 received other adjunctive antipsychotics concomitantly to mood stabilizers. Considering inpatients, those treated with adjunctive asenapine presented a significantly less severe manic episode (P = 0.001), less psychotic symptoms (P = 0.030) and more comorbid personality disorder (P = 0.002). Regarding outpatients, those treated with adjunctive asenapine showed significantly less severe manic episode (P = 0.046), more previous mixed episodes (P = 0.013) and more sexual dysfunction at baseline (P = 0.036). No significant differences were found in mean total costs per day.

Conclusion:

Clinicians tended to use adjunctive asenapine in patients with less severe manic symptoms but more complex clinical profile, including more mixed episodes in the past, concomitant personality disorder, and sexual problems. Treatment with adjunctive asenapine was not associated with higher costs when compared to other options.

Medication Profile and Treatment Cost Estimation Among Outpatients with Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, Depression, and Anxiety Disorders in Indonesia

PURPOSE

The present retrospective study aimed to determine the medication profile and estimate the treatment costs from medical records of new outpatients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety disorders from a healthcare perspective at a national referral hospital in Indonesia from 2016 to 2018.

METHODS

Medical records (including medical and administrative data) of 357 new outpatients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, or anxiety disorders were collected from the hospital information system. The records of new outpatients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, or anxiety disorders aged >18 years and had only received drugs for treatment were included. The medication profile was descriptively assessed, and estimated costs were calculated based on direct costs from a healthcare perspective.

RESULTS

Overall, 173 medical records were further analyzed. The main drugs administered to the new outpatients were atypical and typical antipsychotics for schizophrenia, atypical antipsychotics and mood stabilizers for bipolar disorder, antidepressants and atypical antipsychotics for depression, and antidepressants and benzodiazepines for anxiety disorders. The average annual treatment costs per patient were IDR 3,307,931 (USD 236) for schizophrenia, IDR 17,978,865 (USD 1,284) for bipolar disorder, IDR 1,601,850 (USD 114) for depression, and IDR 1,190,563 (USD 85) for anxiety disorders.

CONCLUSION

The most commonly prescribed drugs for schizophrenia were haloperidol and risperidone; for bipolar disorders, sodium divalproex and risperidone; for depression, fluoxetine and sertraline; and for anxiety disorders, sertraline and lorazepam. Considering the high prevalence and estimated treatment costs for mental disorders, special attention is required to prevent an increase in their prevalence in Indonesia.

Expert advice on the management of valproate in women with bipolar disorder at childbearing age

INTRODUCTION

The perinatal period is associated with up to 2/3 relapses in untreated bipolar disorder (BD), with important consequences on the clinical BD outcome and on fetal and child development. Valproate (VPA), one of the most effective treatments in BD, is associated with the highest risk of serious neurodevelopmental disorders in exposed children. This has brought to tightened restrictions to its use by regulatory agencies and clinical guidelines.

METHODS

A panel of experts on the pharmacological treatment of BD conducted a non-systematic review of the scientific literature and clinical guidelines until March 2019, and provided specific evidence-based and experience-based clinical recommendations for VPA switching/discontinuation in BD women of childbearing potential.

RESULTS

After the review of the evidence in a face-to-face meeting, the panel concluded that several clinical criteria need to be considered to make a clinical decision about VPA discontinuation and switch. The plateau cross-taper switch may be preferred. Abrupt switching may bear augmented risk of relapse CONCLUSIONS: BD childbearing women treated with VPA must be managed on a personalized basis according to the clinical situation. It is mandatory to stop VPA during pregnancy. The duration of the discontinuation/switch process depends on different clinical variables. Lithium, lamotrigine, quetiapine, olanzapine or aripiprazole are good options for switch in stable BD patients in planned/unplanned pregnancy. In unstable BD patients planning pregnancy, stability is paramount. Prevention of post-partum episodes requires reinstatement of effective treatment before or after birth (in the case of VPA). VPA is still an option in the post-partum period and beyond.

A randomized controlled trial comparing lithium plus valproic acid versus lithium plus carbamazepine in young patients with type 1 bipolar disorder: the LICAVAL study

BACKGROUND

Treatment of bipolar disorder (BD) usually requires drug combinations. Combinations of lithium plus valproic acid (Li/VPA) and lithium plus carbamazepine (Li/CBZ) are used in clinical practice but were not previously compared in a head-to-head trial.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this trial was to compare the efficacy and tolerability of Li/VPA versus Li/CBZ in treating type 1 BD in any phase of illness in young individuals.

METHODS

LICAVAL was a randomized, unicenter, open-label, parallel-group trial that was conducted from January 2009 to December 2012 in a tertiary hospital in São Paulo, Brazil. Participants were between 18 and 35 years old and were followed up for 2 years. Our primary outcome was the number of participants achieving/maintaining response and remission during the acute and maintenance phases of BD treatment, respectively. Other outcomes assessed were symptom severity and adverse events throughout the study. In the analysis of the primary outcome, we compared groups by using a two-way repeated measures analysis of variance and estimated effect sizes by using Cohen's d.

RESULTS

Of our 64 participants, 36 were allocated to Li/VPA and 28 to Li/CBZ. Our sample was composed predominantly of females (66.6%) and the average age was 27.8 years. A total of 27 (45.0%) participants had depression, 17 (28.3%) had mania/hypomania, and 16 (26.7%) had a mixed state. We found no between-group differences in CGI-BP (Clinical Global Impression Scale modified for use in bipolar disorder) scores (P = 0.326) or in any other outcome. Side effects differed significantly between groups only in the first week of treatment (P = 0.021), and there were more side effects in the Li/VPA group. Also, the Li/VPA group gained weight (+2.1 kg) whereas the Li/CBZ group presented slight weight loss (-0.2 kg).

CONCLUSION

Our study suggests that Li/VPA and Li/CBZ have similar efficacy and tolerability in BD but that Li/CBZ might have metabolic advantages in the long term.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00976794 . Registered on September 9, 2009.

Antidepressants in Bipolar Depression: An Enduring Controversy

(Reprinted with permission from Int J Bipolar Discord (2018) 6:25).

Clinical characteristics of antidepressant use and related manic switch in bipolar disorder

OBJECTIVE

To examine the association between clinical and treatment characteristics and antidepressants (AD)-induced manic switch in bipolar disorder (BD).

METHODS

Total of 238 euthymic BD patients, who had been followed-up for at least 6 months at the outpatient clinic of Haseki Training and Research Hospital in istanbul, Turkey, were enrolled in this cross-sectional study in 2016. Semi-structured data form, the mood chart, and the mirror-designated assessment were applied to all subjects. The files of the patients were retrospectively reviewed and the patients using ADs were compared as AD-monotherapy (AD-m) and AD-combination (AD-c) groups, then divided into 2 subgroups according to the presence/absence of manic switch under AD treatment.

RESULTS

Fifty eight (47.15%) patients out of 123 who received ADs at least once had experienced a manic switch under AD treatment. The rate of manic switch in AD-m patients was significantly higher than the AD-c group. Independent from being monotherapy or combined treatment, AD use longer than 12 months was negatively associated with the occurrence of manic switch.

CONCLUSION

Our study suggests that the risk of manic switch is especially prominent in the first months of AD use. Antidepressants use in combining it with a mood stabilizers (MS) may not be adequate in preventing switches in shorter terms. However, in longer term uses addition of MS to ADs may decrease the risk of switches.

Antidepressants in bipolar depression: an enduring controversy

The proper place and the optimal use of antidepressants in treating bipolar depression continues to be an area of great interest and greater controversy with passionate opinions more common than good studies. Even the handful of meta-analyses in the area disagree with each other. Overall, the evidence that antidepressants are effective in treating bipolar depression is weak. Additionally, many experts and clinicians worry greatly about the capacity of antidepressants to cause affective switching or mood destabilization. Yet, in short term controlled studies, with most patients also taking mood stabilizers, antidepressants are not associated with switches into mania/hypomania. Evidence of cycle acceleration with antidepressants primarily reflects treatment with older antidepressants, e.g., tricyclics. Similar evidence with modern antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) is lacking. The key questions should not be: are antidepressants effective in bipolar depression?; And: do antidepressants worsen the course of bipolar disorder? Rather, the question should be focused on subgroups: for which patients are antidepressants helpful and safe, and for which patients will they be harmful? Predictors of affective switching with antidepressants include: bipolar I disorder (vs. bipolar II), mixed features during depression, tricyclics vs. modern antidepressants, rapid cycling and possibly a history of drug abuse, especially stimulant abuse. Additionally, a number of recent studies have demonstrated both the safety and efficacy of antidepressant monotherapy in treating bipolar II depression. Finally, a subgroup of bipolar individuals need antidepressants in addition to mood stabilizers as part of an optimal maintenance treatment regimen.

Bipolar disorders

Bipolar disorders are chronic and recurrent disorders that affect >1% of the global population. Bipolar disorders are leading causes of disability in young people as they can lead to cognitive and functional impairment and increased mortality, particularly from suicide and cardiovascular disease. Psychiatric and nonpsychiatric medical comorbidities are common in patients and might also contribute to increased mortality. Bipolar disorders are some of the most heritable psychiatric disorders, although a model with gene-environment interactions is believed to best explain the aetiology. Early and accurate diagnosis is difficult in clinical practice as the onset of bipolar disorder is commonly characterized by nonspecific symptoms, mood lability or a depressive episode, which can be similar in presentation to unipolar depression. Moreover, patients and their families do not always understand the significance of their symptoms, especially with hypomanic or manic symptoms. As specific biomarkers for bipolar disorders are not yet available, careful clinical assessment remains the cornerstone of diagnosis. The detection of hypomanic symptoms and longtudinal clinical assessment are crucial to differentiate a bipolar disorder from other conditions. Optimal early treatment of patients with evidence-based medication (typically mood stabilizers and antipsychotics) and psychosocial strategies is necessary.

Efficacy and safety of long-term antidepressant treatment for bipolar disorders - A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

OBJECTIVE

Efficacy and safety of long-term use of antidepressants (AD) in bipolar disorder (BD) patients remains highly controversial. Here we performed a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) exploring the efficacy and safety of long-term AD use in BD patients.

METHODS

English-written literature published in peer-reviewed journal was systematically searched from Pubmed, EMBASE, CENTRAL, PsycINFO and Clinicaltrials.gov. Each database was searched from its first available time to August 31, 2016. Additional papers were searched from recent guidelines, expert consensus and systematic reviews by hand. RCTs exploring the efficacy and safety of long-term (≥4m) antidepressant treatment for patients with bipolar disorder were eligible. Two authors (HF, JL) independently extracted the data. Risk ratio (RR), number needed to treat (NNT) and/or number needed to harm (NNH) for new depressive episodes and new manic/hypomanic episodes were calculated. Subgroup analyses were performed based on treatment regimen (AD monotherapy or combined with MS), types of antidepressants, funding source, bipolar subtypes and treatment duration.

RESULTS

Eleven trials with 692 bipolar disorder patients were included in the meta-analysis. The risk of bias assessment demonstrated moderate bias risk. Antidepressants were superior to placebo in reducing new depressive episodes in bipolar disorders without increasing risk of new manic/hypomanic episodes either used as monotherapy or in combination with MS. Subgroup analyses revealed that greater benefit and lower risk may be achieved in BD II than in BD I. However, compared with MS monotherapy, AD monotherapy significantly increased the risk of affective switch with no improvement in prophylaxis of new depressive episodes.

CONCLUSIONS

Reduced new depressive episodes may be achieved by long-term AD treatment with no significantly increased risk of new manic/hypomanic episodes in BD, particularly in BD II. The elevated risk of affective switch of AD monotherapy compared with MS monotherapy may be contributed to the protective effect of MS in diminishing manic/hypomanic episodes. Further studies are needed to verify our findings.

High cognitive reserve in bipolar disorders as a moderator of neurocognitive impairment

BACKGROUND

Cognitive reserve (CR) reflects the capacity of the brain to endure neuropathology, minimize clinical manifestations and successfully complete cognitive tasks. The present study aims to determine whether high CR may constitute a moderator of cognitive functioning in bipolar disorder (BD).

METHODS

102 patients with BD and 32 healthy controls were enrolled. All patients met DSM-IV criteria for I or II BD and were euthymic (YMRS≤6 and HDRS≤8) during a 6-month period. All participants were tested with a comprehensive neuropsychological battery, and a Cerebral Reserve Score (CRS) was estimated. Subjects with a CRS below the group median were classified as having low CR, whereas participants with a CRS above the median value were considered to have high CR.

RESULTS

Participants with BD with high CR displayed a better performance in measures of attention (digits forward: F=4.554, p=0.039); phonemic and semantic verbal fluency (FAS: F=9.328, p=0.004; and Animal Naming: F=8.532, p=0.006); and verbal memory (short cued recall of California Verbal Learning Test: F=4.236, p=0.046), after multivariable adjustment for potential confounders, including number of admissions and prior psychotic symptoms.

LIMITATIONS

The cross-sectional design of the study does not allow the establishment of causal inferences. Additionally, the small size of the sample may have limited some results.

CONCLUSIONS

High cognitive reserve may therefore be a valuable construct to explore for predicting neurocognitive performance in patients with BD regarding premorbid status.

Management of bipolar disorder in the intercontinental region: an international, multicenter, non-interventional, cross-sectional study in real-life conditions

Most of the existing data on real-life management of bipolar disorder are from studies conducted in western countries (mostly United States and Europe). This multinational, observational cohort study aimed to describe the management and clinical outcomes of bipolar patients in real-life conditions across various intercontinental countries (Bangladesh, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Tunisia, and Ukraine). Data on socio-demographic and disease characteristics, current symptomatology, and pharmacological treatment were collected. Comparisons between groups were performed using standard statistical tests. Overall, 1180 patients were included. The median time from initial diagnosis was 80 months. Major depressive disorder was the most common initial diagnosis. Mood stabilizers and antipsychotics were the most common drugs being prescribed at the time of the study. Antidepressants (mainly selective serotonin uptake inhibitors [SSRIs]) were administered to 36.1% of patients. Patients with bipolar I disorder received higher number of antipsychotics and anxiolytics than those with bipolar II disorder (p < 0.001). Presence of depressive symptoms was associated with an increase in antidepressant use (p < 0.001). Bipolar disorder real-life management practice, irrespective of region, shows a delay in diagnosis and an overuse of antidepressants. Clinical decision-making appears to be based on a multidimensional approach related to current symptomatology and type of bipolar disorder.

Bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder is a recurrent chronic disorder characterised by fluctuations in mood state and energy. It affects more than 1% of the world's population irrespective of nationality, ethnic origin, or socioeconomic status. Bipolar disorder is one of the main causes of disability among young people, leading to cognitive and functional impairment and raised mortality, particularly death by suicide. A high prevalence of psychiatric and medical comorbidities is typical in affected individuals. Accurate diagnosis of bipolar disorder is difficult in clinical practice because onset is most commonly a depressive episode and looks similar to unipolar depression. Moreover, there are currently no valid biomarkers for the disorder. Therefore, the role of clinical assessment remains key. Detection of hypomanic periods and longitudinal assessment are crucial to differentiate bipolar disorder from other conditions. Current knowledge of the evolving pharmacological and psychological strategies in bipolar disorder is of utmost importance.

Utilization of Psychopharmacological Treatment Among Patients With Newly Diagnosed Bipolar Disorder From 2001 to 2010

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to examine utilization and patterns of psychopharmacological treatment during a 1-year follow-up period among patients with newly diagnosed bipolar disorder from 2001 to 2010.

METHODS

Patients with newly diagnosed bipolar disorder from 2001 to 2010 were identified from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. We assessed prescription records related to 4 kinds of psychopharmacological medication, including antipsychotics (APs), antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and benzodiazepines, as well as health care utilization in a 1-year follow-up period among the study subjects. In addition, logistic regressions were applied to test the trends for utilization of psychopharmacological treatment during the 10-year study period.

RESULTS

A total of 2703 patients newly diagnosed with bipolar disorder were enrolled. The ratio of good adherence, defined as medications possession ratio greater than 0.8, for use of the examined psychopharmacological medication was relatively low during the study period. The use of first-generation APs, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants, lithium, carbamazepine, and benzodiazepines has declined; however, the use of second-generation APs, serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, lamotrigine, and valproate has risen markedly during the 10-year period.

CONCLUSIONS

This study presents patterns of pharmacological treatment in patients with newly diagnosed bipolar disorder in Taiwan for a 10-year study period. It would be of importance to further investigate causes and outcomes for polytherapy and nonadherence to psychotropic medications among patients with bipolar disorder.

Current prescription pattern of maintenance treatments for bipolar patients in Korea: A focus on the transition from acute treatments

AIMS

We examined prescription patterns in maintenance treatment for recovered bipolar patients and compared these with acute treatments.

METHODS

Using retrospective methods, the bipolar patients in clinical recovery (Clinical Global Impression Bipolar Version score ≤ 2 for 6 months) after acute episode were selected. We reviewed differences between prescription patterns at remission and after a maintenance period of at least 6 months.

RESULTS

A total of 340 bipolar disorder patients were selected. During the maintenance period, more than half of the patients (192, 56.5%) took a mood stabilizer (MS) + antipsychotic (AP) combination. Among the MS, valproate (149, 43.8%) was most prescribed, and lithium (98, 28.8%) was second, but as patients moved into maintenance treatment, lithium use decreased, and the use of lamotrigine (86, 25.3%) increased. Preferred AP were quetiapine (125, 36.8%), aripiprazole (67, 19.7%), risperidone (48, 14.1%), and olanzapine (39, 11.5%). The use of olanzapine in maintenance was greatly decreased compared with that during acute treatment (67, 19.7%). Most patients did not take an antidepressant (AD), but the proportion using one or more AD was increased during maintenance (17.9% to 30.3%), and bupropion (28, 8.2%) was the preferred AD. Doses were decreased in all drugs, but lamotrigine was maintained at a dose of 133.2 ± 68.5 mg/day.

CONCLUSIONS

The most common prescription combination for bipolar maintenance treatment was MS + AP. The use of AP was decreased, whereas the use of AD in combination with MS and/or AP was increased. The doses of MS and AP were generally decreased during the maintenance periods, with the exception of lamotrigine.

Pharmacotherapy of acute mania: monotherapy or combination therapy with mood stabilizers and antipsychotics?

The use of combination therapy with mood stabilizers and antipsychotics in acute mania in bipolar disorder (BD) is widespread, although most treatment guidelines recommend monotherapy as the first option, and reserve combination therapy, which is associated with more frequent and more severe side effects, for when patients do not respond to the former treatment option. Reasons to prescribe combination therapy include the lack of efficacy of the current treatment (either real or due to undisclosed poor adherence), psychiatric comorbidities, severe previous course of illness, slow cross-tapering during treatment switching, and potential benefits from particular combinations. The decision to start with monotherapy or combination therapy may depend on the patient characteristics, and is still under debate. Clinical trials designed to ascertain whether combination therapy or monotherapy is more advantageous for patients in acute mania and beyond, according to illness severity, are urgently needed. Adding a third monotherapy arm to the conventional two-arm, adjunctive-design trials or initiating combination therapy from the beginning may help to shed some light on the issue.

Treatment implications of predominant polarity and the polarity index: a comprehensive review

BACKGROUND

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a serious and recurring condition that affects approximately 2.4% of the global population. About half of BD sufferers have an illness course characterized by either a manic or a depressive predominance. This predominant polarity in BD may be differentially associated with several clinical correlates. The concept of a polarity index (PI) has been recently proposed as an index of the antimanic versus antidepressive efficacy of various maintenance treatments for BD. Notwithstanding its potential clinical utility, predominant polarity was not included in the DSM-5 as a BD course specifier.

METHODS

Here we searched computerized databases for original clinical studies on the role of predominant polarity for selection of and response to pharmacological treatments for BD. Furthermore, we systematically searched the Pubmed database for maintenance randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for BD to determine the PI of the various pharmacological agents for BD.

RESULTS

We found support from naturalistic studies that bipolar patients with a predominantly depressive polarity are more likely to be treated with an antidepressive stabilization package, while BD patients with a manic-predominant polarity are more frequently treated with an antimanic stabilization package. Furthermore, predominantly manic BD patients received therapeutic regimens with a higher mean PI. The calculated PI varied from 0.4 (for lamotrigine) to 12.1 (for aripiprazole).

CONCLUSIONS

This review supports the clinical relevance of predominant polarity as a course specifier for BD. Future studies should investigate the role of baseline, predominant polarity as an outcome predictor of BD maintenance RCTs.

Indian Psychiatric Society multicentric study: Prescription patterns of psychotropics in India

BACKGROUND

There is a lack of national level data from India on prescription of psychotropics by psychiatrists.

AIM AND OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess the first prescription handed over to the psychiatrically ill patients whenever they contact a psychiatrist.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data were collected across 11 centers. Psychiatric diagnosis was made as per the International Classification of Diseases Classification of Mental and Behavioural Disorders 10(th) edition criteria based on Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, and the data of psychotropic prescriptions was collected.

RESULTS

Study included 4480 patients, slightly more than half of the subjects were of male (54.8%) and most of the participants were married (71.8%). Half of the participants were from the urban background, and about half (46.9%) were educated up to or beyond high school. The most common diagnostic category was that of affective disorders (54.3%), followed by Neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders (22.2%) and psychotic disorders (19.1%). Other diagnostic categories formed a very small proportion of the study participants. Among the antidepressants, most commonly prescribed antidepressant included escitalopram followed by sertraline. Escitalopram was the most common antidepressant across 7 out of 11 centers and second most common in three centers. Among the antipsychotics, the most commonly prescribed antipsychotic was olanzapine followed by risperidone. Olanzapine was the most commonly prescribed antipsychotic across 6 out of 11 centers and second most common antipsychotic across rest of the centers. Among the mood stabilizers valproate was prescribed more often, and it was the most commonly prescribed mood stabilizer in 8 out of 11 centers. Clonazepam was prescribed as anxiolytic about 5 times more commonly than lorazepam. Clonazepam was the most common benzodiazepine prescribed in 6 out of the 11 centers. Rate of polypharmacy was low.

CONCLUSION

Escitalopram is the most commonly prescribed antidepressant, olanzapine is the most commonly prescribed antipsychotic and clonazepam is most commonly prescribed benzodiazepine. There are very few variations in prescription patterns across various centers.

Antipsychotic switching in bipolar disorders: a systematic review

With the increasingly widespread use of antipsychotics in bipolar disorder (BD), switching among these agents and between antipsychotics and mood stabilizers has become more common, in particular, since the introduction of the novel atypical antipsychotics with mood stabilizer properties. This systematic review aims to provide a comprehensive update of the current literature in BD about the switching of antipsychotics, among them and between them and mood stabilizers, in acute and maintenance treatment. We conducted a comprehensive, computerized literature search using terms related to antipsychotic switching in BD in the PubMed/Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL database; the Cochrane Library and; the Clinicaltrials.gov web up to January 9th, 2013 according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. The search returned 4160 articles. After excluding duplications, reviews, case reports and studies that did not fulfil the selection criteria, 8 studies were included. Not only have few articles on antipsychotic switching been published but also recruitment in most studies included mixed samples of patients. In general, antipsychotic switching, regardless of the route of drug administration, was well tolerated and no interference was shown in antipsychotic effectiveness during the interchange of drugs. Metabolic improvement was perceived when the switch involved antipsychotics with a low metabolic risk profile. The evidence-base for antipsychotic switching in BD is scant, and little controlled data is available. Switch from quetiapine to lithium and from risperidone to olanzapine has proven successful. Switching to antipsychotics with low metabolic risk had some positive impact on several safety measures. In stabilized patients, the plateau cross-taper switch may be preferred.