Effect of clinical response to active drugs and placebo on antipsychotics and mood stabilizers relative efficacy for bipolar depression and mania: A meta-regression analysis

Combining predominant polarity and affective spectrum concepts in bipolar disorder: towards a novel theoretical and clinical perspective

This is an overview of recent advances on predominant polarity conceptualization in bipolar disorder (BD). Current evidence on its operationalized definitions, possible contextualization within the affective spectrum, along with its epidemiological impact, and treatment implications, are summarized. Predominant polarity identifies three subgroups of patients with BD according to their mood recurrencies: (i) those with depressive or (ii) manic predominance as well as (iii) patients without any preponderance ('nuclear' type). A predominant polarity can be identified in approximately half of patients, with similar rates for depressive and manic predominance. Different factors may influence the predominant polarity, including affective temperaments. More generally, affective disorders should be considered as existing on a spectrum ranging from depressive to manic features, also accounting for disorders with 'ultrapredominant' polarity, i.e., unipolar depression and mania. While mixed findings emerge on its utility in clinical practice, it is likely that the construct of predominant polarity, in place of conventional differentiation between BD-I and BD-II, may be useful to clarify the natural history of the disorder and select the most appropriate interventions. The conceptualization of predominant polarity seems to reconcile previous theoretical views of both BD and affective spectrum into a novel perspective. It may provide useful information to clinicians for the early identification of possible trajectories of BD and thus guide them when selecting interventions for maintenance treatment. However, further research is needed to clarify the specific role of predominant polarity as a key determinant of BD course, outcome, and treatment response.

Effect of long-acting injectable antipsychotics on 1-year hospitalization in bipolar disorder: a mirror-image study

Long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics are often used for the long-term management also of bipolar disorder (BD). Nonetheless, evidence on their effect on pragmatic outcomes such as hospitalization risk in BD is inconsistent. We carried out a mirror-image study comparing rates and number of days of hospitalization, one year before and after the initiation of LAI treatment, in a sample of subjects with BD. Participants were selected from the STAR Network Depot Study, a pragmatic, observational, multicenter research involving a cohort of inpatients and outpatients consecutively started on LAI treatment. Variations in rates and in total number of days of hospitalization between the 12 months before and those after treatment initiation were analyzed. Among 461 individuals screened for eligibility, we included 71 adults with BD, initiated either on first- (FGA) or second-generation (SGA) LAIs. We found a significant decrease in terms of 12-month hospitalization rates (p < 0.001) and number of days (p < 0.001) after LAI initiation, without any effect by age, gender, alcohol/substance use disorders, and symptom severity. Subgroup analyses based on antipsychotic class, history of LAI treatment, and concomitant oral medications, confirmed the decreasing trend on both hospitalization rates and number of days. However, these reductions were not significant among participants who continued this treatment for less than 6 months. Comprehensively, this study supports the role of LAIs as effective maintenance treatment options for BD. Further research is needed to identify clinical characteristics of people with BD who would most benefit from long-acting formulations of antipsychotics.

Long-acting injectable antipsychotics for the treatment of bipolar disorder: evidence from mirror-image studies

Clinical trials and real-world data have shown that long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) might be an effective therapeutic option also for people with bipolar disorder (BD). However, complementing evidence from mirror-image studies investigating LAIs in BD is scattered and has not been systematically evaluated so far. We thus performed a review of observational mirror-image studies testing the effectiveness of LAI treatment on clinical outcomes in people with BD. Embase, MEDLINE, and PsycInfo electronic databases were systematically searched (via Ovid) up to November 2022. We included six mirror-image studies that compared relevant clinical outcomes between the 12-months after (post-treatment period) and the 12-months before (pre-treatment period) the initiation of a LAI treatment in adults with BD. We found that LAI treatment is associated with a significant reduction in days spent in hospital and number of hospitalizations. Moreover, LAI treatment seems to be associated with a significant decrease in the proportion of individuals with at least one hospital admission, even though data on this outcome were reported by just two studies. In addition, studies consistently estimated a significant reduction of hypo-/manic relapses after LAI treatment initiation, while the effect of LAIs for depressive episodes is less clear. Finally, LAI treatment initiation was associated with a lower number of emergency department visits in the year after LAI initiation. The findings of this review seem to suggest that the use of LAIs is an effective strategy to improve major clinical outcomes in people with BD. Nonetheless, additional research, based on standardized assessments of prevalent polarity and relapses, is needed to identify the clinical characteristics of individuals with BD who are most likely to benefit from a LAI treatment.

Clinical correlates of comorbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults suffering from bipolar disorder: A meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a frequent comorbid condition in adults with bipolar disorder. We performed a meta-analysis aimed at assessing sociodemographic and clinical correlates of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in bipolar disorder.

METHOD

We searched main electronic databases up to June 2021. Random-effects meta-analyses, with relevant meta-regression and quality-based sensitivity analyses, were carried out to estimate the association between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and putative correlates, grading the quality of evidence.

RESULTS

We included 43 studies, based on 38 independent samples. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder participants were more likely to be males (odds ratio = 1.46; p < 0.001) and unemployed (odds ratio = 1.45; p = 0.045), and less likely to be married (odds ratio = 0.62; p = 0.014). They had an earlier onset of bipolar disorder (standardized mean difference = -0.36; p < 0.001); more mood episodes (standardized mean difference = 0.35; p = 0.007), particularly depressive (standardized mean difference = 0.30; p = 0.011) and mixed (standardized mean difference = 0.30; p = 0.031) ones; higher odds of using antidepressants (odds ratio = 1.80; p = 0.024) and attempted suicides (odds ratio = 1.83; p < 0.001) and lower odds of psychotic features (odds ratio = 0.63; p = 0.010). Moreover, they were more likely to have generalized anxiety disorder (odds ratio = 1.50; p = 0.019), panic disorder (odds ratio = 1.89; p < 0.001), social phobia (odds ratio = 1.61; p = 0.017), eating disorders (odds ratio = 1.91; p = 0.007), antisocial personality disorder (odds ratio = 3.59; p = 0.004) and substance (odds ratio = 2.29; p < 0.001) or alcohol (odds ratio = 2.28; p < 0.001) use disorders. Quality of the evidence was generally low or very low for the majority of correlates, except for bipolar disorder onset and alcohol/substance use disorders (high), and suicide attempts (moderate).

CONCLUSION

Comorbid bipolar disorder/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder may have some distinctive clinical features including an earlier onset of bipolar disorder and higher comorbid alcohol/substance use disorder rates. Further research is needed to identify additional clinical characteristics of this comorbidity.

Pharmacological treatment for bipolar mania: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of double-blind randomized controlled trials

A systematic review and random-effects model network meta-analysis was conducted to compare the efficacy, acceptability, tolerability, and safety of pharmacological interventions for adults with acute bipolar mania. We searched PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Embase databases for eligible studies published before March 14, 2021. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of oral medication monotherapy lasting ≥10 days in adults with mania were included, and studies that allowed the use of antipsychotics as a rescue medication during a trial were excluded. The primary outcomes were response to treatment (efficacy) and all-cause discontinuation (acceptability). The secondary outcomes were the improvement of mania symptoms and discontinuation due to inefficacy. Of the 79 eligible RCTs, 72 double-blind RCTs of 23 drugs and a placebo were included in the meta-analysis (mean study duration = 3.96 ± 2.39 weeks, n = 16442, mean age = 39.55 years, with 50.93% males). Compared with the placebo, aripiprazole, asenapine, carbamazepine, cariprazine, haloperidol, lithium, olanzapine, paliperidone, quetiapine, risperidone, tamoxifen, valproate, and ziprasidone outperformed response to treatment (N = 56, n = 14503); aripiprazole, olanzapine, quetiapine, and risperidone had lower all-cause discontinuation; however, topiramate had higher all-cause discontinuation (N = 70, n = 16324). Compared with the placebo, aripiprazole, asenapine, carbamazepine, cariprazine, haloperidol, lithium, olanzapine, paliperidone, quetiapine, risperidone, tamoxifen, valproate, and ziprasidone outperformed the improvement of mania symptoms (N = 61, n = 15466), and aripiprazole, asenapine, carbamazepine, cariprazine, haloperidol, lithium, olanzapine, paliperidone, quetiapine, risperidone, valproate, and ziprasidone had lower discontinuation due to inefficacy (N = 50, n = 14284). In conclusions, these antipsychotics, carbamazepine, lithium, tamoxifen, and valproate were effective for acute mania. However, only aripiprazole, olanzapine, quetiapine, and risperidone had better acceptability than the placebo.

Clinical correlates of DSM-5 mixed features in bipolar disorder: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Systematic data on clinical correlates of mixed features in bipolar disorder are not available, so far. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis estimating the association between DSM-5 mixed features and candidate characteristics in depressive and manic/hypomanic episodes.

METHODS

We included observational studies indexed in the main electronic databases. The association between DSM-5 mixed features and relevant correlates was estimated using odds ratio (OR) and standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), for categorical and continuous variables, respectively. Analyses were based on random effects models.

RESULTS

Eight studies were included, involving 3070 individuals (1495 with a major depressive episode and 1575 with hypo/manic episode). No clinical characteristics were associated with mixed features in subjects with a depressive episode. Among subjects with a manic/hypomanic episode, those with mixed features were more likely to have a history of suicide attempts (OR: 2.37; 95%CI: 1.42 to 3.94; I²=39.7%), co-occurring anxiety disorders (OR: 2.67; 95%CI: 1.28 to 5.57; I²=0%), and a rapid cycling course (OR=4.23; 95%CI: 1.29 to 13.81; I²=0%), with less severe manic symptoms (SMD=-0.40; 95%CI: -0.65 to -0.16; I²=0%).

LIMITATIONS

(1) the heterogeneity of methods across studies and the inconsistency of findings; (2) the limited amount of data on correlates of DSM-5 mixed features; (3) the possible influence of publication bias.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings of this meta-analysis show that mixed features among individuals with a manic/hypomanic episode may identify a special clinical population, characterized not only by depressive symptoms, but also by anxiety, rapid cycling, and suicidality.

Super Pill is Less Effective than an Ordinary Mint in Altering Subjective Psychological Feeling States within a Few Minutes

Expectations shape human behavior. Initial drug use might be associated with information-based expectations. In this study, we presumed that changes in affect and perceived physical wellbeing will be stronger after receiving an active placebo (Tic Tac mint; n = 40), than a pure placebo (inert pill; n = 40) given as a mood-enhancing "super pill." After baseline measures, participants completed a treatment-expectancy scale, ingested the mint/super pill, and attended to the effects over 3-minutes. Subsequently, they completed again the psychological tests. Expectancy scores were positive and did not differ between the groups. The pure placebo group increased in physical wellbeing but less than the active placebo group, which also showed an increase in positive affect. Negative affect decreased in both groups. The Tic Tac produced greater affective changes than the pure placebo. Since these are new findings on the ultra-short placebo effects on affect, the results might have relevance for drug-use studies.