Pharmacological treatment and risk of psychiatric hospital admission in bipolar disorder

The efficacy of lamotrigine in bipolar disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To provide up-to-date clinical guidance on the efficacy of lamotrigine in bipolar disorder (BD).

METHODS

Eligible studies were identified during a systematic literature search according to PRISMA-guidelines. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort studies that quantitatively assessed lamotrigine's efficacy in BD. We divided the included studies into three groups: 1. acute treatment of depression, 2. acute treatment of mania and hypomania, and 3. maintenance treatment. Analyses were stratified by control group (placebo vs active comparator) and treatment strategy (monotherapy vs add-on treatment).

RESULTS

We included 20 RCTs (n = 1166 lamotrigine users) and 20 cohort studies (n = 11,141 lamotrigine users). Twenty-four of these studies were included in meta-analyses. During depressive episodes, greater decreases in depressive symptomatology were associated with initiation of lamotrigine as add-on treatment than with placebo (SMD -0.30 [95% CI = -0.51, -0.10], df = 3, p = 0.004). Decreases in depressive symptomatology did not differ significantly between lamotrigine and the active comparator (SMD -0.28 [95% CI = -1.06, 0.50], df = 3, p = 0.488). As a maintenance treatment, lamotrigine was associated with a significantly lower relapse/recurrence rate than placebo (risk ratio (RR) 0.84 [95% CI = 0.71, 0.99], df = 2, p = 0.037). Relapse/recurrence rates did not differ significantly between lamotrigine and lithium (RR 1.06 [95% CI = 0.89, 1.25], df = 2, p = 0.513). A qualitative assessment of high-quality register-based studies found that lamotrigine was associated with lower hospital admission rates than other commonly used treatment regimes.

CONCLUSIONS

There is substantial evidence for the efficacy of lamotrigine in BD, specifically as add-on treatment during acute depressive episodes and as maintenance treatment for preventing relapse and recurrence.

Ten-Year Trends in Lithium Prescribing in Alberta, Canada

AIMS

Despite lithium's clinical efficacy, it is commonly thought that its use is declining. The objective of this study is to describe the new and prevalent lithium users as well as rates of discontinuation of lithium use over a 10-year period.

METHODS

This study used provincial administrative health data from Alberta, Canada between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2018. Lithium prescriptions were identified within the Pharmaceutical Information Network database. Total and subgroup specific frequencies of new and prevalent lithium use were determined over the 10-year study period. Lithium discontinuation was also estimated through survival analysis.

RESULTS

Between the calendar years of 2009 and 2018, 580,873 lithium prescriptions were dispensed in Alberta to 14,008 patients. The total number of new and prevalent lithium users appears to be decreasing over the 10-year timeframe, although the decline may have stopped or reversed in the latter years of the study period. Prevalent use of lithium was lowest among individuals between the ages of 18-24 years while the highest number of prevalent users were in the 50-64 age group, particularly among females. New lithium use was lowest amongst those 65 years and older. More than 60% (8,636) of patients prescribed lithium, discontinued use during the study timeframe. Lithium users between ages of 18-24 years were at the highest risk of discontinuations.

CONCLUSIONS

Rather than a general decline in prescribing, trends in lithium use are dependent on age and sex. Further, the period soon after lithium initiation appears to be a key time period in which many lithium trials are abandoned. Detailed studies using primary data collection are needed to confirm and further explore these findings. These population-based results not only confirm a decline in lithium use, but also suggest that this may have stopped or even reversed. Population-based data on discontinuation pinpoint the period soon after initiation as the time when trials are most often discontinued.

Recent Secular Trends of Body Mass Index in Individuals With Bipolar Disorders and in the General Population

OBJECTIVE

The aims of this study were to investigate secular trends and distribution of body mass index (BMI) among individuals with bipolar disorders and the general population between 2008 and 2019.

METHODS

Data were from the Swedish National Quality Register for Bipolar Disorder, where 24,423 adults with bipolar disorders were identified, and from the national Swedish Living Conditions Surveys, where 77,485 adults from the general population were identified. Quantile regression was used to compare the 15th, 50th, and 85th percentiles of BMI across age and study years.

RESULTS

The study sample included 22,127 individuals with bipolar disorders (mean age, 48 years; 63% women) and 71,894 individuals from the general population (mean age, 52 years; 51% women). BMI percentiles were higher among individuals with bipolar disorders. At the 50th percentile, the BMI group differences were 1.1 (95% CI=0.8-1.14) for men and 1.8 (95% CI=1.5-2.1) for women. The gap was widest at the 85th BMI percentile: men, 2.3 (95% CI=1.8-2.8); women, 4.1 (95% CI=3.7-4.6). BMI increased over time in both study groups, but more in the group with bipolar disorders. The changes per decade in mean BMI were 0.4 (95% CI=0.3-0.5) among men in the general population, 1.1 (95% CI=0.7-1.4) among men with bipolar disorders, 0.6 (95% CI=0.5-0.7) among women in the general population, and 1.4 (95% CI=1.1-1.7) among women with bipolar disorders. Women with bipolar disorders had the highest prevalence and the greatest rate of increase of obesity. In 2019, the obesity prevalence was 33% among women and 29% among men with bipolar disorders, compared with 13% and 15%, respectively, among women and men in the general population.

CONCLUSIONS

Adults with bipolar disorders had a higher BMI and a higher prevalence of obesity than the general population, indicating a higher cardiometabolic risk. Annually, BMI increased more in the group with bipolar disorders than in the general population, particularly among women and among those with high BMI.

Lithium treatment versus hospitalization in bipolar disorder and major depression patients

BACKGROUND

Preventing hospitalization of major affective disorder patients is a fundamental clinical challenge for which lithium is expected to be helpful.

METHODS

We compared hospitalization rates and morbidity of 260 patients with DSM-5 bipolar or major depressive disorder in the 12 months before starting lithium versus 12 months of its use. We evaluated duration of untreated illness, previous treatments, substance abuse, suicidal status, lithium dose, and use of other medicines for association with new episodes of illness or of symptomatic worsening as well as hospitalization, using bivariate and multivariate analyses.

RESULTS

Within 12 months before lithium, 40.4 % of patients were hospitalized versus 11.2 % during lithium treatment; other measures of morbidity also improved. Benefits were similar with bipolar and major depressive disorders. Independently associated with hospitalization during lithium treatment were: receiving an antipsychotic with lithium, suicide attempt during lithium treatment, lifetime substance abuse, and psychiatric hospitalization in the year before starting lithium, but not diagnosis.

LIMITATIONS

Participants and observation times were limited. The study was retrospective regarding clinical history, lacked strict control of treatments and was not blinded.

CONCLUSIONS

This naturalistic study adds support to the effectiveness of lithium treatment in preventing hospitalization in patients with episodic major mood disorders.

"Addressing the core trait of bipolar disorder": A concept analysis of mood-stabilizing drugs

OBJECTIVE

The term "mood stabilizer" is controversial in the literature and criticized for being imprecise and overly inclusive, having its retirement suggested to avoid misuse. Nevertheless, it continues to be employed as it may still carry important meaning.

METHODS

We employed document analysis for reviewing relevant definitions of mood stabilizer employed in the literature. Then, we clarify the meanings associated with the term by employing evolutionary concept analysis. Based on its results, we present a theoretical model for a mood stabilizer and further match it with evidence gathered from published meta-analyses and other sources for drugs used in the treatment of bipolar disorder.

RESULTS

Concept analysis unearthed four attributes of a mood stabilizer that were nested into the following ascending hierarchy: "not worsening," "acute effects," "prophylactic effects," and "advanced effects." "Prophylactic effects" were often considered the core aspect of a legitimate mood stabilizer.

CONCLUSION

The proposed model uses a hierarchy of attributes that take into account the complexity of the term and help to determine whether a drug is a mood stabilizer. Prophylaxis is pivotal to the concept, whose utility lies in implying a drug able to truly treat bipolar disorder, as opposed to merely targeting symptoms. Consistent use of the term could encourage investigation of drugs that modify long-term outcomes and illness trajectory, instead of simply approaching symptom clusters.

Quality of laboratory biomarker monitoring during treatment with lithium in patients with bipolar disorder

BACKGROUND

Clinical guidelines recommend monitoring of creatinine and lithium throughout treatment with lithium. We here assessed the extent to which this occurs in healthcare in Sweden.

METHODS

This is an observational study of all adults with bipolar disorder starting lithium therapy in Stockholm, Sweden, during 2007-2018. The main outcome was monitoring of blood lithium and creatinine at therapy initiation and/or once annually. The secondary outcome was monitoring of calcium and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). Patients were followed up until therapy cessation, death, out-migration, or to the end of 2018.

RESULTS

We identified 4428 adults with bipolar disorder who started lithium therapy and were followed up for up to 11 years. Their median age was 39 years, and 63% were women. The median duration on lithium therapy was 4.3 (IQR: 1.9-7.45) years, and the majority who discontinued therapy started another mood stabilizer soon after. Overall, 21% started lithium therapy without assessing the serum/plasma concentration of creatinine. The proportion of people who did not have both lithium and creatinine measured increased from 21% in the first year to 33% in the eleventh year. The proportion with annual testing for TSH or calcium was slightly lower. As few as 16% of patients had both lithium and creatinine tested once annually during their complete time on lithium.

CONCLUSIONS

In a Swedish community sample, lithium and creatinine monitoring was inconsistent with guideline recommendations that call for measurement of annual biomarker levels.

Absolute and Relative Risks of Kidney Outcomes Associated With Lithium vs Valproate Use in Sweden

Importance

Among patients with bipolar disorder, discordant findings have been published on the nephrotoxic effects of lithium therapy.

Objective

To quantify absolute and relative risks of chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression and acute kidney injury (AKI) in people who initiated lithium compared with valproate therapy and to investigate the association between cumulative use and elevated lithium levels and kidney outcomes.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cohort study had a new-user active-comparator design and used inverse probability of treatment weights to minimize confounding. Included patients initiated therapy with lithium or valproate from January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2018, and had a median follow-up of 4.5 years (IQR, 1.9-8.0 years). Data analysis began in September 2021, using routine health care data from the period 2006 to 2019 from the Stockholm Creatinine Measurements project, a recurrent health care use cohort of all adult residents in Stockholm, Sweden.

Exposures

New use of lithium vs new use of valproate and high (>1.0 mmol/L) vs low serum lithium levels.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Progression of CKD (composite of >30% decrease relative to baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] and kidney failure), AKI (by diagnosis or transient creatinine elevations), new albuminuria, and annual eGFR decrease. Outcomes by attained lithium levels were also compared in lithium users.

Results

The study included 10 946 people (median [IQR] age, 45 [32-59] years; 6227 female [56.9%]), of whom 5308 initiated lithium therapy and 5638 valproate therapy. During follow-up, 421 CKD progression events and 770 AKI events were identified. Compared with patients who received valproate, those who received lithium did not have increased risk of CKD (hazard ratio [HR], 1.11 [95% CI, 0.86-1.45]) or AKI (HR, 0.88 [95% CI, 0.70-1.10]). Absolute 10-year CKD risks were low and similar: 8.4% in the lithium group and 8.2% in the valproate group. No difference in the risk of developing albuminuria or the annual rate of eGFR decrease was found between groups. Among more than 35 000 routine lithium tests, only 3% of results were in the toxic range (>1.0 mmol/L). Lithium values greater than 1.0 mmol/L, compared with lithium values of 1.0 mmol/L or less, were associated with increased risk of CKD progression (HR, 2.86; 95% CI, 0.97-8.45) and AKI (HR, 3.51; 95% CI, 1.41-8.76).

Conclusions and Relevance

In this cohort study, compared with new use of valproate, new use of lithium was meaningfully associated with adverse kidney outcomes, with low absolute risks that did not differ between therapies. However, elevated serum lithium levels were associated with future kidney risks, particularly AKI, emphasizing the need for close monitoring and lithium dose adjustment.

Cohort profile: the Swedish National Quality Register for bipolar disorder(BipoläR)

PURPOSE

The Swedish National Quality Register for bipolar affective disorder, BipoläR, was established in 2004 to provide nationwide indicators for quality assessment and development in the clinical care of individuals with bipolar spectrum disorder. An ancillary aim was to provide data for bipolar disorder research.

PARTICIPANTS

Inclusion criteria for registration in BipoläR is a diagnosis of bipolar spectrum disorder (ICD codes: F25.0, F30.1-F30.2, F30.8-F31.9, F34.0) and treatment at an outpatient clinic in Sweden. BipoläR collects data from baseline and annual follow-up visits throughout Sweden. Data is collected using questionnaires administered by healthcare staff. The questions cover sociodemographic, diagnostic, treatment, outcomes and patient reported outcome variables. The register currently includes 39 583 individual patients with a total of 75 423 baseline and follow-up records.

FINDINGS TO DATE

Data from BipoläR has been used in several peer-reviewed publications. Studies have provided knowledge on effectiveness, side effects and use of pharmacological and psychological treatment in bipolar disorder. In addition, findings on the diagnosis of bipolar disorder, risk factors for attempted and completed suicide and health economics have been reported. The Swedish Bipolar Collection project has contributed to a large number of published studies and provides important information on the genetic architecture of bipolar disorder, the impact of genetic variation on disease characteristics and treatment outcome.

FUTURE PLANS

Data collection is ongoing with no fixed end date. Currently, approximately 5000 new registrations are added each year. Cohort data are available via a formalised request procedure from Centre of Registers Västra Götaland (e-mail: registercentrum@vgregion.se). Data requests for research purposes require an entity responsible for the research and an ethical approval.

Trends in Hospital Admissions for Mental, Behavioural and Neurodevelopmental Disorders in England and Wales between 1999 and 2019: An Ecological Study

Objectives: To investigate the trends in hospital admissions for mental, behavioural and neurodevelopmental disorders (MBNDs) in England and Wales. Methods: This is an ecological study using the Hospital Episode Statistics database in England and the Patient Episode Database for Wales. Hospital admission data was collected for the period between April 1999 and March 2019. Results: The most common type of hospital admission was for mental and behavioural disorders due to psychoactive substance use, which accounted for 26.6%. The admission rate among males increased by 8.1% [from 479.59 (95% CI 476.90−482.27) in 1999 to 518.30 (95% CI 515.71−520.90) in 2019 per 1000 persons; p < 0.001]. The admission rate among females increased by 0.3% [from 451.45 (95% CI 448.91−453.99) in 1999 to 452.77 (95% CI 450.37−455.17) in 2019 per 1000 persons; p = 0.547]. The 15−59 years’ age group accounted for 65.1% of the entire number of such hospital admissions, followed by the 75 years and above age group, with 19.0%. Conclusion: We observed an obvious variation in MBNDs influenced by age and gender. Observational studies are needed to identify other factors associated with increased hospital admission rates related to MBNDs, specifically among the young population (aged 15−59 years) and males.

Seasonal Effects on Hospitalizations Due to Mood and Psychotic Disorders: A Nationwide 31-Year Register Study

Purpose

To examine seasonal patterns of hospital admissions due to mood and psychotic disorders and to investigate whether the admission rates show variation according to the seasonal daylength (photoperiods).

Patients and Methods

A retrospective nationwide register-based cohort of all psychiatric admissions (N=978,079) during 1987–2017 in Finland was utilized. The smoothed time-series of adjusted ratio of observed and expected (O/E) daily counts were estimated to examine seasonal variation. The mean O/E with 95% confidence intervals (CI) was used to study the admission rates by photoperiods. The calendar days were classified into the 71-day photoperiods based on the daylength (long/summer, short/winter, equal/spring, equal/fall) and the pace of change in daylength (slowly/rapidly increasing/decreasing daylength).

Results

Manic episodes peaked in summer during the long (mean O/E=1.10, 95% CI=1.06–1.13) and slowly decreasing (1.09, 1.06–1.13) photoperiods and had a nadir in winter during the slowly increasing (0.93, 0.89–0.98) photoperiod. Admissions for unipolar depressive (UPD) episodes peaked in autumn and in spring at the end of the rapidly decreasing (1.03, 1.02–1.04) and increasing (1.03, 1.01–1.04) photoperiod, and dropped in summer during the long and slowly decreasing (0.95, 0.94–0.96) photoperiods. Bipolar depressive (BPD) and mixed episodes signaled excess admissions in autumn and in spring. Admissions for schizophrenia were higher than expected from summer to early-autumn, during the long and slowly decreasing photoperiods (1.02, 1.02–1.03), and lower than expected in other seasons, especially in mid-spring during the rapidly increasing photoperiod (0.98, 0.98–0.99).

Conclusion

The study indicates the seasonality and photoperiodicity of mental disorders, especially for manic episodes. The seasonal pattern is similar between schizophrenia and manic episodes, and between UPD, BPD, and mixed episodes.

Effects of Toxic Lithium Levels on ECG-Findings from the LiSIE Retrospective Cohort Study

(1) Background: Few studies have explored the impact of lithium intoxication on the heart. (2) Methods: We examined electrocardiogram (ECG) changes associated with lithium intoxication in the framework of the LiSIE (Lithium-Study into Effects and Side Effects) retrospective cohort study. We analysed ECGs before, during, and after intoxication. (3) Results: Of the 1136 patients included, 92 patients had experienced 112 episodes of lithium intoxication. For 55 episodes, there was an ECG available at the time; for 48 episodes, there was a reference ECG available before and/or after the lithium intoxication. Lithium intoxication led to a statistically significant decrease in heart rate from a mean 76 beats/min (SD 16.6) before intoxication to 73 beats/min (SD 17.1) during intoxication (p = 0.046). QTc correlated only weakly with lithium concentration (ρ = 0.329, p = 0.014). However, in 24% of lithium intoxication episodes, there were QT prolongations. In 54% of these, QTc exceeded 500 ms; patients with chronic intoxications being more affected. (4) Conclusions: Based on summary statistics, effects of lithium intoxication on HR and QTc seem mostly discrete and not clinically relevant. However, QT prolongation can carry a risk of becoming severe. Therefore, an ECG should always be taken in patients presenting with lithium intoxication.

Activating SIRT-1 Signalling with the Mitochondrial-CoQ10 Activator Solanesol Improves Neurobehavioral and Neurochemical Defects in Ouabain-Induced Experimental Model of Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a chronic mental illness characterized by mood fluctuations that range from depressive lows to manic highs. Several studies have linked the downregulation of SIRT-1 (silent mating type information regulation-2 homologs) signaling to the onset of BD and other neurological dysfunctions. This research aimed to look into the neuroprotective potential of Solanesol (SNL) in rats given ICV-Ouabain injections, focusing on its effect on SIRT-1 signaling activation in the brain. Ouabain, found in hypothalamic and medullary neurons, is an endogenous inhibitor of brain Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase. The inhibition of brain Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase by Ouabain may also result in changes in neurotransmission within the central nervous system. SNL is a Solanaceae family active phytoconstituent produced from the plant Nicotiana tabacum. SNL is used as a precursor for the production of CoQ10 (Coenzyme Q10), a powerful antioxidant and neuroprotective compound. In the current study, lithium (Li), an important mood stabilizer drug, was used as a control. This study looked at the neuroprotective potential of SNL at dosages of 40 and 80 mg/kg in ICV-OUA injections that caused BD-like neurobehavioral and neurochemical defects in Wistar rats. Wistar rats were placed into eight groups (n = 6) and administered 1 mM/0.5 µL ICV-OUA injections for three days. Neurochemical assessments were done in rat brain homogenates, CSF, and blood plasma samples at the end of the experiment protocol schedule. Long-term SNL and lithium administration have been shown to decrease the number of rearing and crossings and reduce time spent in the center, locomotor activities, and immobility time. Solansesol treatment gradually raises the amount of Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase, limiting the severity of behavioural symptoms. These findings also revealed that SNL increases the levels of SIRT-1 in CSF, blood plasma, and brain homogenate samples. Moreover, in rat brain homogenates and blood plasma samples, SNL modulates apoptotic markers such as Caspase-3, Bax (pro-apoptotic), and Bcl-2 (anti-apoptotic). Mitochondrial-ETC complex enzymes, including complex-I, II, IV, V, and CoQ10, were also restored following long-term SNL treatment. Furthermore, SNL lowered inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β) levels while restoring neurotransmitter levels (serotonin, dopamine, glutamate, and acetylcholine) and decreasing oxidative stress markers. Histological examinations also validated Solanesol’s protective effect. As a result, our findings suggest that SNL, as a SIRT-1 signalling activator, may be a promising therapeutic approach for BD-like neurological dysfunctions.

Comparative effectiveness of mood stabilizers and antipsychotics in the prevention of hospitalization after lithium discontinuation in bipolar disorder

The aim of the study was to compare the real-world effectiveness of mood stabilizers and antipsychotics in the prevention of psychiatric hospitalizations and treatment failure after lithium discontinuation in a nationwide bipolar cohort. Using health-care registers, we identified everyone in Finland diagnosed with bipolar disorder during 1987-2018 who discontinued lithium after using it for at least one year (n = 4 052, median period of lithium use before discontinuation 2.7 years). The risk of psychiatric hospitalization and treatment failure (psychiatric hospitalization, death or change in medication) were investigated with within-individual Cox regression. Of mood stabilizer monotherapies, the periods of valproate use (HR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.71 - 0.97) had lower risk of hospitalization than nonuse of mood stabilizers. Of antipsychotic monotherapies, the use of long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics (HR = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.26 - 0.88) and chlorprothixene (HR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.44 - 0.88) were associated with lower risk and the use of quetiapine (HR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.07 - 1.48) and oral olanzapine (HR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.01 - 1.49) with higher risk of psychiatric hospitalizations than nonuse of antipsychotics. Of mood stabilizer monotherapies, lithium use was associated with lower risk of treatment failure (HR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.76 - 0.88) than valproate use. The results suggest that antipsychotic LAIs are especially effective in the prevention of psychiatric hospitalizations after lithium discontinuation. The need to alter used medications may be the lowest when lithium is restarted.

Improving lithium dose prediction using population pharmacokinetics and pharmacogenomics: a cohort genome-wide association study in Sweden

BACKGROUND

Lithium is the most effective treatment for bipolar disorder, resulting in strong suicide prevention effects. The therapeutic range of lithium, however, is narrow and treatment initiation requires individual titration to address inter-individual variability. We aimed to improve lithium dose prediction using clinical and genomic data.

METHODS

We performed a population pharmacokinetic study followed by a genome-wide association study (GWAS), including two clinical Swedish cohorts. Participants in cohort 1 were from specialised outpatient clinics at Huddinge Hospital, in Stockholm, Sweden, and participants in cohort 2 were identified using the Swedish National Quality Registry for Bipolar disorder (BipoläR). Patients who received a lithium dose corresponding to at least one tablet of lithium sulphate (6 mmol) per day and had clinically relevant plasma concentrations of lithium were included in the study. Data on age, sex, bodyweight, height, creatinine concentration, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), lithium preparation, number of tablets of lithium per day, serum lithium concentration, and medications affecting kidney function (C09 antihypertensives, C03 [except C03D] sodium-retaining diuretics, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) were obtained retrospectively for several timepoints when possible from electronic health records, BipoläR, and the Swedish prescription registry. The median time between timepoints was 1·07 years for cohort 1 and 1·09 years for cohort 2. The primary outcome of interest was the natural logarithm of total body clearance for lithium (CL_Li) associated with the clinical variables. The residual effects after accounting for age and sex, representing the individual-level effects (CL_Li,age/sex), were used as the dependent variable in a GWAS.

FINDINGS

2357 patients who were administered lithium (1423 women [60·4%] and 934 men [39·6%]; mean age 53·6 years [range 17-89], mainly of European descent) were included and 5627 data points were obtained. Age (variance explained [R²]: R²_cohort1=0·41 and R²_cohort2=0·31; both p<0·0001), sex (R²_cohort1=0·0063 [p=0·045] and R²_cohort2=0·026 [p<0·0001]), eGFR (R²_cohort1=0·38 and R²_cohort2=0·20; both p<0·0001), comedication with diuretics (R²_cohort1=0·0058 [p=0·014] and R²_cohort2=0·0026 [p<0·0001]), and agents acting on the renin-aldosterone-angiotensin system (R²_cohort1=0·028 and R²_cohort2=0·015; both p<0·0001) were clinical predictors of CL_Li. Notably, an association between CL_Li and serum lithium was observed, with a lower CL_Li being associated with higher serum lithium (R²_cohort1=0·13 and R²_cohort2=0·15; both p<0·0001). In a GWAS of CL_Li,age/sex, one locus was associated with a change in CL_Li (rs583503; β=-0·053 [95% CI -0·071 to -0·034]; p<0·00000005). We also found enrichment of the associations with genes expressed in the medulla (p=0·0014, corrected FDR=0·04) and cortex of the kidney (p=0·0015, corrected FDR=0·04), as well as associations with polygenic risk scores for eGFR (p value threshold: 0·05, p=0·01), body-mass index (p value threshold: 0·05, p=0·00025), and blood urea nitrogen (p value threshold: 0·001, p=0·00043). The model based on six clinical predictors explained 61·4% of the variance in CL_Li in cohort 1 and 49·8% in cohort 2. Adding genetic markers did not lead to major improvement of the models: within the subsample of genotyped individuals, the variance explained only increased from 59·32% to 59·36% in cohort 1 and from 49·21% to 50·03% in cohort 2 when including rs583503 and the four first principal components.

INTERPRETATION

Our model predictors could be used clinically to better guide lithium dosage, shortening the time to reach therapeutic concentrations, thus improving care. Identification of the first genomic locus and PRS to be associated with CL_Li introduces the opportunity of individualised medicine in lithium treatment.

FUNDING

Stanley Medical Research Institute, Swedish Research Council, Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research, Swedish Brain Foundation, Swedish Research Council, Söderström-Königska Foundation, Bror Gadelius Minnesfond, Swedish Mental Health Fund, Karolinska Institutet and Hospital.

Effectiveness of medical treatment for bipolar disorder regarding suicide, self-harm and psychiatric hospital admission: between- and within-individual study on Danish national data

BACKGROUND

Mood stabilisers are the main treatment for bipolar disorder. However, it is uncertain which drugs have the best outcomes.

AIMS

To investigate whether rates of suicide, self-harm and psychiatric hospital admission in individuals with bipolar disorder differ between mood stabilisers.

METHOD

A cohort design was applied to people aged ≥15 years who were diagnosed with bipolar disorder and living in Denmark during 1995-2016. Treatment with lithium, valproate, other mood stabilisers and antipsychotics were compared in between- and within-individual analyses, and adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics and previous self-harm.

RESULTS

A total of 33 337 individuals with bipolar disorder were included (266 900 person-years). When compared with individuals not receiving treatment, those receiving lithium had a lower rate of suicide (hazard ratio 0.40, 95% CI 0.31-0.51). When comparing treatment and non-treatment periods in the same individuals, lower rates of self-harm were found for lithium (hazard ratio 0.74, 95% CI 0.61-0.91). Lower rates of psychiatric hospital admission were found for all drug categories compared with non-treatment periods in within-individual analyses (P<0.001). The low rates of self-harm and hospital admission for lithium in within-individual analyses were supported by results of between-individual analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

Lithium was associated with lower rates of suicide, self-harm and psychiatric hospital readmission in all analyses. With respect to suicide, lithium was superior to no treatment. Although confounding by indication cannot be excluded, lithium seems to have better outcomes in the treatment of bipolar disorder than other mood stabilisers.

Combining schizophrenia and depression polygenic risk scores improves the genetic prediction of lithium response in bipolar disorder patients

Lithium is the gold standard therapy for Bipolar Disorder (BD) but its effectiveness differs widely between individuals. The molecular mechanisms underlying treatment response heterogeneity are not well understood, and personalized treatment in BD remains elusive. Genetic analyses of the lithium treatment response phenotype may generate novel molecular insights into lithium's therapeutic mechanisms and lead to testable hypotheses to improve BD management and outcomes. We used fixed effect meta-analysis techniques to develop meta-analytic polygenic risk scores (MET-PRS) from combinations of highly correlated psychiatric traits, namely schizophrenia (SCZ), major depression (MD) and bipolar disorder (BD). We compared the effects of cross-disorder MET-PRS and single genetic trait PRS on lithium response. For the PRS analyses, we included clinical data on lithium treatment response and genetic information for n = 2283 BD cases from the International Consortium on Lithium Genetics (ConLi⁺Gen; www.ConLiGen.org ). Higher SCZ and MD PRSs were associated with poorer lithium treatment response whereas BD-PRS had no association with treatment outcome. The combined MET2-PRS comprising of SCZ and MD variants (MET2-PRS) and a model using SCZ and MD-PRS sequentially improved response prediction, compared to single-disorder PRS or to a combined score using all three traits (MET3-PRS). Patients in the highest decile for MET2-PRS loading had 2.5 times higher odds of being classified as poor responders than patients with the lowest decile MET2-PRS scores. An exploratory functional pathway analysis of top MET2-PRS variants was conducted. Findings may inform the development of future testing strategies for personalized lithium prescribing in BD.

Safety and Efficacy of Combined Low-Dose Lithium and Low-Dose Aspirin: A Pharmacological and Behavioral Proof-of-Concept Study in Rats

Despite established efficacy in bipolar disorder patients, lithium (Li) therapy has serious side effects, particularly chronic kidney disease. We examined the safety and behavioral effects of combined chronic low-dose aspirin plus low-dose Li in rats to explore the toxicity and therapeutic potential of this treatment. Rats were fed regular or Li-containing food (0.1% [low-dose, LLD-Li] or 0.2% [standard-dose, STD-Li]) for six weeks. Low-dose aspirin (1 mg/kg) was administered alone or together with Li. Renal function and gastric mucosal integrity were assessed. The effects of the combination treatment were evaluated in depression-like and anxiety-like behavioral models. Co-treatment with aspirin did not alter plasma Li levels. Chronic STD-Li treatment resulted in significant polyuria and polydipsia, elevated blood levels of creatinine and cystatin C, and increased levels of kidney nephrin and podocin—all suggestive of impaired renal function. Aspirin co-treatment significantly damped STD-Li-induced impairments in kidney parameters. There were no gastric ulcers or blood loss in any treatment group. Combined aspirin and LLD-Li resulted in a significant increase in sucrose consumption, and in the time spent in the open arms of an elevated plus-maze compared with the LLD-Li only group, suggestive of antidepressant-like and anxiolytic-like effects, respectively. Thus, we demonstrate that low-dose aspirin mitigated the typical renal side effects of STD-Li dose and enhanced the beneficial behavioral effects of LLD-Li therapy without aggravating its toxicity.

Effect of specialised versus generalised outpatient treatment for bipolar disorder: the CAG Bipolar trial - study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

INTRODUCTION

Despite current available treatment patients with bipolar disorder often experience relapses and decreased overall functioning. Furthermore, patients with bipolar disorder are often not treated medically or psychologically according to guidelines and recommendations. A Clinical Academic Group is a new treatment initiative bringing together clinical services, research, education and training to offer care and treatment that is based on reliable evidence backed up by research. The present Clinical Academic Group for bipolar disorder (the CAG Bipolar) randomised controlled trial (RCT) aims for the first time to investigate whether specialised outpatient treatment in CAG Bipolar versus generalised community-based treatment improves patient outcomes and clinician's satisfaction with care in patients with bipolar disorder.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The CAG Bipolar trial is a pragmatic randomised controlled parallel-group trial undertaken in the Capital Region of Denmark covering a catchment area of 1.85 million people. Patients with bipolar disorder are invited to participate as part of their outpatient treatment in the Mental Health Services. The included patients will be randomised to (1) specialised outpatient treatment in the CAG Bipolar (intervention group) or (2) generalised community-based outpatient treatment (control group). The trial started 13 January 2020 and has currently included more than 600 patients. The outcomes are (1) psychiatric hospitalisations and cumulated number and duration of psychiatric hospitalisations (primary), and (2) self-rated depressive symptoms, self-rated manic symptoms, quality of life, perceived stress, satisfaction with care, use of medication and the clinicians' satisfaction with their care (secondary). A total of 1000 patients with bipolar disorder will be included.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The CAG Bipolar RCT is funded by the Capital Region of Denmark and ethical approval has been obtained from the Regional Ethical Committee in The Capital Region of Denmark (H-19067248). Results will be published in peer-reviewed academic journals, presented at scientific meetings and disseminated to patient organisations and media outlets.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT04229875.

HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQB1 genetic diversity modulates response to lithium in bipolar affective disorders

Bipolar affective disorder (BD) is a severe psychiatric illness, for which lithium (Li) is the gold standard for acute and maintenance therapies. The therapeutic response to Li in BD is heterogeneous and reliable biomarkers allowing patients stratification are still needed. A GWAS performed by the International Consortium on Lithium Genetics (ConLiGen) has recently identified genetic markers associated with treatment responses to Li in the human leukocyte antigens (HLA) region. To better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying this association, we have genetically imputed the classical alleles of the HLA region in the European patients of the ConLiGen cohort. We found our best signal for amino-acid variants belonging to the HLA-DRB1*11:01 classical allele, associated with a better response to Li (p < 1 × 10-3; FDR < 0.09 in the recessive model). Alanine or Leucine at position 74 of the HLA-DRB1 heavy chain was associated with a good response while Arginine or Glutamic acid with a poor response. As these variants have been implicated in common inflammatory/autoimmune processes, our findings strongly suggest that HLA-mediated low inflammatory background may contribute to the efficient response to Li in BD patients, while an inflammatory status overriding Li anti-inflammatory properties would favor a weak response.

Regional lithium prescription rates and recurrence in bipolar disorder

Background

Lithium is the best documented maintenance treatment in bipolar disorder, but its use varies considerably across and within countries. It is not known whether regional differences in lithium prescription rates translate to differing regional outcomes.

Aims

To estimate associations between county specific lithium prescription rates and county specific recurrence odds of bipolar disorder in Sweden.

Method

Data from 14,616 patients with bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder, or bipolar disorder not otherwise specified were extracted from the Swedish national quality assurance register for bipolar disorders (BipoläR). Lithium prescription frequencies were calculated for 21 counties. Logistic regression analyses were run adjusted for confounders, with any type of recurrence as primary outcome, and incident elated and depressive episodes as secondary outcomes. Subsets of patients with bipolar I, II and not otherwise specified disorder were also analysed separately.

Results

Lithium prescription rates for populations with all bipolar subtypes ranged across counties from 37.7 to 84.9% (mean 52.4%). Higher regional prescription rates were significantly associated with lower rate of any type of recurrence. The association was stronger when bipolar I disorder was analysed separately.

Conclusions

The advantages for lithium use long acknowledged for bipolar I disorder are also seen for the rest of the bipolar spectrum. Results suggest that population level outcomes of bipolar disorder could be improved by increasing the number of patients using lithium.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40345-021-00223-7.

Pre-diagnostic and post-diagnostic psychopharmacological treatment of 16 288 patients with bipolar disorder

OBJECTIVES

The aim was to describe the pre-diagnostic and post-diagnostic psychopharmacological treatment of bipolar disorder over the past two decades.

METHODS

We identified all 16 288 individuals aged ≥ 18 years, who received their first diagnosis of bipolar disorder at a psychiatric hospital in Denmark between 1997 and 2014. For each calendar year, we calculated the proportion of patients (with index date in the respective calendar years) who were prescribed psychopharmacological treatment in the 2 years preceding and the 2 years following the date of the first diagnosis of bipolar disorder. For patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder from 2007 to 2010 (n = 3949), we described the psychopharmacological treatment from 1995 to 2016, that is, from up to 16 years prior to and up to 10 years after the diagnosis.

RESULTS

Concomitant use of ≥ 2 antidepressants in the 2 years preceding the bipolar disorder diagnosis increased over the study period. In the 2 years following the diagnosis, the use of lithium decreased, while use of atypical antipsychotics (particularly quetiapine), valproate, and lamotrigine increased over the study period. During the 10 years following the diagnosis, 53%-90% of the patients received any psychotropic drug while 12%-26% received treatment with an antidepressant without overlapping treatment with a mood-stabilizing drug.

CONCLUSION

The increased use of two or more antidepressants suggests more focus on bipolar disorder as a differential diagnosis to treatment-resistant unipolar depression. The decreased use of lithium (consistent with international trends) and the prevalent use of antidepressants without overlapping treatment with a drug with mood-stabilizing properties are concerning.

Association of polygenic score for major depression with response to lithium in patients with bipolar disorder

Lithium is a first-line medication for bipolar disorder (BD), but only one in three patients respond optimally to the drug. Since evidence shows a strong clinical and genetic overlap between depression and bipolar disorder, we investigated whether a polygenic susceptibility to major depression is associated with response to lithium treatment in patients with BD. Weighted polygenic scores (PGSs) were computed for major depression (MD) at different GWAS p value thresholds using genetic data obtained from 2586 bipolar patients who received lithium treatment and took part in the Consortium on Lithium Genetics (ConLi+Gen) study. Summary statistics from genome-wide association studies in MD (135,458 cases and 344,901 controls) from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGC) were used for PGS weighting. Response to lithium treatment was defined by continuous scores and categorical outcome (responders versus non-responders) using measurements on the Alda scale. Associations between PGSs of MD and lithium treatment response were assessed using a linear and binary logistic regression modeling for the continuous and categorical outcomes, respectively. The analysis was performed for the entire cohort, and for European and Asian sub-samples. The PGSs for MD were significantly associated with lithium treatment response in multi-ethnic, European or Asian populations, at various p value thresholds. Bipolar patients with a low polygenic load for MD were more likely to respond well to lithium, compared to those patients with high polygenic load [lowest vs highest PGS quartiles, multi-ethnic sample: OR = 1.54 (95% CI: 1.18-2.01) and European sample: OR = 1.75 (95% CI: 1.30-2.36)]. While our analysis in the Asian sample found equivalent effect size in the same direction: OR = 1.71 (95% CI: 0.61-4.90), this was not statistically significant. Using PGS decile comparison, we found a similar trend of association between a high genetic loading for MD and lower response to lithium. Our findings underscore the genetic contribution to lithium response in BD and support the emerging concept of a lithium-responsive biotype in BD.

Relapse risk after in-ward electroconvulsive therapy for acute polymorphic psychotic disorder

PURPOSE

Acute polymorphic psychotic disorder (APPD) without symptoms of schizophrenia is a serious psychiatric condition. APPD can be effectively treated with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), but little is known about relapse prevention after ECT for APPD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a retrospective register-based study conducted with 97 patients with APPD (ICD-10 diagnosis F23.0). We estimated the rates of readmission and suicide, and the prognostic factors of these outcomes after ECT. We combined data from several national Swedish registers and used Cox's regression analysis to identify demographic factors, disease characteristics, and relapse preventive treatments that predicted time to readmission or suicide (relapse). Data registered between 2011 and 2016 were used in the study.

RESULTS

Twenty percent of cases relapsed within a year. Thereafter, relapse rate was low. Two cases died during follow-up, whereof one by suicide. Anxiolytic treatment, lamotrigine treatment, and having more than four previous psychiatric hospital admissions were associated with shorter time to relapse. The most robust of these associations was between anxiolytics and relapse risk.

CONCLUSIONS

The first year after discharge from APPD is the period associated with the highest risk of relapse. Having many previous admissions was associated to relapse risk after ECT for APPD. The associations between anxiolytics, lamotrigine, and relapse are uncertain and might be influenced by indication bias.

Respiratory infections during lithium and valproate medication: a within-individual prospective study of 50,000 patients with bipolar disorder

BACKGROUND

In vitro studies have demonstrated that lithium has antiviral properties, but evidence from human studies is scarce. Lithium is used as a mood stabilizer to treat patients with bipolar disorder. Here, the aim was to investigate the association between lithium use and the risk of respiratory infections in patients with bipolar disorder. To rule out the possibility that a potential association could be due to lithium's effect on psychiatric symptoms, we also studied the effect of valproate, which is an alternative to lithium used to prevent mood episodes in bipolar disorder.

METHOD

We followed 51,509 individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder in the Swedish Patient register 2005-2013. We applied a within-individual design using stratified Cox regression to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) of respiratory infections during treated periods compared with untreated periods.

RESULTS

During follow-up, 5,760 respiratory infections were documented in the Swedish Patient Register. The incidence rate was 28% lower during lithium treatment (HR 0.73, 95% CI 0.61-0.86) and 35% higher during valproate treatment (HR 1.35, 95% CI 1.06-1.73) compared with periods off treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides real-world evidence that lithium is associated with decreased risk for respiratory infections and suggests that the repurposing potential of lithium for potential antiviral or antibacterial effects is worthy of investigation.

Pharmacological management of bipolar disorder: Japanese expert consensus

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to develop a consensus guideline by certified experts of the Japanese Society of Clinical Neuropsychopharmacology on the psychopharmacological treatment for bipolar disorders I and II (BP-I and BP-II), in order to fill the gap in the literature and provide more concrete guidance for challenging and controversial real-world situations.

METHODS

Experts were asked to assess treatment options regarding 19 clinical situations of bipolar disorder with a nine-point Likert scale (one = "disagree" and nine = "agree"). According to the responses from 119 experts, the options were categorized into the first-, second-, and third-line treatments.

RESULTS

For the treatment of BP-I, lithium monotherapy was categorized as a first-line treatment for manic episodes (mean ± standard deviation score, 7.0 ± 2.2), depressive episodes (7.1 ± 2.0), and the maintenance phase (7.8 ± 1.8). Combination therapy of lithium and an atypical antipsychotic was endorsed for manic episodes (7.7 ± 1.7), depressive episodes with (7.1 ± 2.0) and without mixed features (6.9 ± 2.2), and the maintenance phase (6.9 ± 2.1). Similarly, in BP-II, lithium monotherapy was categorized as a first-line treatment for hypomanic episodes (7.3 ± 2.2), depressive episodes (7.0 ± 2.2), and the maintenance phase (7.3 ± 2.3), while combination therapy of lithium and an atypical antipsychotic was recommended for hypomanic episodes (6.9 ± 2.4).No antipsychotic monotherapy or antidepressant treatment was categorized as a first-line treatment for any type of episode.

CONCLUSIONS

These recommendations reflect the current evidence and represent the experts' consensus on using lithium for the treatment of bipolar disorder. Clinicians should consider the effectiveness and adverse effects of antipsychotic and antidepressant medications for the treatment of bipolar disorder.

Predictors of 1-year rehospitalization in inpatients with bipolar I disorder treated with atypical antipsychotics

Bipolar disorder (BPD) is debilitating disorder, and patients can experience multiple relapses and subsequent hospitalizations. Since pharmacotherapy is the mainstay of treatment for patients with BPD, investigations on the effects of atypical antipsychotics (AAP) on reducing rehospitalization risk are crucial. The objective of study is to explore predictors of 1-year rehospitalization in patients with bipolar I disorder treated with AAP. A retrospective chart review on inpatients with bipolar I disorder was conducted. All participants were followed up for 1 year, and they were subdivided into three AAP treatment groups (olanzapine, risperidone, and quetiapine group). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was implemented to detect time to rehospitalization due to any mood episodes within 1 year after discharge. Cox proportional regression model was adopted to find predictors of 1-year hospitalization in patients who experienced rehospitalization. One hundred thirty-eight participants were included in the study, and a 1-year rehospitalization rate was 18.1%. Time to rehospitalization did not differ between three AAP treatment groups. Predictors of rehospitalization due to any episode within 1 year were family history of depression and number of previous admission. Our findings can be conducive to understanding prognosis, and predicting rehospitalization risk in patients with BPD on AAP.

Lamotrigine, quetiapine and aripiprazole-induced neuroleptic malignant syndrome in a patient with renal failure caused by lithium: a case report

BACKGROUND

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) may be induced by atypical antipsychotic drugs (AAPDs) such as aripiprazole, olanzapine, risperidone and quetiapine, either as a single treatment or in combination with other drugs. A case of NMS following the administration of lamotrigine, aripiprazole and quetiapine in a patient with bipolar disorder, and with renal failure caused by toxic lithium levels has not been reported.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 51-year-old female patient with a 27-year history of bipolar disorder, being treated with lithium, fluoxetine, olanzapine, gabapentine, perazine and biperiden, was admitted to the hospital due to depressed mood and delusions. A urinary tract infection was diagnosed and antibiotic therapy was initiated. After 5 days of treatment her physical state deteriorated and she developed a fever of 38.4 °C. Her laboratory results revealed a toxic level of lithium (2.34 mmol/l). Acute renal failure was diagnosed and the lithium was withdrawn. After stabilization of her condition, and despite her antipsychotic treatment, further intensification of delusions and depressed mood were observed. All drugs being taken by the patient were withdrawn and lamotrigine and aripiprazole were initiated. Due to the insufficient effectiveness of aripiprazole treatment and because of problems with sleep, quetiapine was added, however further treatment with this drug combination and an increase of quetiapine to 400 mg/d eventually caused NMS. Amantadine, lorazepam and bromocriptine were therefore initiated and the patient's condition improved.

CONCLUSION

This case report indicates that concurrent use of multiple antipsychotic drugs in combination with mood stabilizers in patients with organic disorders confers an increased risk of NMS development.

Psychoeducation for bipolar disorder and risk of recurrence and hospitalization - a within-individual analysis using registry data

BACKGROUND

The efficacy of psychoeducation for bipolar disorder has been demonstrated in clinical trials, but it is not known if the results translate into effectiveness in routine clinical practice. The aim was to determine the effectiveness of psychoeducation for bipolar disorder in a routine clinical setting.

METHOD

We identified 2819 patients with at least three registrations in the Swedish Quality Assurance Register for Bipolar Disorder. Among those, 402 had not been exposed to psychoeducation at the first visit, but received psychoeducation during any of the following registrations. Using within-individual analyses, the risk of recurrence after having received psychoeducation was compared with the risk prior to psychoeducation.

RESULTS

In adjusted within-individuals comparisons, periods after psychoeducation was associated with decreased risks of any recurrence [odds ratio (OR) 0.57, 95% CI 0.42-0.78], (hypo-)manic or mixed episodes (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.39-0.76), depressive episodes (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.47-0.86), and inpatient care (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.33-0.86) relative to periods prior to psychoeducation. There was no association with rates of involuntary sectioning or suicide attempts.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that psychoeducation for bipolar disorder reduces the risk of mood episodes and inpatient care also when implemented in routine clinical practice.

Lithium-associated hypothyroidism and potential for reversibility after lithium discontinuation: Findings from the LiSIE retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

The association between lithium and thyroid dysfunction has long been known. However, it remains unknown if lithium-associated hypothyroidism is reversible once lithium treatment has been stopped.

AIMS

To determine whether lithium-associated hypothyroidism was reversible in patients who subsequently discontinued lithium.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study in the Swedish region of Norrbotten into the effects and side- effects of lithium treatment and other drugs for relapse prevention (Lithium - Study into Effects and Side Effects). For this particular study, we reviewed medical records between 1997 and 2015 of patients with lithium-associated hypothyroidism who had discontinued lithium.

RESULTS

Of 1340 patients screened, 90 were included. Of these, 27% had overt hypothyroidism at the start of thyroid replacement therapy. The mean delay from starting lithium to starting thyroid replacement therapy was 2.3 years (SD 4.7). In total, 50% of patients received thyroid replacement therapy within 10 months of starting lithium. Of 85 patients available for follow-up, 41% stopped thyroid replacement therapy after lithium discontinuation. Only six patients reinstated thyroid replacement therapy subsequently. Of these, only one had overt hypothyroidism.

CONCLUSIONS

Lithium-associated hypothyroidism seems reversible in most patients once lithium has been discontinued. In such cases, thyroid replacement therapy discontinuation could be attempted much more often than currently done. Based on the limited evidence of our study, we can expect hypothyroidism to recur early after thyroid replacement therapy discontinuation, if at all.

Sex-Specific Associations Between Bipolar Disorder Pharmacological Maintenance Therapies and Inpatient Rehospitalizations: A 9-Year Swedish National Registry Study

Background: Long-term pharmacological maintenance therapy is often essential among people with bipolar disorder to reduce the need for inpatient care. Sex-specific responses to maintenance therapies are expected but remain largely unknown. Here, we examined for sex-specific associations between common maintenance therapies for bipolar disorder with inpatient rehospitalizations following patients' index discharges during 2006-2014. Methods: Population-based data on maintenance therapies and rehospitalizations were extracted from Swedish national registries. We adopted the within-individual design to compare the time on- vs. off- maintenance therapy for males and females, respectively. Extended stratified Cox proportional hazards regression models were employed to quantify the rate of rehospitalization as a function of common maintenance drugs and other important time-varying control variables. Results: Our primary analysis included 22,681 bipolar disorder rehospitalizations by 6,400 males and 9,588 (60.0%) females over an observation time of 62,813 person-years. The time spent on- vs. off- maintenance lithium, lamotrigine, quetiapine, or olanzapine was statistically significant upon adjustment among either sex for reducing the rate of bipolar rehospitalizations. Adjusted sex-specific statistically significant associations were also observed. Among females, the time on- (vs. off-) long-acting injectable risperidone reduced the rate of bipolar rehospitalizations by 73% (56-84%), carbamazepine by 44% (18-62%), aripiprazole by 29% (13-42%), and valproate by 23% (11-33%); whereas among males, ziprasidone by 65% (41-79%). Conclusion: The effectiveness of most maintenance therapies is generally comparable and uniform among both males and females. Despite some statistically significant sex-specific associations, estimates for each drug were fairly consistent between sexes.

Psychiatric and physical outcomes of long-term use of lithium in older adults with bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder: A cross-sectional multicenter study

OBJECTIVE

Although lithium is widely used in current practice to treat bipolar disorder (BD) and treatment-resistant major depressive disorder (MDD) among older adults, little is known about its efficacy and tolerability in this population, which is generally excluded from randomized clinical trials. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of long-term use of lithium among older adults with BD and MDD.

METHOD

Data from the Cohort of individuals with Schizophrenia and mood disorders Aged 55 years or more (CSA) were used. Two groups of patients with BD and MDD were compared: those who were currently receiving lithium versus those who were not. The effects of lithium on psychiatric (i.e., depressive symptoms severity, perceived clinical severity, rates of psychiatric admissions in the past-year), geriatric (overall and cognitive functioning) and physical outcomes (i.e., rates of non-psychiatric medical comorbidities and general hospital admissions in the past-year) were evaluated. All analyses were adjusted for age, sex, duration of disorder, diagnosis, smoking status, alcohol use, and use of antipsychotics, antiepileptics or antidepressants.

RESULTS

Among the 281 older participants with BD or MDD, 15.7% were taking lithium for a mean duration of 12.5(SD = 11.6) years. Lithium use was associated with lower intensity of depressive symptoms, reduced perceived clinical global severity and lower benzodiazepine use (all p < 0.05), without being linked to greater rates of medical comorbidities, except for hypothyroidism.

LIMITATIONS

Data were cross-sectional and data on lifetime history of psychotropic medications was not assessed.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that long-term lithium use may be efficient and relatively well-tolerated in older adults with BD or treatment-resistant MDD.

Clinical course and need for hospital admission after lithium discontinuation in patients with bipolar disorder type I or II: mirror-image study based on the LiSIE retrospective cohort

BACKGROUND

Currently, the evidence for lithium as a maintenance treatment for bipolar disorder type II (BD-II) remains limited. Guidelines commonly extrapolate recommendations for BD-II from available evidence for bipolar disorder type I (BD-I). Comparing the impact of lithium discontinuation is one way of assessing effectiveness in both groups.

AIMS

To compare the impact of lithium discontinuation on hospital admissions and self-harm in patients with BD-I or schizoaffective disorder (SZD) and patients with BD-II or other bipolar disorder.

METHOD

Mirror-image study, examining hospital admissions within 2 years before and after lithium discontinuation in both patient groups. This study was part of a retrospective cohort study (LiSIE) into effects and side-effects of lithium for maintenance treatment of bipolar disorder as compared with other mood stabilisers.

RESULTS

For the whole sample, the mean number of admissions/patient/review period doubled from 0.44 to 0.95 (P<0.001) after lithium discontinuation. The mean number of bed days/patient/review period doubled from 11 to 22 (P = 0.025). This increase in admissions and bed days was exclusively attributable to patients with BD-I/SZD. Not having consulted with a doctor prior to lithium discontinuation or no treatment with an alternative mood stabiliser at the time of lithium discontinuation led to more admissions.

CONCLUSIONS

The higher relapse risk in patients with BD-I/SZD suggests a higher threshold for discontinuing lithium than for patients with BD-II/other bipolar disorder. In patients with BD-II/other bipolar disorder, however, judged on the impact of discontinuation alone, lithium did not appear to prevent more severe depressive episodes requiring hospital admission.

A strategic tool to improve long-term health outcomes in clinical practice: SHOR driver and association diagram

Quality problem or issue

An over-arching principle of healthcare governance in Sweden is to achieve as much health for as many patients as possible given the available resources. With high life expectancy and increased years lived with non-communicable diseases, more effective interventions in prevention and control of non-communicable diseases are needed in order to ensure high-quality healthcare.

Initial assessment

Few publications have described a generic and resource-effective method of implementing the perspective of health outcomes in relation to costs in a clinical Swedish university hospital context. To fill this gap, a generic method was developed at Sahlgrenska University hospital in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Choice of solution

A System-based driver and association diagram of Health Outcomes in relation to available Resources (SHOR) was developed. The SHOR driver and association diagram comprised different perspectives: health, patient, process, research and cost perspectives. It enabled the translation from long-term health outcomes to applications in clinical practice.

Implementation

Three patient groups exemplify the use and implementation of the method of SHOR association and driver diagram; bipolar disorder (psychiatry), primiparous women with spontaneous onset of labour, (obstetric care) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (somatic care).

Evaluation

The SHOR driver and association diagram enabled a structure to monitor and support quality development towards maximised health outcomes in relation to available resources and associated total costs for a specific patient group.

Lessons learned

This method has connected clinical practice, management and research and has been used for both strategic and operational purposes.

Conventional mood stabilizers and/or second-generation antipsychotic drugs in bipolar disorders: A population-based comparison of risk of treatment failure

BACKGROUND

The study compared treatment failure when using three therapeutic strategies in bipolar disorders: (i) mood stabilizers (MSs: lithium, valpromide, divalproate, carbamazepine, lamotrigine) without second-generation antipsychotic (SGAP); (ii) SGAPs (aripiprazole, olanzapine, risperidone, quetiapine) without MS; (iii) combination of MSs and SGAPs.

METHODS

A historical cohort study was conducted using the French national healthcare databases in 20,086 outpatients aged 21+, newly treated with one of the three treatment strategies in 2011-2012, and diagnosed with a bipolar disorder. A composite outcome was based on indicators of treatment failure identified over 12 months: treatment discontinuation, switch or addition, psychiatric hospitalisation, suicide attempt, and death. For each strategy, the cumulative incidence of treatment failure was calculated while adjusting for covariates by propensity score weighting.

RESULTS

A total of 8,225 patients (40.9%) were newly dispensed MSs, 9,342 (46.5%) SGAPs, and 2,519 (12.5%) both MSs and SGAPs. The one-year adjusted cumulative incidence of treatment failure was 75.7% (95%CI 74.9;76.3) in patients using MSs, 75.3% (74.6;76.0) in patients using SGAPs, and 60.5% (58.3;62.6) in patients with the combination. The adjusted difference in incidence for SGAPs compared with MSs was -0.40% (-1.4;0.6 p = 0.4) in the whole population, -2.2% (-3.3; -1.2 p < 0.002) in patients under 65 years and +6.7% (4.1;9.1 p < 0.002) in patients 65 years and over.

LIMITATIONS

Combinations of MSs and SGAPs could not be directly compared with MS or SGAP monotherapies.

CONCLUSIONS

One-year treatment failure was high. Overall, no difference in treatment failure was observed between MS or SGAP strategy but differences might exist depending on age.

The effect of adjunctive nutraceuticals in bipolar disorder: A systematic review of randomized placebo-controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Nutraceuticals are a group of compounds of growing interest for mental health professionals. Given the implication of certain nutrients in the onset of bipolar disorder, it has been hypothesized that nutraceuticals might be effective in improving symptoms of the condition (i.e. mania or depression). Our systematic review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of adjunctive nutraceuticals compared to placebo.

METHODS

We searched the following databases from inception to February 2019: Web of Science, CINAHL, Embase, and PsycINFO. We included only original randomized controlled trials written in English, testing the efficacy of nutraceuticals in add-on to standard care, compared to placebo, in patients with bipolar disorder.

RESULTS

After identifying 6584 potentially relevant publications, we finally included 25 studies, among which six used fatty acids, seven micronutrients, seven amino acids. One study tested probiotics, while in four trials a combination of different types of nutraceuticals was used. Even if some compounds have shown promising results (i.e. fatty acids and N-acetyl cysteine for depression, amino acid drinks and folic acid for mania), the majority of nutraceuticals did not cause significant improvements in comparison to placebo.

LIMITATIONS

We could not perform a meta-analysis due to the high heterogeneity of trials, which were also affected by some methodological caveats.

CONCLUSIONS

Evidence regarding the efficacy of adjunctive nutraceuticals in bipolar disorder is inconsistent. Nevertheless, they appear generally free from relevant side effects. Well-designed trials are needed to further explore the potential role of nutraceuticals in different mood episodes.

Discontinuation rates during long-term, second-generation antipsychotic long-acting injection treatment: A systematic review

AIM

The aim of this review was to analyze the discontinuation rates during long-term treatment with second-generation antipsychotic long-acting injection (SGA-LAI) in adults with either schizophrenia spectrum or bipolar disorders.

METHODS

A systematic search (PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library) of studies published in English (1 January 2001-12 October 2018) identified 1214 abstracts, which were analyzed independently by the author and two colleagues. Studies were retrieved and reviewed if they reported primary data on the discontinuation rate before the study end during treatment lasting ≥36 weeks. Data were extracted from 51 articles meeting the inclusion criteria.

RESULTS

In all head-to-head comparisons, and studies on patients with schizophrenia spectrum or bipolar disorders, the discontinuation rate before the study end in patients treated with SGA-LAI was, at best, similar to that recorded in patients treated with first-generation antipsychotics in either oral or LAI formulations or with oral SGA. In particular, in most of the SGA-LAI long-term studies, the rate of premature dropout was higher than 50%.

CONCLUSION

Reviewed data suggest that SGA-LAI show no clear superiority over less expensive drugs (including first-generation antipsychotic LAI and oral antipsychotic formulations) in reducing the risk of premature antipsychotic discontinuation. Thus, alternative strategies should be considered to improve medication persistence and lower discontinuation rates in patients with severe psychiatric disorders. Planning tailored, individualized, and integrated approaches (including frequent clinical evaluations, and behavioral or other flexible techniques adaptable to different settings and patients) may be an effective intervention for improving patient adherence in long-term pharmacological treatment regimens.

Delphi survey of maintenance lithium treatment in older adults with bipolar disorder: An ISBD task force report

OBJECTIVES

Despite the growing numbers and proportion of older adults with bipolar disorder (OABD), there are very limited guidelines for the use of lithium with its double-edged potential for effectiveness and toxicity in this population. The primary aims of this Delphi survey were: (a) To determine the place of lithium among the preferred choices for maintenance treatment of OABD. (b) To provide detailed clinical guidelines for the safe and effective use of lithium in OABD.

METHODS

In the face of limited evidence, the Delphi survey method was used to achieve consensus by a group of 25 experts in OABD from nine countries. An oversight committee monitored and analyzed the results of each survey and formulated more focused questions with each subsequent iteration.

RESULTS

A 100% response rate was achieved for all three iterations of the survey. Lithium was the preferred choice for maintenance monotherapy in OABD. Serum levels of 0.4-0.8 mmol/L were recommended for ages 60-79 and serum levels of 0.4-0.7 mmol/L were recommended for ages 80 and over. Specific recommendations achieved consensus for second line monotherapy as well as for other drugs to be used in combination with lithium if necessary. Guidelines for routine monitoring of lithium in OABD were provided for laboratory investigations and clinical assessments.

CONCLUSIONS

Lithium remains the preferred choice for maintenance monotherapy in OABD. Laboratories should report the therapeutic range for serum levels of lithium separately for older adults.

Lithium treatment, nephrogenic diabetes insipidus and the risk of hypernatraemia: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Hypernatraemia is a serious condition that can potentially become life threatening. It is known that lithium is associated with polyuria and nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, risk factors for hypernatraemia. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that lithium treatment was a risk factor for hypernatraemia.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective cohort study in the Swedish region of Norrbotten into the effects and potential adverse effects of lithium treatment and other mood stabilizers (LiSIE). For this particular study, we included all patients who had experienced at least one episode with a sodium concentration ⩾150 mmol/L between 1997 and 2013. Medical records were reviewed regarding past or current lithium exposure, diabetes insipidus and other potential risk factors for hypernatraemia.

RESULTS

Of 2463 patients included, 185 (7.5%) had experienced 204 episodes of hypernatraemia within the 17-year review period. In patients 65 years or older, infections dominated as the cause with 51%. In patients younger than 65 years, intoxications, particularly with alcohol, dominated as the cause with 35%. In the whole sample, dehydration accounted for 12% of episodes, 25% of which in the context of suspected or confirmed nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. Of all episodes, 25% resulted in death, with infection being the most common cause of death in 62% of cases.

CONCLUSIONS

In our sample, infections and harmful use of substances including alcohol were the most common causes of hypernatraemia. Both current and past use of lithium also led to episodes of hypernatraemia, when associated with nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. Clinicians should remain vigilant, have a low threshold for checking sodium concentrations and consider even risk factors for hypernatraemia beyond lithium.

Comprehensive comparison of monotherapies for psychiatric hospitalization risk in bipolar disorders

OBJECTIVES

This study compared 29 drugs for risk of psychiatric hospitalization in bipolar disorders, addressing the evidence gap on the >50 drugs used by US patients for treatment.

METHODS

The Truven Health Analytics MarketScan^® database was used to identify 190 894 individuals with bipolar or schizoaffective disorder who filled a prescription for one of 29 drugs of interest: lithium, first- or second-generation antipsychotics, mood-stabilizing anticonvulsants, and antidepressants. Competing risks regression survival analysis was used to compare drugs for risk of psychiatric hospitalization, adjusting for patient age, sex, comorbidities, and pretreatment medications. Other competing risks were ending monotherapy and non-psychiatric hospitalization.

RESULTS

Three drugs were associated with significantly lower risk of psychiatric hospitalization than lithium: valproate (relative risk [RR] = 0.80, P = 3.20 × 10^-4 ), aripiprazole (RR = 0.80, P = 3.50 × 10^-4 ), and bupropion (RR = 0.80, P = 2.80 × 10^-4 ). Eight drugs were associated with significantly higher risk of psychiatric hospitalization: haloperidol (RR = 1.57, P = 9.40 × 10^-4 ), clozapine (RR = 1.52, P = .017), fluoxetine (RR = 1.17, P = 3.70 × 10^-3 ), sertraline (RR = 1.17, P = 3.20 × 10^-3 ), citalopram (RR = 1.14, P = .013), duloxetine (RR = 1.24, P = 5.10 × 10^-4 ), venlafaxine (RR = 1.33; P = 1.00 × 10^-6 ), and ziprasidone (RR = 1.25; P = 6.20 × 10^-3 ).

CONCLUSIONS

This largest reported retrospective observational study on bipolar disorders pharmacotherapy to date demonstrates that the majority of patients end monotherapy within 2 months after treatment start. The risk of psychiatric hospitalization varied almost two-fold across individual medications. The data add to the evidence favoring lithium and mood stabilizer use in short-term bipolar disorder management. The findings that the dopaminergic drugs aripiprazole and bupropion had better outcomes than other members of their respective classes and that antidepressant outcomes may vary by baseline mood polarity merit further investigation.

Mixed states in bipolar and major depressive disorders: systematic review and quality appraisal of guidelines

OBJECTIVE

This systematic review provided a critical synthesis and a comprehensive overview of guidelines on the treatment of mixed states.

METHOD

The MEDLINE/PubMed and EMBASE databases were systematically searched from inception to March 21st, 2018. International guidelines covering the treatment of mixed episodes, manic/hypomanic, or depressive episodes with mixed features were considered for inclusion. A methodological quality assessment was conducted with the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation-AGREE II.

RESULTS

The final selection yielded six articles. Despite their heterogeneity, all guidelines agreed in interrupting an antidepressant monotherapy or adding mood-stabilizing medications. Olanzapine seemed to have the best evidence for acute mixed hypo/manic/depressive states and maintenance treatment. Aripiprazole and paliperidone were possible alternatives for acute hypo/manic mixed states. Lurasidone and ziprasidone were useful in acute mixed depression. Valproate was recommended for the prevention of new mixed episodes while lithium and quetiapine in preventing affective episodes of all polarities. Clozapine and electroconvulsive therapy were effective in refractory mixed episodes. The AGREE II overall assessment rate ranged between 42% and 92%, indicating different quality level of included guidelines.

CONCLUSION

The unmet needs for the mixed symptoms treatment were associated with diagnostic issues and limitations of previous research, particularly for maintenance treatment.

Differentiating Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder From Those of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: A Case Report

Bipolar I disorder and interictal personality syndrome have many overlapping characteristics that are difficult to distinguish. There is scant literature focused on interictal personality syndrome and no case reports to date detailing patients with comorbid bipolar pathology. We describe an individual with a history of bipolar I disorder who developed right temporal lobe epilepsy after several head injuries. He subsequently exhibited symptoms consistent with interictal personality syndrome that were independent of his bipolar symptomatology. Better understanding of these disorders can lead to improved diagnosis and symptom management. The similarities may also point to a partially shared neuropathology.

Real-world Effectiveness of Pharmacologic Treatments for the Prevention of Rehospitalization in a Finnish Nationwide Cohort of Patients With Bipolar Disorder

IMPORTANCE

Mood stabilizers and antipsychotics are the main maintenance treatments for bipolar disorder. Lithium is considered to be the most effective mood stabilizer, but very little is known about overall health outcomes associated with specific treatments and the comparative long-term effectiveness of specific psychotropics or routes of administration in the prevention of rehospitalizations.

OBJECTIVE

To study the comparative effectiveness of pharmacologic treatments in the prevention of rehospitalization in a nationwide cohort of patients with bipolar disorder.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This cohort study examined the risk of psychiatric, cardiovascular, and all-cause hospitalization from January 1, 1987, to December 31, 2012, among all patients in Finland who had been hospitalized for bipolar disorder (N = 18 018; mean follow-up time, 7.2 years) using prospectively gathered nationwide databases for hospitalization and dispensed medications. The primary analysis was within-individual analysis, in which each individual was used as his or her own control to eliminate selection bias. The study adjusted for the effect of concomitant psychotropic medications, duration of illness, and the temporal orders of exposure and nonexposure periods. Statistical analysis was conducted from January 1, 1996, to December 31, 2012.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for rehospitalization were calculated.

RESULTS

Among the cohort (9558 women and 8460 men; mean [SD] age, 46.6 [17.0] years), 9721 patients (54.0%) had at least 1 psychiatric rehospitalization. In comparison between use and no use among specific agents reaching nominal statistical significance, risperidone long-acting injection (HR, 0.58 [95% CI, 0.34-1.00]), gabapentin (HR, 0.58 [95% CI, 0.44-0.77]), perphenazine long-acting injection (HR, 0.60 [95% CI, 0.41-0.88]), and lithium carbonate (HR, 0.67 [95% CI, 0.60-0.73]) were associated with the lowest risk of psychiatric rehospitalization. Concerning all-cause hospitalization, lithium (HR, 0.71 [95% CI, 0.66-0.76]) was associated with the lowest risk. The most frequently used antipsychotic treatment, quetiapine fumarate, showed only modest effectiveness (risk of psychiatric rehospitalization: HR, 0.92 [95% CI, 0.85-0.98]; risk of all-cause hospitalization: HR, 0.93 [95% CI, 0.88-0.98]). Long-acting injections were associated with substantially better outcomes compared with identical oral antipsychotics (risk of psychiatric rehospitalization: HR, 0.70 [95% CI, 0.55-0.90]; risk of all-cause hospitalization: HR, 0.70 [95% CI, 0.57-0.86]). Results from sensitivity analyses showed consistent beneficial effects only for lithium and for long-acting injections compared with their oral counterparts.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Lithium was the most effective mood stabilizer, and long-acting injections the most effective antipsychotics, in preventing hospitalization due to mental or physical illness.

Effectiveness of maintenance therapy of lithium vs other mood stabilizers in monotherapy and in combinations: a systematic review of evidence from observational studies

OBJECTIVES

For the first time to present a systematic review of observational studies on the efficiency of lithium monotherapy in comparison with other maintenance mood stabilizers in monotherapy and in combination.

METHODS

As part of the International Society for Bipolar Disorders (ISBD) Task Force on Lithium Treatment, we undertook a systematic literature search of non-randomized controlled observational studies on (i) lithium monotherapy vs treatment with another maintenance mood stabilizer in monotherapy and (ii) lithium in combination with other mood stabilizers vs monotherapy.

RESULTS

In eight out of nine identified studies including a total of < 14 000 patients, maintenance lithium monotherapy was associated with improved outcome compared with another mood stabilizer in monotherapy, including valproate, lamotrigine, olanzapine, quetiapine, unspecified anticonvulsants, carbamazepine/lamotrigine, unspecified atypical antipsychotics and unspecified antipsychotics. Among the four identified studies including a total of > 4000 patients comparing maintenance combination therapy with maintenance monotherapy, a few combination therapies were found to be superior to monotherapy in some analyses, but many were not.

CONCLUSIONS

The results show the superiority in real life of lithium monotherapy compared with monotherapy with other maintenance mood stabilizers. The four largest register-based studies largely addressed confounding, but, as ever, residual confounding cannot be excluded. Nevertheless, the observational findings substantially add to the findings from randomized controlled trials, whose designs often limit the validity of comparison between medicines.

Reasons for lithium discontinuation in men and women with bipolar disorder: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Lithium remains first choice as maintenance treatment for bipolar affective disorder. Yet, about half of all individuals may stop their treatment at some point, despite lithium's proven benefits concerning the prevention of severe affective episodes and suicide.

METHODS

Retrospective cohort study in the Swedish region of Norrbotten into the causes of lithium discontinuation. The study was set up to (1) test whether patients with bipolar affective disorder or schizoaffective disorder, treated with lithium maintenance therapy, were more likely to discontinue lithium because of adverse effects than lack of therapeutic effectiveness, (2) explore gender differences, (3) understand the role of diagnosis and (4) identify who, patient or doctor, took the initiative to stop lithium. Review of medical records for all episodes of lithium discontinuation that had occurred between 1997 and 2013 with the intent to stop lithium for good.

RESULTS

Of 873 patients treated with lithium, 54% discontinued lithium, corresponding to 561 episodes of lithium discontinuation. In 62% of episodes, lithium was discontinued due to adverse effects, in 44% due to psychiatric reasons, and in 12% due to physical reasons interfering with lithium treatment. The five single most common adverse effects leading to lithium discontinuation were diarrhoea (13%), tremor (11%), polyuria/polydipsia/diabetes insipidus (9%), creatinine increase (9%) and weight gain (7%). Women were as likely as men to take the initiative to stop lithium, but twice as likely to consult a doctor before taking action (p < 0.01). Patients with type 1 BPAD or SZD were more likely to discontinue lithium than patients with type 2 or unspecified BPAD (p < 0.01). Patients with type 1 BPAD or SZD were more likely to refuse medication (p < 0.01). Conversely, patients with type 2 or unspecified BPAD were three times as likely to discontinue lithium for lack or perceived lack of effectiveness (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Stopping lithium treatment is common and occurs mostly due to adverse effects. It is important to discuss potential adverse effects with patients before initiation and continuously during lithium treatment, to reduce the frequency of potentially unnecessary discontinuations.

The World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry (WFSBP) Guidelines for the Biological Treatment of Bipolar Disorders: Acute and long-term treatment of mixed states in bipolar disorder

OBJECTIVES

Although clinically highly relevant, the recognition and treatment of bipolar mixed states has played only an underpart in recent guidelines. This WFSBP guideline has been developed to supply a systematic overview of all scientific evidence pertaining to the acute and long-term treatment of bipolar mixed states in adults.

METHODS

Material used for these guidelines is based on a systematic literature search using various data bases. Their scientific rigour was categorised into six levels of evidence (A-F), and different grades of recommendation to ensure practicability were assigned. We examined data pertaining to the acute treatment of manic and depressive symptoms in bipolar mixed patients, as well as data pertaining to the prevention of mixed recurrences after an index episode of any type, or recurrence of any type after a mixed index episode.

RESULTS

Manic symptoms in bipolar mixed states appeared responsive to treatment with several atypical antipsychotics, the best evidence resting with olanzapine. For depressive symptoms, addition of ziprasidone to treatment as usual may be beneficial; however, the evidence base is much more limited than for the treatment of manic symptoms. Besides olanzapine and quetiapine, valproate and lithium should also be considered for recurrence prevention.

LIMITATIONS

The concept of mixed states changed over time, and recently became much more comprehensive with the release of DSM-5. As a consequence, studies in bipolar mixed patients targeted slightly different bipolar subpopulations. In addition, trial designs in acute and maintenance treatment also advanced in recent years in response to regulatory demands.

CONCLUSIONS

Current treatment recommendations are still based on limited evidence, and there is a clear demand for confirmative studies adopting the DSM-5 specifier with mixed features concept.

Rehospitalization and suicide following electroconvulsive therapy for bipolar depression-A population-based register study

BACKGROUND

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is effective in bipolar depression, but relapse is common. The aim of the study was (i) to identify prognostic factors (ii) and to determine the impact of pharmacological approaches on the risk for rehospitalization or suicide.

METHODS

This register study analyzed data from individuals treated with inpatient ECT for bipolar depression. Subjects were identified using the Swedish National Patient Register between 2011 and 2014 and the Swedish National Quality Register for ECT. Other national registers provided data on psychopharmacotherapy, socio-demographic factors, and causes of death. The endpoint was the composite of rehospitalization for any psychiatric disorder, suicide attempt or completed suicide (RoS). Cox regression was used to calculate hazard ratios in univariate and multivariate models.

RESULTS

Data from 1255 patients were analyzed. The mean period of follow-up was 346 days. A total of 29%, 41%, and 52% of patients reached RoS at 3, 6, and 12 months post-discharge. A history of multiple psychiatric admissions, lower age, and post-discharge treatment with antipsychotics or benzodiazepines was associated with RoS.

LIMITATIONS

Indication bias may have affected the results.

CONCLUSIONS

A history of multiple hospital admissions and lower age are key predictors of the composite of rehospitalization or suicide in patients treated with ECT for bipolar depression. Lithium might be effective. By contrast, antipsychotics and benzodiazepines were associated with increased risk, but possibly this finding was influenced by indication bias.