Double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of the use of lithium to augment antidepressant medication in continuation treatment of unipolar major depression
Double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of the use of lithium to augment antidepressant medication in continuation treatment of unipolar major depression
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DOI：
10.1176/appi.ajp.157.9.1429
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发表时间：
2000-09-01
影响因子：
17.7
通讯作者：
Müller-Oerlinghausen, B
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Bauer, M;Bschor, T;Müller-Oerlinghausen, B
目的：使用锂作为抗抑郁药物的补充已被证明在抑郁症的急性治疗中是有益的。方法：在一项为期6周的开放研究中，30名对急性锂强化治疗有反应的难治性重度抑郁发作患者参加了一项随机、平行、双盲、安慰剂对照的锂强化治疗试验。在缓解后2-4周的稳定期后，患者被随机分配接受锂或安慰剂治疗4个月。结果：在接受安慰剂治疗的15例患者中，有7例(47%)复发(包括一例自杀)。在研究的双盲阶段，接受抗抑郁药物锂强化治疗的14名患者中没有一人复发(0%)。安慰剂组7例复发患者中有5例出现抑郁发作，另外2例出现躁狂发作。结论：单相重度抑郁障碍持续治疗期间加强锂治疗可有效预防复发。对锂强化有反应的患者应至少维持6个月或更长时间的锂强化。
Objective: Use of lithium to augment antidepressant medication has been shown to be beneficial in the acute treatment of depression. The authors examined the efficacy of lithium augmentation in the continuation treatment of unipolar major depressive disorder.Method: Thirty patients with a refractory major depressive episode who had responded to acute lithium augmentation during an open 6-week study participated in a randomized, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of lithium augmentation during continuation treatment. After a 2-4-week stabilization period following remission, patients were randomly assigned to receive either lithium or placebo for a 4-month period. Antidepressant medication was continued throughout the study.Results: Relapses (including one suicide) occurred in seven (47%) of the 15 patients who received placebo in addition to antidepressants. None (0%) of the 14 patients who received lithium augmentation with antidepressants suffered a relapse during the double-blind phase of the study. Five of the seven relapsing patients in the placebo group developed a depressive episode, and the other two experienced a manic episode.Conclusions: Lithium augmentation in the continuation phase of treatment of unipolar major depressive disorder effectively protects patients against a relapse. Patients who respond to lithium augmentation should be maintained on lithium augmentation for a minimum of 6 months or even longer.