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Pharmacological interventions for acute bipolar mania: a systematic review of randomized placebo-controlled trials

Pharmacological interventions for acute bipolar mania: a systematic review of randomized placebo-controlled trials
Pharmacological interventions for acute bipolar mania: a systematic review of randomized placebo-controlled trials
Objectives: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized, placebo-controlled trials in acute bipolar mania to summarize available data on drug treatment of mania.

Methods: We included trials of medications licensed in the USA or UK for the treatment of any phase of bipolar disorder. Outcomes investigated were changes in mania scores, attrition, extrapyramidal effects and weight change. Data were combined through meta-analyses.

Results: We included 13 studies (involving 3,089 subjects) and identified 2 studies for each of the following medications: carbamazepine, haloperidol, lithium, olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone, valproate semisodium and aripiprazole. All drugs showed significant benefit compared with placebo for reduction in mania scores. Compared with placebo, for all antipsychotics pooled, response to treatment (?50% reduction in Young Mania Rating Scale scores) was increased more than 1.7 times [relative risk (RR) = 1.74, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.54, 1.96]; for all mood stabilizers pooled, response to treatment was doubled (RR 2.01, 95% CI = 1.66, 2.43). Overall withdrawals were 34% fewer (24–43%) with antipsychotics, and 26% fewer (10–39%) with mood stabilizers. However, for carbamazepine, aripiprazole and lithium an increase in risk of withdrawal could not be excluded. Small but significant increases in extrapyramidal side effects occurred with risperidone and aripiprazole.

Conclusions: Antipsychotics and mood stabilizers are significantly more effective than placebo for the treatment of acute mania. Their effect sizes are similar. Small differences between effect sizes may be due to differences in the patients included in the studies or to chance. Carbamazepine and lithium may be more poorly tolerated, and antipsychotics cause more extrapyramidal side effects.
antipsychotics, mania, meta-analysis, mood stabilizers, randomized controlled study
1398-5647
551-560
Smith, Lesley A.
fe97f3af-7911-492e-85b8-b8a3444edb48
Cornelius, Victoria
b75c21d7-2c25-495c-9107-e39453a72bdd
Warnock, Adrian
50468626-a052-438a-8296-a86f848bb90f
Tacchi, Mary Jane
bb756991-3352-496c-bdc6-6092da9787ce
Taylor, David
ad67dc6a-3678-48f8-a821-138c0fc23ca6
Smith, Lesley A.
fe97f3af-7911-492e-85b8-b8a3444edb48
Cornelius, Victoria
b75c21d7-2c25-495c-9107-e39453a72bdd
Warnock, Adrian
50468626-a052-438a-8296-a86f848bb90f
Tacchi, Mary Jane
bb756991-3352-496c-bdc6-6092da9787ce
Taylor, David
ad67dc6a-3678-48f8-a821-138c0fc23ca6

Smith, Lesley A., Cornelius, Victoria, Warnock, Adrian, Tacchi, Mary Jane and Taylor, David (2007) Pharmacological interventions for acute bipolar mania: a systematic review of randomized placebo-controlled trials. Bipolar Disorders, 9 (6), 551-560. (doi:10.1111/j.1399-5618.2007.00468.x).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Objectives: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized, placebo-controlled trials in acute bipolar mania to summarize available data on drug treatment of mania.

Methods: We included trials of medications licensed in the USA or UK for the treatment of any phase of bipolar disorder. Outcomes investigated were changes in mania scores, attrition, extrapyramidal effects and weight change. Data were combined through meta-analyses.

Results: We included 13 studies (involving 3,089 subjects) and identified 2 studies for each of the following medications: carbamazepine, haloperidol, lithium, olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone, valproate semisodium and aripiprazole. All drugs showed significant benefit compared with placebo for reduction in mania scores. Compared with placebo, for all antipsychotics pooled, response to treatment (?50% reduction in Young Mania Rating Scale scores) was increased more than 1.7 times [relative risk (RR) = 1.74, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.54, 1.96]; for all mood stabilizers pooled, response to treatment was doubled (RR 2.01, 95% CI = 1.66, 2.43). Overall withdrawals were 34% fewer (24–43%) with antipsychotics, and 26% fewer (10–39%) with mood stabilizers. However, for carbamazepine, aripiprazole and lithium an increase in risk of withdrawal could not be excluded. Small but significant increases in extrapyramidal side effects occurred with risperidone and aripiprazole.

Conclusions: Antipsychotics and mood stabilizers are significantly more effective than placebo for the treatment of acute mania. Their effect sizes are similar. Small differences between effect sizes may be due to differences in the patients included in the studies or to chance. Carbamazepine and lithium may be more poorly tolerated, and antipsychotics cause more extrapyramidal side effects.

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More information

Published date: September 2007
Keywords: antipsychotics, mania, meta-analysis, mood stabilizers, randomized controlled study

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 162293
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/162293
ISSN: 1398-5647
PURE UUID: 8c1fbeb1-e73a-4726-aab0-e4e216f882ca

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Date deposited: 18 Aug 2010 09:20
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 02:02

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Contributors

Author: Lesley A. Smith
Author: Victoria Cornelius
Author: Adrian Warnock
Author: Mary Jane Tacchi
Author: David Taylor

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