Authors: Post RM, et al.
Title: Rate of switch in bipolar patients prospectively treated with second-generation antidepressants as augmentation to mood stabilizers.
Reference: Bipolar Disorders 2001;3:259-65.
Purpose: To assess switch rates in patients receiving SSRI, bupropion, or venlafaxine add-on therapy to a mood stabilizer.
Study design: Double-blinded trial with a 1-year, blinded, continuation phase.
Follow up: 10-week acute phase with a 1-year follow-up.
Patients: 64 outpatients with bipolar depression.
Treatment: SSRI, bupropion, or venlafaxine add-on therapy to lithium, carbamazepine, or valproate treatment.
Results: 14% of patients switched to mania or hypomania during the 10-week acute phase and 33% switched to mania or hypomania during the one-year follow-up. As the study is still ongoing, the blinding of treatment had not been broken at the time of writing, so the individual data on each antidepressant were not yet available.