OBJECTIVES: Treatment resistance in bipolar depression is a common clinical problem that constitutes a major challenge for the treating clinician as there is a paucity of treatment options. The objective of this paper was to review the evidence for treatment options in treatment-resistant bipolar depression, as found in randomized controlled trials and with special attention to the definition and assessment of treatment resistance. METHODS: A Medline search (from database inception to May 2012) was performed using the search terms treatment resistance or treatment refractory, and bipolar depression or bipolar disorder, supplemented with 43 separate searches using the various pharmacologic agents or technical interventions as search terms. RESULTS: Only seven studies met our inclusion criteria. These studies examined the effects of ketamine (n = 1), (ar)modafinil (n = 2), pramipexole (n = 1), lamotrigine (n = 1), inositol (n = 1), risperidone (n = 1), and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) (n = 2). CONCLUSIONS: The available level I evidence for treatment strategies in resistant bipolar depression is extremely scarce, and although the response rates reported are reassuring, most of the strategies remain experimental. There is an urgent need for further study in homogeneous patient samples using a clear concept of treatment resistance.
OBJECTIVES: Treatment resistance in bipolar depression is a common clinical problem that constitutes a major challenge for the treating clinician as there is a paucity of treatment options. The objective of this paper was to review the evidence for treatment options in treatment-resistant bipolar depression, as found in randomized controlled trials and with special attention to the definition and assessment of treatment resistance. METHODS: A Medline search (from database inception to May 2012) was performed using the search terms treatment resistance or treatment refractory, and bipolar depression or bipolar disorder, supplemented with 43 separate searches using the various pharmacologic agents or technical interventions as search terms. RESULTS: Only seven studies met our inclusion criteria. These studies examined the effects of ketamine (n = 1), (ar)modafinil (n = 2), pramipexole (n = 1), lamotrigine (n = 1), inositol (n = 1), risperidone (n = 1), and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) (n = 2). CONCLUSIONS: The available level I evidence for treatment strategies in resistant bipolar depression is extremely scarce, and although the response rates reported are reassuring, most of the strategies remain experimental. There is an urgent need for further study in homogeneous patient samples using a clear concept of treatment resistance.
Authors: Diego F Tavares; Martin L Myczkowski; Rodrigo L Alberto; Leandro Valiengo; Rosa M Rios; Pedro Gordon; Bernardo de Sampaio-Junior; Izio Klein; Carlos G Mansur; Marco Antonio Marcolin; Beny Lafer; Ricardo A Moreno; Wagner Gattaz; Zafiris J Daskalakis; André R Brunoni Journal: Neuropsychopharmacology Date: 2017-02-01 Impact factor: 7.853
Authors: Konstantinos N Fountoulakis; Lakshmi Yatham; Heinz Grunze; Eduard Vieta; Allan Young; Pierre Blier; Siegfried Kasper; Hans Jurgen Moeller Journal: Int J Neuropsychopharmacol Date: 2017-02-01 Impact factor: 5.176
Authors: Lawrence T Park; Marc S Lener; Matthew Hopkins; Nicolas Iadorola; Rodrigo Machado-Vieira; Elizabeth Ballard; Allison Nugent; Carlos A Zarate Journal: J Clin Psychopharmacol Date: 2017-06 Impact factor: 3.153
Authors: Bernardo Sampaio-Junior; Gabriel Tortella; Lucas Borrione; Adriano H Moffa; Rodrigo Machado-Vieira; Eric Cretaz; Adriano Fernandes da Silva; Renério Fraguas; Luana V Aparício; Izio Klein; Beny Lafer; Stephan Goerigk; Isabela Martins Benseñor; Paulo Andrade Lotufo; Wagner F Gattaz; André Russowsky Brunoni Journal: JAMA Psychiatry Date: 2018-02-01 Impact factor: 21.596