Carbamazepine for treatment-resistant melancholia.
BACKGROUND
There have only been a few studies of the role of carbamazepine in the management of treatment-resistant depression.


METHODS
The response to carbamazepine of 16 melancholic patients, who had been depressed for an extended period despite a number of standard treatments, was studied retrospectively.


RESULTS
Seven patients (44%) had a moderate or marked improvement. The responders included both psychotic and nonpsychotic depressives, and patients with concurrent organic brain disease. There was, however, a high rate of complications, with 5 of these 7 responders (71%) having to discontinue carbamazepine because of adverse effects. This high rate of complications may have reflected the older age of our sample.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest the efficacy of carbamazepine in melancholic patients who have not responded to conventional treatments, but indicate that the high rate of significant side effects may limit its long-term usefulness.
Cullen
M
M
Mood Disorders Unit, Prince Henry Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
Mitchell
P
P
Brodaty
H
H
Boyce
P
P
Parker
G
G
Hickie
I
I
Wilhelm
K
K
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D002220:Carbamazepine