title: Spectrum of efficacy of valproate in 55 patients with rapid-cycling bipolar disorder.
abstract: In order to explore valproate's spectrum of efficacy in rapid-cycling bipolar disorder, 55 patients underwent a prospective, open, 7.8-month trial designed to assess the drug's acute and prophylactic properties. Twenty patients received monotherapy, and 35 received combination therapy. Moderate to marked acute antidepressant responses were seen in 47% of the patients, prophylactic antidepressant responses in 76%, acute antimanic responses in 91%, prophylactic antimanic responses in 94%, acute responses in mixed states in 85%, and prophylactic responses in mixed states in 93%. Consistent with other anticonvulsant literature, these data suggest that valproate has marked antimanic and mixed state efficacy, but minimal to moderate antidepressant properties.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of Cleveland, Case Western Reserve University, OH 44106.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Calabrese
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Delucchi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D002220:Carbamazepine; D014635:Valproic Acid; D008094:Lithium