After lithium augmentation: a retrospective follow-up of patients with antidepressant-refractory depression.
There have been no systematic follow-up studies of depressed patients with documented refractoriness to antidepressants treated with lithium augmentation. To assess their longitudinal course, 66 (88%) of an original cohort of 75 such patients were followed in a retrospective, naturalistic design for 29.0 +/- SD 15.3 months. At follow-up, 29% had poor, 23% fair, and 48% good outcomes. An acute marked positive response to lithium augmentation predicted a good subsequent course. Acute partial and non-responders had a less benign outcome despite subsequent treatments. These findings indicate that outcomes of patients with documented refractory depression are heterogeneous. There is a suggestion that an acute marked response to lithium augmentation is sustained regardless of the duration of taking lithium, but this must be regarded as speculative.
Nierenberg
A A
AA
Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.
Price
L H
LH
Charney
D S
DS
Heninger
G R
GR
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016651:Lithium Carbonate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D016651:Lithium Carbonate; D008094:Lithium