Initial lithium augmentation improves the antidepressant effects of standard TCA treatment in non-resistant depressed patients.
The hypothesis was tested that an initial lithium-tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) combination has a better antidepressant effect than standard TCA treatment in non-refractory depression at the beginning of an episode. Twenty bipolar melancholic type depressed inpatients under lithium-TCA treatment were compared with 20 patients with the same diagnosis and TCA-placebo treatment for 5 weeks under double-blind conditions. All patients were male. Initial lithium-TCA treatment reduced depressive symptoms significantly more than antidepressant treatment with TCA and placebo after 5 weeks, but not in weeks 1 or 2. It can be concluded that lithium augmentation of TCA treatment should be started even at the beginning of antidepressant TCA treatment to provide a better treatment response in those patients who will profit from long-term lithium prophylaxis, e.g. bipolar patients with melancholic type depression.
Ebert
D
D
Psychiatrische Klinik, Universität Erlangen, Germany.
Jaspert
A
A
Murata
H
H
Kaschka
W P
WP
D000328:Adult; D000639:Amitriptyline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010919:Placebos; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D010919:Placebos; D000639:Amitriptyline; D008094:Lithium