Clinical predictors of acute response with olanzapine in psychotic mood disorders.
BACKGROUND
In controlled studies of patients with schizophrenia, the atypical antipsychotic olanzapine has been shown to be more effective in the treatment of positive and negative symptoms compared with haloperidol at doses of 10 mg/day. However, little is known about the efficacy of olanzapine in patients with psychotic mood disorders. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of olanzapine in the treatment of these psychotic mood disorders in comparison with nonaffective psychotic disorders and to identify clinical factors associated with olanzapine response.


METHODS
In a naturalistic setting, by reviewing medical records, we assessed response to olanzapine and factors associated with response to olanzapine in 150 consecutive patients newly treated with the drug at a nonprofit academic psychiatric hospital.


RESULTS
Patients displaying a moderate-to-marked response to olanzapine were more likely to be younger; be female; receive a diagnosis of bipolar disorder; and have a shorter duration of illness, shorter length of stay prior to olanzapine, and longer duration of trial.


CONCLUSIONS
Olanzapine may be a useful alternative or adjunctive treatment for patients with bipolar disorder.
Zarate
C A
CA
Pharmacoepidemiology Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02178, USA.
Narendran
R
R
Tohen
M
M
Greaney
J J
JJ
Berman
A
A
Pike
S
S
Madrid
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000341:Affective Disorders, Psychotic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000367:Age Factors; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy; D018849:Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077152:Olanzapine; D010890:Pirenzepine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D010890:Pirenzepine; D006220:Haloperidol; D000077152:Olanzapine