title: Oxcarbazepine treatment of refractory bipolar disorder: a retrospective chart review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if oxcarbazepine is effective as treatment for refractory bipolar illness in a naturalistic setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  All charts of out-patients treated with oxcarbazepine (n=13) were reviewed and clinical response assessed retrospectively using the Clinical Global Impression of Improvement (CGI-I) rating scale. All patients had failed treatment with at least one previous mood stabilizer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mild improvement was seen in 46% (n=6) and moderate improvement in 16% (n=2). Fifty-four percent (n=7) of the total sample discontinued treatment because of adverse effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oxcarbazepine may possess mild to moderate mood-stabilizing properties in this refractory, mostly depressed, bipolar sample. This naturalistic study is limited by its uncontrolled nature.
authors.affiliation: Bipolar Disorder Research Program, Cambridge Hospital, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. ghaemi@hms.harvard.edu
authors.forename: S Nassir
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Ghaemi
authors.forename: James Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Jacob J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Katzow
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000078330:Oxcarbazepine; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D002220:Carbamazepine; D000078330:Oxcarbazepine