title: Aripiprazole as an adjunctive treatment for refractory unipolar depression.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aripiprazole may be an effective adjunctive treatment in outpatients with unipolar depression that has been refractory to treatment with SSRI or SNRI medication.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen subjects with a current DSM-IV diagnosis of MDD which had not responded to SSRI or SNRI treatment were enrolled in a 12 week open-label study of aripiprazole with a maximum dose of 30 mg/day. Patients' current episode averaged 10.4+/-16.6 years, with a range of 3 months to 54 years. Baseline severity averaged 30.1+/-7.1 on HDRS-24, and 19.7+/-8.4 on BDI. Patients had been treated with a mean dose of 79.2+/-28.2 mg/day of fluoxetine equivalents for an average of 1 year prior to starting the study. Five subjects were on SNRI medications and 10 on SSRIs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven of 14 (50.0%) subjects were classified as treatment responders, as defined by at least 50% reduction in the HDRS-24 at week 12. Four subjects (28.6%) achieved remission, based on STAR D criteria (HDRS-17 score<or=7). 26.7% (4/15) of subjects discontinued participation due to side effects. Two (40%) of 5 SNRI-treated subjects responded to aripiprazole augmentation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings support previous studies for the effectiveness of aripiprazole in augmenting SSRIs or SNRIs in treatment-resistant major depression.
authors.affiliation: St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center, United States. hellers@pi.cpmc.columbia.edu
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Hellerstein
authors.forename: Sarai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Batchelder
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hyler
authors.forename: Bachaar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Arnaout
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Corpuz
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Coram
authors.forename: Gony
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Weiss
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068180:Aripiprazole; D010054:Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015363:Quinolones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012919:Social Behavior; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D010879:Piperazines; D015363:Quinolones; D000068180:Aripiprazole