Lamotrigine for treatment of bipolar depression: independent meta-analysis and meta-regression of individual patient data from five randomised trials.
BACKGROUND
There is uncertainty about the efficacy of lamotrigine in bipolar depressive episodes.


OBJECTIVE
To synthesise the evidence for the efficacy of lamotrigine in bipolar depressive episodes.


METHODS
Systematic review and meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomised controlled trials comparing lamotrigine with placebo.


RESULTS
Individual data from 1072 participants from five randomised controlled trials were obtained. More individuals treated with lamotrigine than placebo responded to treatment on both the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) (relative risk (RR)=1.27, 95% CI 1.09-1.47, P=0.002) and Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) (RR=1.22, 95% CI 1.06-1.41, P=0.005). There was an interaction (P=0.04) by baseline severity of depression: lamotrigine was superior to placebo in people with HRSD score >24 (RR=1.47, 95% CI 1.16-1.87, P=0.001) but not in people with HRSD score < or =24 (RR=1.07, 95% CI 0.90-1.27, P=0.445).


CONCLUSIONS
There is consistent evidence that lamotrigine has a beneficial effect on depressive symptoms in the depressed phase of bipolar disorder. The overall pool effect was modest, although the advantage over placebo was larger in more severely depressed participants.
Geddes
John R
JR
Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, UK. john.geddes@psych.ox.ac.uk
Calabrese
Joseph R
JR
Goodwin
Guy M
GM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077213:Lamotrigine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014227:Triazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055815:Young Adult
D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D014227:Triazines; D000077213:Lamotrigine