title: Tolerability and use in co-administration of pregabalin in affective patients: a 6-month prospective naturalistic study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims of the present study were to investigate the main demographic and clinical characteristics, comorbidity patterns, use in association and tolerability of pregabalin in a sample of patients with affective disorders, and to compare demographic and clinical variables of the groups divided, according to the treatment pregabalin was associated with.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and fourteen consecutive outpatients, with anxiety and/or depressive disorders with or without comorbidity, were started on pregabalin, assessed and interviewed and their demographic data, associated therapy, tolerability and side effects collected over an observational period of 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most frequent primary diagnoses were mood disorders (49.1%) and generalized anxiety disorder (21.9%). The most commonly associated treatments were antidepressants (66.7%) and mood stabilizers (15.8%). The most frequent side effects were sedation (3.4%), dizziness (0.9%), nausea (0.9%), diarrhea (0.9%), cough (0.9%) and peripheral edema (0.9%). When patients were divided according to the co-treatments, subgroups differed in terms of prescription of benzodiazepines (χ(2) = 15.25, df = 6, p = 0.013, phi = 0.37), with the most frequent use of these molecules in patients co-treated with tricyclic antidepressants and minor use in the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Differences in the co-administration of benzodiazepines might suggest a stronger anxiolytic effect when pregabalin is combined with specific psychotropic drugs (e.g., SSRIs).
authors.affiliation: University of Milan, Department of Psychiatry, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via F. Sforza 35, 20122, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dobrea
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Buoli
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arici
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Camuri
authors.forename: Bernardo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dell'Osso
authors.forename: Alfredo Carlo
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Altamura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D010045:Outpatients; D000069583:Pregabalin; D011446:Prospective Studies; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D000069583:Pregabalin; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid