title: Efficacy of extended-release divalproex combined with "condensed" dialectical behavior therapy for individuals with borderline personality disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a significant psychiatric illness for which medication treatments are still being explored. The goal of this study was to assess divalproex extended release (ER) vs placebo for patients receiving dialectal behavior therapy (DBT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with BPD received 4 weeks of "condensed DBT." Those with Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) scores >150 after this treatment were then randomly and blindly assigned to placebo or divalproex ER for 12 weeks. Repeated measures analysis of variance utilizing last observation carried forward was used to assess the results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventeen participants completed the full assessment. Two patients had a significant decrease in SCL-90 in the first 4 weeks, leaving 15 patients for the medication phase of the trial. There were no significant differences between the participants assigned to divalproex ER compared with placebo. However, there was a significant improvement in both groups from baseline to endpoint (P = .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The response of 2 of 17 participants in the first 4 weeks prior to medication may point to a practice strategy in approaching outpatients with BPD. Although the patients had a decrease in symptoms during the study, there was no advantage observed for divalproex ER and DBT over placebo and DBT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA.
authors.forename: Richelle
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moen
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Freitag
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Romine
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Adit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adityanjee
authors.forename: S Charles
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Schulz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018692:Antimanic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D057189:Checklist; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018692:Antimanic Agents; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D014635:Valproic Acid