title: Augmentation of aripiprazole for depressed patients with an inadequate response to antidepressant treatment: a 6-week prospective, open-label, multicenter study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Nonresponse or a partial response to 1 or more antidepressants is a common and significant problem in clinical practice. Adjunctive therapy with atypical antipsychotics is considered as 1 of the next treatment options for such inadequate responses. The present trial evaluated the efficacy and the safety of aripiprazole as an augmentation to ongoing antidepressant monotherapy for patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) who have previously exhibited an inadequate clinical response.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a 6-week prospective, multicenter, open-label study with flexibly dosed adjunctive aripiprazole. The 86 participants with MDD showed inadequate responses to more than 8 weeks of standard antidepressant treatment. The primary outcome was the mean change in Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale total score from baseline to the end point (week 6).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean daily dose of aripiprazole at the end point was 6.9 mg. The Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale total score was significantly decreased with adjunctive aripiprazole during the study period (by 14.0 points, P = 0.000). At the end point, the response rate was 52.3% and the remission rate was 39.8%. Adjunctive aripiprazole produced a significant response and remission from week 1 through the end point. The study completion rate was 73.9%, and adverse events included sedation (n = 11), akathisia (n = 9), headache (n = 6), tremor (n = 6), and increased appetite (n = 5). Of the discontinuations, only 5.7% were due to adverse events.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adjunctive aripiprazole in patients with MDD who had previously exhibited an inadequate response to standard antidepressant therapy was efficacious and well tolerated. A low daily dose of aripiprazole would be more acceptable in the clinical setting.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Psychiatry, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, South Korea; †Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea; ‡Department of Psychiatry, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea; §Department of Psychiatry, Jeju National University College of Medicine, Jeju, South Korea; ∥Department of Psychiatry, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, South Korea; ¶Department of Psychiatry, CHA University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea; and #Department of Psychiatry, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Duk-In
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Jon
authors.forename: Do Hoon
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ho-Jun
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Young-Joon
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Moon-Doo
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jong-Chul
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ho-Suk
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: Kyung Joon
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Min
authors.forename: Chi-Un
authors.initials: CU
authors.lastname: Pae
authors.forename: Won-Myong
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Bahk
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068180:Aripiprazole; D061218:Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010879:Piperazines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D015363:Quinolones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D010879:Piperazines; D015363:Quinolones; D000068180:Aripiprazole