title: Short-term venlafaxine v. lithium monotherapy for bipolar type II major depressive episodes: effectiveness and mood conversion rate.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Controversy exists over antidepressant use in bipolar II depression.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the safety and effectiveness of antidepressantv.mood stabiliser monotherapy for bipolar type II major depressive episodes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomised, double-blind, parallel-group, 12-week comparison of venlafaxine (n= 65)v.lithium (n= 64) monotherapy in adult out-patients (trial registration numberNCT00602537).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Primary outcome - venlafaxine produced a greater response rate (67.7%)v lithium (34.4%,P<0.001). Secondary outcomes - venlafaxine produced a greater remission rate (58.5%v 28.1%,P<0.001); greater decline in depression symptom scores over time (β = -5.32, s.e. = 1.16, χ(2)= 21.19,P<0.001); greater reduction in global severity scores over time (β = -1.05, s.e. = 0.22, w(2)= 22.33,P<0.001); and greater improvement in global change scores (β = -1.31, s.e. = 0.32, χ(2)= 16.95,P<0.001) relative to lithium. No statistically significant or clinically meaningful differences in hypomanic symptoms were observed between treatments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that short-term venlafaxine monotherapy may provide effective antidepressant treatment for bipolar II depression without a statistically significant increase in hypomanic symptoms relative to lithium.
authors.affiliation: Jay D. Amsterdam, MD, Depression Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Lorenzo Lorenzo-Luaces, MA, Depression Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia and Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Irene Soeller, MSN, Susan Qing Li, MS, Depression Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Jun J. Mao, MD, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Robert J. DeRubeis, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA jamsterd@mail.med.upenn.edu.
authors.forename: Jay D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Amsterdam
authors.affiliation: Jay D. Amsterdam, MD, Depression Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Lorenzo Lorenzo-Luaces, MA, Depression Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia and Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Irene Soeller, MSN, Susan Qing Li, MS, Depression Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Jun J. Mao, MD, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Robert J. DeRubeis, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lorenzo-Luaces
authors.affiliation: Jay D. Amsterdam, MD, Depression Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Lorenzo Lorenzo-Luaces, MA, Depression Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia and Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Irene Soeller, MSN, Susan Qing Li, MS, Depression Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Jun J. Mao, MD, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Robert J. DeRubeis, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Soeller
authors.affiliation: Jay D. Amsterdam, MD, Depression Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Lorenzo Lorenzo-Luaces, MA, Depression Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia and Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Irene Soeller, MSN, Susan Qing Li, MS, Depression Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Jun J. Mao, MD, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Robert J. DeRubeis, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Susan Qing
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Jay D. Amsterdam, MD, Depression Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Lorenzo Lorenzo-Luaces, MA, Depression Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia and Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Irene Soeller, MSN, Susan Qing Li, MS, Depression Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Jun J. Mao, MD, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Robert J. DeRubeis, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Jun J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.affiliation: Jay D. Amsterdam, MD, Depression Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Lorenzo Lorenzo-Luaces, MA, Depression Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia and Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Irene Soeller, MSN, Susan Qing Li, MS, Depression Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Jun J. Mao, MD, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Robert J. DeRubeis, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: DeRubeis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018020:Lithium Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000069470:Venlafaxine Hydrochloride / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D018020:Lithium Compounds; D000069470:Venlafaxine Hydrochloride