There were no other statistically significant differences between lithium and antidepressants according to all other outcomes considered .
AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS There was adequate efficacy evidence for lithium or antidepressants preventing relapse in unipolar affective disorder , however their relative efficacy was unknown .
BACKGROUND The main rationale for the use of lithium in the long-term treatment of unipolar affective disorder is its efficacy in treating bipolar affective disorder and resistant depression .
However , there is considerable uncertainty about which pharmacological intervention is most effective in the long-term treatment of recurrent unipolar affective disorder .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of lithium versus antidepressants for the long-term treatment of recurrent affective disorder .
Prophylactic efficacy of lithium carbonate in manic-depressive illness. Report of the Veterans Administration and National Institute of Mental Health collaborative study group.
In an 18 hospital study , 205 patients hospitalized with a diagnosis of manic-depressive illness , manic type , were treated upon discharge with lithium carbonate or placebo for a two-year period . Lithium carbonate was significantly more effective than placebo in preventing relapses ( ie , affective episodes severe enough to require hospitalization or use of non study drugs ) . The difference in treatment outcome between lithium carbonate and placebo was due mainly to the lower incidence of manic relapses on lithium carbonate . Patients on lithium carbonate also had a lower incidence of depressive relapses than patients on placebo but the limited incidence of severe depression in this sample makes it difficult to draw any conclusions regarding the prophylactic efficacy of lithium carbonate in depressive illness . The results from this trial coupled with those from other studies indicate that lithium carbonate combined with regular clinical appraisal s is a safe and effective treatment for preventing relapse in manic-depressive illness
There were no other statistically significant differences between lithium and antidepressants according to all other outcomes considered .
AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS There was adequate efficacy evidence for lithium or antidepressants preventing relapse in unipolar affective disorder , however their relative efficacy was unknown .
BACKGROUND The main rationale for the use of lithium in the long-term treatment of unipolar affective disorder is its efficacy in treating bipolar affective disorder and resistant depression .
However , there is considerable uncertainty about which pharmacological intervention is most effective in the long-term treatment of recurrent unipolar affective disorder .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of lithium versus antidepressants for the long-term treatment of recurrent affective disorder .