This systematic review indicates that lithium is more effective than placebo as a treatment for acute mania but increases the risk for somnolence and tremor .
Limited evidence suggests little or no difference between lithium and other mood stabilisers ( valproate , carbamazepine ) or antipsychotics ( risperidone , quetiapine , haloperidol ) .
Olanzapine may be an exception , as it is probably slightly more effective than lithium .
There is uncertain evidence that risperidone may also be more effective than lithium .
Lithium is probably more effective at treating acute mania than topiramate .
When compared to placebo , lithium was more likely to cause adverse events .
More , rigorously design ed , large-scale studies are needed to definitively conclude if lithium is superior to other interventions in treating acute mania
BACKGROUND Bipolar disorder is a common condition associated with high morbidity ; developing efficacious , safe treatments is therefore essential .
Lithium is an effective maintenance treatment for bipolar disorder .
It acts as mood stabiliser and reduces the risk of suicide .
However , evidence assessing the efficacy of lithium in the treatment of acute mania is less robust .
Current evidence -based guidelines cite multiple anti-dopaminergic and mood-stabilising agents as initial treatments : more definite evidence is needed to decide if lithium should be the first-line therapy .
OBJECTIVES 1 .
To assess the effects of lithium in comparison with placebo or other active treatment in alleviating the acute symptoms of a manic or mixed episode in people with bipolar disorder.2 .
To review the acceptability and tolerability of treatment with lithium in comparison with placebo or other active treatments in alleviating the acute symptoms of a manic or mixed episode in people with bipolar disorder .
Olanzapine versus lithium in the acute treatment of bipolar mania: a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial.
BACKGROUND This multicenter , double-blind , r and omized , controlled study conducted in China examined the efficacy and safety of olanzapine versus lithium in the treatment of patients with bipolar manic/mixed episodes . METHODS Patients with bipolar manic or mixed episode ( DSM-IV criteria ) and Young Mania Rating Scale ( YMRS ) score > or = 20 at screening received olanzapine ( 5 - 20 mg/day , n=69 ) or lithium carbonate ( 600 - 1800 mg/day , n=71 ) for 4 weeks . The primary outcome was mean change from baseline in Clinical Global Impressions-Bipolar Version Overall Severity of Illness ( CGI-BP ) score . Secondary efficacy measures included YMRS , Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale ( BPRS ) , and Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale ( MADRS ) scores . Safety was also assessed . RESULTS A significantly greater mean change was observed in olanzapine versus lithium patients in CGI-BP ( Overall Severity ) ( P=0.009 ) , YMRS ( P=0.013 ) , BPRS ( P=0.032 ) , and CGI-BP ( Severity of Mania ) ( P=0.012 ) scores . More olanzapine than lithium patients experienced at least one adverse event possibly related to study drug ( P=0.038 ) . More olanzapine patients had a clinical ly significant weight increase ( > or = 7 % of baseline weight ) compared to lithium patients ( P=0.009 ) . More olanzapine patients completed the study than lithium patients , although this difference was not statistically significant ( olz , 91.3 % ; lith , 78.9 % ; P=0.057 ) . LIMITATIONS No placebo arm was included ; however both treatments have previously been reported to be more effective than placebo . CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that olanzapine has superior efficacy to lithium in the acute treatment of patients with bipolar mania over a 4-week period . However , adverse events were experienced by a greater number of olanzapine patients than lithium patients
This systematic review indicates that lithium is more effective than placebo as a treatment for acute mania but increases the risk for somnolence and tremor .
Limited evidence suggests little or no difference between lithium and other mood stabilisers ( valproate , carbamazepine ) or antipsychotics ( risperidone , quetiapine , haloperidol ) .
Olanzapine may be an exception , as it is probably slightly more effective than lithium .
There is uncertain evidence that risperidone may also be more effective than lithium .
Lithium is probably more effective at treating acute mania than topiramate .
When compared to placebo , lithium was more likely to cause adverse events .
More , rigorously design ed , large-scale studies are needed to definitively conclude if lithium is superior to other interventions in treating acute mania
BACKGROUND Bipolar disorder is a common condition associated with high morbidity ; developing efficacious , safe treatments is therefore essential .
Lithium is an effective maintenance treatment for bipolar disorder .
It acts as mood stabiliser and reduces the risk of suicide .
However , evidence assessing the efficacy of lithium in the treatment of acute mania is less robust .
Current evidence -based guidelines cite multiple anti-dopaminergic and mood-stabilising agents as initial treatments : more definite evidence is needed to decide if lithium should be the first-line therapy .
OBJECTIVES 1 .
To assess the effects of lithium in comparison with placebo or other active treatment in alleviating the acute symptoms of a manic or mixed episode in people with bipolar disorder.2 .
To review the acceptability and tolerability of treatment with lithium in comparison with placebo or other active treatments in alleviating the acute symptoms of a manic or mixed episode in people with bipolar disorder .