In maintenance trials atypical antipsychotics had significantly fewer relapses to depression or mania than placebo or active comparator .
Conclusion Atypical antipsychotics are effective in treating both phases of bipolar disorder compared with placebo , and as effective as established drug therapies .
Atypical antipsychotics produce fewer extrapyramidal symptoms , but weight gain is more common ( with olanzapine ) .
There is insufficient data confidently to distinguish between different atypical antipsychotics
Background Atypical antipsychotics are increasingly used for treatment of mental illnesses like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder , and considered to have fewer extrapyramidal effects than older antipsychotics .
Subverting randomization in controlled trials.
Recent empirical evidence supports the importance of adequate r and omization in controlled trials . Trials with inadequate allocation concealment have been associated with larger treatment effects compared with trials in which authors reported adequate allocation concealment . While that provides empirical evidence of bias being interjected into trials , trial investigators rarely document the sensitive details of subverting the intended purpose of r and omization . This article relates anonymous accounts run the gamut from simple to intricate operations , from transillumination of envelopes to search ing for code in the office files of the principal investigator . They indicate that deciphering is something more frequent than a rate occurrence . These accounts prompt some method ological recommendations to help prevent deciphering . R and omized controlled trials appear to annoy human nature -- if properly conducted , indeed they should
In maintenance trials atypical antipsychotics had significantly fewer relapses to depression or mania than placebo or active comparator .
Conclusion Atypical antipsychotics are effective in treating both phases of bipolar disorder compared with placebo , and as effective as established drug therapies .
Atypical antipsychotics produce fewer extrapyramidal symptoms , but weight gain is more common ( with olanzapine ) .
There is insufficient data confidently to distinguish between different atypical antipsychotics
Background Atypical antipsychotics are increasingly used for treatment of mental illnesses like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder , and considered to have fewer extrapyramidal effects than older antipsychotics .