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 .
Flupenthixol decanoate in recurrent manic‐depressive illness
The hypothesis that flupenthixol decanoate may serve as an alter‐native to prophylactically administered lithium in recurrent manicdepressive illness , bipolar and unipolar type , was tested in two groups of patients . In Group I the patients were allocated r and omly to maintenance treatment with either lithium or flupenthixol decanoate . The patients in Group II had previously been given lithium and were switched to flupenthixol decanoate because of unsatisfactory prophylactic effect of lithium , doubtful tablet compliance , troublesome side effects , or fear of later harmful effects . The flupenthixol decanoate dosage was 20 mg every 2–3 weeks . The study was not blind
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 .