RESULTS There is sufficient evidence for a Grade A recommendation of the use of olanzapine plus fluoxetine at reducing depressive symptoms in bipolar depression and of quetiapine at high doses for depressive symptoms occurring during mixed episodes .
These results mostly overlap with the approved treatments for bipolar depression in adults
BACKGROUND The management of depressive and mixed symptoms in children and adolescents with bipolar disorder ( BD ) remains a matter of debate .
The goal of this review is , thus , to systematic ally examine the impact of atypical antipsychotics ( AAPs ) and mood stabilisers in the treatment of bipolar depression and /or mixed states .
A one-year open-label trial of risperidone augmentation in lithium nonresponder youth with preschool-onset bipolar disorder.
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of risperidone augmentation of lithium in preschool-onset bipolar disorder ( BD ) among youth who insufficiently respond to lithium monotherapy .  METHOD Thirty-eight subjects between the ages of 4 and 17 years ( mean age = 11.37 + /- 3.8 years ) with onset of BD in preschool years ( manic or mixed episode ) entered this 12-month trial . All subjects received lithium monotherapy . Patients who failed to adequately respond to lithium monotherapy after 8 weeks and those who relapsed after an initial response were given risperidone augmentation for up to 11 months . The Young Mania Rating Scale ( YMRS ) was the primary outcome measure . Response was defined as a > or = 50 % decrease from baseline . Additional data were collected on diagnostic comorbidity , family history , number of hospitalizations , perinatal risk factors , history of physical or sexual abuse , Child Depression Rating Scale-Revised ( CDRS-R ) , Clinical Global Impression ( CGI ) scale for BD ( CGI-BP ) , Children 's Global Assessment Scale ( C-GAS ) , and adverse medication effects . RESULTS Of the 38 subjects treated with lithium monotherapy , 17 responded , whereas 21 required augmentation with risperidone .  Response rate in the youths treated with lithium + risperidone was 85.7 % ( n = 18/21 ) . Significant predictors of inadequate response to lithium monotherapy requiring augmentation were : ( 1 ) attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) , ( 2 ) severity at baseline , ( 3 ) history of sexual or physical abuse , and ( 4 ) preschool age . Combination treatment of lithium and risperidone was found to be safe and well tolerated . CONCLUSIONS A substantial proportion of youth with a history of preschool-onset BD treated with lithium  were either nonresponders or partial responders . Subsequent augmentation of lithium with risperidone in these cases was well tolerated and efficacious . Potential predictors of lithium nonresponse identified in this study may guide the choice of medications earlier in the treatment process
RESULTS There is sufficient evidence for a Grade A recommendation of the use of olanzapine plus fluoxetine at reducing depressive symptoms in bipolar depression and of quetiapine at high doses for depressive symptoms occurring during mixed episodes .
These results mostly overlap with the approved treatments for bipolar depression in adults
BACKGROUND The management of depressive and mixed symptoms in children and adolescents with bipolar disorder ( BD ) remains a matter of debate .
The goal of this review is , thus , to systematic ally examine the impact of atypical antipsychotics ( AAPs ) and mood stabilisers in the treatment of bipolar depression and /or mixed states .