Atypical antipsychotics in bipolar disorder: systematic review of randomised trials.

ABSTRACT:

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.

Methods

We examined efficacy in randomised trials of bipolar disorder where the presenting episode was either depression, or manic/mixed, comparing atypical antipsychotic with placebo or active comparator, examined withdrawals for any cause, or due to lack of efficacy or adverse events, and combined all phases for adverse event analysis. Studies were found through systematic search (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library), and data combined for analysis where there was clinical homogeneity, with a special reference to trial duration.

Results

In five trials (2,206 pat

SUBMITTER: Derry S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2020469 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature