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JOURNAL ARTICLE
META-ANALYSIS
RESEARCH SUPPORT, NON-U.S. GOV'T
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW
Lithium treatment for unipolar major depressive disorder: Systematic review.
Journal of Psychopharmacology 2019 Februrary
BACKGROUND: The potential value of lithium treatment in particular aspects of unipolar major depressive disorder remains uncertain.
METHODS: With reports of controlled trials identified by systematic searching of Medline, Cochrane Library, and PsycINFO literature databases, we summarized responses with lithium and controls followed by selective random-effects meta-analyses.
RESULTS: We identified 36 reports with 39 randomized controlled trials: six for monotherapy and 12 for adding lithium to antidepressants for acute major depression, and 21 for long-term treatment. Data for monotherapy of acute depression were few and inconclusive. As an adjunct to antidepressants, lithium was much more effective than placebo ( p<0.0001). For long-term maintenance treatment, lithium was more effective than placebo in monotherapy ( p=0.011) and to supplement antidepressants ( p=0.038), and indistinguishable from antidepressant monotherapy.
CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate efficacy of lithium as a treatment for some aspects of major depressive disorder, especially as an add-on to antidepressants and for long-term prophylaxis. It remains uncertain whether some benefits of lithium treatment occur with many major depressive disorder patients, or if efficacy is particular to a subgroup with bipolar disorder-like characteristics or mixed-features.
METHODS: With reports of controlled trials identified by systematic searching of Medline, Cochrane Library, and PsycINFO literature databases, we summarized responses with lithium and controls followed by selective random-effects meta-analyses.
RESULTS: We identified 36 reports with 39 randomized controlled trials: six for monotherapy and 12 for adding lithium to antidepressants for acute major depression, and 21 for long-term treatment. Data for monotherapy of acute depression were few and inconclusive. As an adjunct to antidepressants, lithium was much more effective than placebo ( p<0.0001). For long-term maintenance treatment, lithium was more effective than placebo in monotherapy ( p=0.011) and to supplement antidepressants ( p=0.038), and indistinguishable from antidepressant monotherapy.
CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate efficacy of lithium as a treatment for some aspects of major depressive disorder, especially as an add-on to antidepressants and for long-term prophylaxis. It remains uncertain whether some benefits of lithium treatment occur with many major depressive disorder patients, or if efficacy is particular to a subgroup with bipolar disorder-like characteristics or mixed-features.
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