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Olanzapine compared to lithium in mania: a double-blind randomized controlled trial
1Department of Psychiatry, University of the Witwatersrand Medical School, Parktown, South Africa. 039berk@chiron.wits.ac.za
International Clinical Psychopharmacology
|November 24, 1999
Summary
Olanzapine demonstrates comparable efficacy to lithium in treating mania, showing similar outcomes on key measures. This study provides controlled data supporting olanzapine
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Pharmacology
- Clinical Neuroscience
Background:
- Neuroleptics are established treatments for mania.
- Controlled studies on olanzapine for mania are limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the efficacy and safety of olanzapine versus lithium in treating acute mania.
- To provide controlled data on olanzapine's use in manic episodes.
Main Methods:
- A 4-week, double-blind, randomized controlled trial.
- 30 patients meeting DSM-IV criteria for mania were randomized to olanzapine or lithium.
- Outcomes assessed using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scales, Mania Scale, and Simpson-Angus Scale.
Main Results:
- No significant differences between olanzapine and lithium on primary outcome measures (Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, CGI-improvement, Mania Scale).
- Olanzapine was significantly superior to lithium on the CGI-severity scale at week 4 (P=0.025).
- No significant differences in treatment-emergent extrapyramidal side effects between the groups.
Conclusions:
- Olanzapine is at least as effective as lithium in the acute treatment of mania.
- Olanzapine offers a comparable alternative to lithium with a similar side effect profile regarding extrapyramidal symptoms.