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Lamotrigine compared with lithium in mania: a double-blind randomized controlled trial.
1Department of Psychiatry, University of the Witwatersrand Medical School, Parktown, South Africa.
Summary
Lamotrigine effectively treats acute mania in bipolar disorder, showing results comparable to lithium in a pilot study. This finding offers a new treatment option for patients hospitalized with manic episodes.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Pharmacology
- Clinical Neuroscience
Background:
- Preliminary evidence suggests lamotrigine's utility in bipolar disorder treatment.
- Controlled data for lamotrigine's efficacy in acute mania were previously limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the efficacy of lamotrigine with lithium for treating acute mania in bipolar I disorder patients.
- To evaluate lamotrigine's safety and onset of action during manic episodes.
Main Methods:
- A 4-week randomized, double-blind, clinical trial involving 30 inpatients with bipolar I disorder, currently manic.
- Participants received either escalating doses of lamotrigine or standard lithium treatment.
Main Results:
- Both lamotrigine and lithium significantly improved manic symptoms across multiple rating scales.
- No significant differences in efficacy or need for rescue medication were observed between the two groups.
- Lamotrigine demonstrated a comparable onset of action to lithium without significant adverse events.
Conclusions:
- Lamotrigine is as effective as lithium for treating hospitalized patients experiencing acute mania.
- This pilot study supports lamotrigine as a viable treatment option for acute manic phases of bipolar disorder.