1. Politis A, Theleritis C, Soldatos C, Psarros C, Papadimitriou GN
Adjunctive use of amisulpride in elderly patients with psychotic depression treated with antidepressants.
Politis A, Theleritis C, Soldatos C, Psarros C, Papadimitriou GN
Athens University Medical School, 1st Psychiatry Dept., Athens, Greece.
Results
In 5 of the 11 patients there was remission of depression, while in another 5 patients there was partial remission of depression and in one patient there was no remission.
Finally, there was resolution of psychotic symptoms in all the patients involved. One patient developed tremor and rigidity but insisted on continuing with the drug since her psychopathology was considerably improved after the addition of amisulpride to antidepressant treatment.
Background
Psychotic depression is classified as a clinical subtype of major depressive disorder. The combination of an antidepressant with an antipsychotic agent has been demonstrated to be efficacious for the treatment of psychotic depression. However, in elderly patients with psychotic depression, little information is available on the efficacy of such combinations. Therefore, we have evaluated combination treatment for five weeks with amisulpride and antidepressants in non-demented elderly patients with psychotic depression.
Material-Methods
At first eleven patients were treated with either citalopram mg/day (n=5) or mirtazapine
30-60 mg/day (n=6) for 4-6 weeks, and later when psychotic symptoms persisted amisulpride mg/day was added for 5 weeks.
Clinical status was evaluated at baseline and after three and five weeks using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale- 17 items (HDRS) and the Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI-S).
Conclusion
Some elderly patients with psychotic depression may benefit from the combination of amisulpride and antidepressant pharmacotherapy.
References
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Mulsant BH, Sweet RA, Rosen J, Pollock BG, Zubenko GS, Flynn T, et al. A double-blind
randomized comparison of nortriptyline plus perphenazine versus nortriptyline plus placebo in the treatment of psychotic depression in late life. J Clin Psychiatry 2001;62:597–604.