A double-blind, placebo-controlled study in Austria reports that nutritional supplementation with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) reduces progression to first-episode psychotic disorder in high-risk individuals (Amminger et al. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2010; 67: 146-154).
Psychiatry
Does an early antidepressant effect predict response?
May 26, 2010A 4-year naturalistic study at 12 centres in Germany has found that a treatment response among depressed in-patients is often evident within the first two weeks of therapy and these early benefits are generally sustained (Seemuller et al. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2010; epublished January 21, 2010; see also Henkel et al. J Affect Disord 2009; 115: 439-449).
Quetiapine vs. lithium in bipolar disorder: EMBOLDEN I results
May 12, 2010The Canadian EMBOLDEN I trial was a large randomized, double-blind trial comparing quetiapine (300 or 600 mg/day), lithium (600-1800 mg/day) or placebo in 802 patients with bipolar I or II disorder (Young et al. J Clin Psychiatry 2010; 71:150-162). The primary endpoint was the change from baseline to week 8 in Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) total score.
Atypical antipsychotic + SSRI in psychotic depression: STOP-PD trial results
March 2, 2010Combination therapy may be an effective approach in patients with psychotic depression, according to the results of the STOP-PD trial (Meyers et al. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2009; 66: 838-847).
Depression and cardiovascular disease: SADHART results
March 2, 2010The SADHART (Sertraline Antidepressant Heart Attack Randomized Trial) study was a placebo-controlled trial of the SSRI sertraline in 369 patients with acute coronary syndrome who met diagnostic criteria for major depression (Glassman et al. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2009; 66: 102-1029).