Impact of Antidepressant Discontinuation After Acute Bipolar Depression Remission on Rates of Depressive Relapse at 1-Year Follow-Up

• DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.160.7.1252
• Publication Date: 2003-06-29T18:14:13Z
• Authors: Lori Altshuler; Trisha Suppes; David Black; Willem A. Nolen; Paul E. Keck; Mark A. Frye; Susan McElroy; Ralph Kupka; Heinz Grunze; Jörg Walden; Gabrielle Leverich; Kirk Denicoff; David Luckenbaugh; Robert Post
• Keywords: Discontinuation; Depression; Mood stabilizer; Major depressive episode; Relapse prevention

While guidelines for treating patients with bipolar depression recommend discontinuing antidepressants within 6 months after remission, few studies have assessed the implications of this strategy on risk depressive relapse. This study examined effect antidepressant discontinuation or continuation relapse among subjects successfully treated an acute episode.Eighty-four disorder who achieved remission from a episode addition to ongoing mood stabilizer regimen were followed prospectively 1 year. The 43 stopped treatment ("discontinuation group") was compared 41 continued taking beyond ("continuation group").A Cox proportional hazards regression analysis indicated that shorter exposure time following successful associated significantly Furthermore, discontinued first experienced period euthymia before over length 1-year follow-up. One year response, 70% group 36% group. By follow-up evaluation, 15 (18%) 84 had manic relapse; only six these at relapse.The in illness soon remission. not continuing use medication and, overall, substantially less than Maintenance combination may be warranted some disorder.