Quetiapine shows promise for depression
Quetiapine (Seroquel), an atypical antipsychotic, is effective and well-tolerated in the treatment of bipolar depression, according to the first large-scale clinical trial to test the drug in this indication.
The bipolar depression (BOLDER) study randomised 542 patients with bipolar
I and II disorders, and suffering a major depression episode for more
than four weeks at the time of the study, to a fixed dose of quetiapine
(300mg or 600mg once daily) or placebo. Data from the trial reveal greater
improvement (P<0.001) in depression scores for patients treated with
quetiapine than with placebo.
After eight weeks, more patients taking quetiapine than placebo achieved
remission from their depression symptoms (53 per cent vs 28 per cent,
P<0.001). Quetiapine reduced all core symptoms of depression, including
apparent and reported sadness, inner tension and suicidal thoughts (all
P<0.01 or P<0.001 compared with placebo).
Further results showed improvement in patients’ quality of life
and quality of sleep.
Quetiapine is currently licensed for treating mania associated with bipolar
disorder but not yet for bipolar depression. Ongoing trials funded by
AstraZeneca, the company that developed quetiapine, are further investigating
the drug in this indication. It has been suggested that atypical antipsychotics
such as quetiapine may have dopaminergic and serotinergic effects which
make them effective in treating depression.
The results were presented at the American
Psychiatric Association congress held in New York this week. |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal
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