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Study finds statin in combination with SSRI improves depression outcomes
A nationwide cohort study of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) users in Denmark has found that concomitant use of a statin with the antidepressant reduced psychiatric hospital contacts compared with SSRI treatment alone, without worsening adverse effects. The vast majority of concurrent treatment cases that were examined in the study involved use of simvastatin. Study results were published online May 3 in the American Journal of Psychiatry. (Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update - September 22, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Adjunctive Therapy Source Type: research

Research Roundup
Researchers probe mortality risk in dementia patients on risperidone Deaths from non‐overdose causes pose concern with long‐acting opioids Escitalopram fails to improve outcomes in heart failure cases Most antidepressants fall short in acute treatment of children Lisdexamfetamine, SSRIs among options for binge‐eating disorder Trial finds injectable haloperidol cost‐effective in schizophrenia treatment (Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update - September 21, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Research Roundup Source Type: research

Lithium associated with reduced risk of cancer in patients with bipolar disorder
A new study suggests that lithium is associated with a reduced risk of cancer when compared with anticonvulsants in the treatment of bipolar disorder. The study found significant trends of lower risk of cancer with increasing cumulative doses of lithium. (Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update - September 21, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Tags: What's New in Research Source Type: research

Citalopram improves depressive symptoms in patients with complicated grief
Adding citalopram to psychotherapy for complicated grief improved depressive symptoms relative to placebo but did not significantly improve overall outcomes from complicated grief treatment, a new study has found. This is believed to be the first randomized clinical trial examining whether an antidepressant improves outcomes from complicated grief treatment, or demonstrates effectiveness in the absence of psychotherapy. (Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update - September 21, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Tags: What's New in Research Source Type: research

Aspiration pneumonia associated with clozapine
Clozapine is effective in managing patients with treatment‐resistant schizophrenia. Clinicians who use this drug are generally well aware of the need to monitor patients for infrequent but well‐recognized and potentially life‐threatening adverse effects, such as agranulocytosis. Clozapine also has more common adverse effects that are generally considered to entail less medical risk, such as sialorrhea (excessive salivation). Some reports suggest a risk of aspiration pneumonia related to clozapine‐induced sialorrhea.1,2,3 A clinical report recently described an occurrence of aspiration pneumonia as a result of cloza...
Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update - September 21, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Y. W. Francis Lam Tags: Drug ‐Drug Interactions Source Type: research

Antidepressants for schizophrenia have benefits, but effect sizes small
A review and meta‐analysis encompassing 82 randomized controlled trials has found that adding an antidepressant to antipsychotic treatment for schizophrenia generated benefits on a number of symptoms and quality‐of‐life indicators, although effect sizes were small. The analysis also found that adjunctive antidepressants did not exacerbate psychosis or adverse events. Results were published online June 10 in the American Journal of Psychiatry. (Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update - September 21, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Schizophrenia Treatment Source Type: research

Citalopram dose reductions in response to safety warning increased hospitalization
A group of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) patients who had their citalopram doses reduced after a federal safety communication about doses exceeding 40 mg/day experienced a significant increase in hospitalizations and deaths compared with patients whose doses were not reduced, a study has found. The study's authors suggested that the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) 2011 safety communication appears to have generated unintended clinical consequences. Study results were published online May 10 in the American Journal of Psychiatry. (Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update - August 24, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Adverse Events Source Type: research

From the FDA
Drug Safety Communications Approvals (Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update - August 23, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Tags: From the FDA Source Type: research

Research Roundup
Long‐acting injectable antipsychotics may support bipolar disorder relapse prevention Doctors increasingly prescribe antidepressants for other conditions Repeated doses of ketamine maintain decreases in suicidal ideation Most patients on clozapine rechallenge experience no hematologic effect Study suggests efficacy of psilocybin in depression treatment (Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update - August 23, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Research Roundup Source Type: research

Quinolone antibiotic use increases risk of suicidal behavior
An analysis of the World Health Organization's (WHO's) adverse drug reactions database has found a significantly higher risk of suicidal behavior associated with use of quinolone antibiotics compared with other antibiotics. The frequently prescribed drug ciprofloxacin was most strongly associated with suicidal behavior among the quinolone class. (Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update - August 23, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Tags: What's New in Research Source Type: research

Bipolar disorder patients using lithium have lower self ‐harm rates
Bipolar disorder patients taking lithium showed reduced self‐harm and unintentional injury rates compared with patients taking valproate, olanzapine, or quetiapine, a population‐based study conducted in the United Kingdom has found. Researchers could not draw definitive conclusions about the drugs' comparative effects on suicide because of a low overall number of suicides in the study population. (Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update - August 23, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Tags: What's New in Research Source Type: research

Pancreatitis associated with antipsychotic agents
Pancreatitis is relatively uncommon but can be associated with diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and metabolic syndrome. In addition, acute pancreatitis can be caused by alcohol and some medications, including atypical antipsychotics, valproic acid, and newer anti‐diabetic agents such as GLP‐1 agonists and DDP‐IV inhibitors.1,2 (Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update - August 23, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Y. W. Francis Lam Tags: Drug ‐Drug Interactions Source Type: research

Study shows lower antidepressant response in adults affected by childhood trauma
A depression treatment study that found a high likelihood of early‐life stress in patients with depression has also found that abuse experienced at age 7 or younger predicted worse outcomes from antidepressant treatment in adulthood. The outcome findings, which were most robust for patients receiving sertraline, suggest that assessing for childhood trauma might serve as an important component of treatment for depression, the researchers stated. Study results were published online May 3 in Translational Psychiatry. (Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update - August 23, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Depression Treatment Source Type: research

Groundbreaking smoking cessation study highlights safety of varenicline, bupropion
The largest‐ever trial of pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation, requested of two drug manufacturers by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has found no significant increase in neuropsychiatric adverse events from varenicline or bupropion compared with nicotine replacement therapy or placebo. The findings likely will intensify the discussion of whether regulators in the United States and other countries should revisit boxed warnings on the two smoking cessation treatments. Study results were published online April 22 in The Lancet. (Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update - July 20, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Adverse Events Source Type: research

Repeated intravenous ketamine benefits patients with treatment ‐resistant depression
Intravenous ketamine administered twice a week or three times a week resulted in sustained antidepressant effects compared with placebo in a group of patients with treatment‐resistant depression, a new study has found. Based on similar results between the two dosing frequencies, the researchers indicated that a twice‐weekly regimen could serve as an initial repeated‐dose strategy in this population. (Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update - July 19, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Tags: What's New in Research Source Type: research