Impact of aripiprazole discontinuation in remitted major depressive disorder: a randomized placebo-controlled trial.

RATIONALE: The efficacy and safety of antidepressant augmentation therapy with aripiprazole (AATA) has been established; however, the ongoing effects of continuing aripiprazole after remission remain unclear because no studies have examined this issue. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to explore the effect of AATA discontinuation on the major depressive disorder (MDD) recurrence risk in patients with remitted MDD after AATA. METHODS: This 24-week, multicenter, placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized trial evaluated recurrence risk in patients with MDD who achieved remission with AATA. Differences in MDD recurrence, as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, between the two groups were compared using survival analysis. The differences in depressive symptom severity and social functioning between the two groups were compared using a mixed model with repeated measures. Extrapyramidal symptoms and akathisia were also assessed. RESULTS: Twenty-three participants were randomized and treated. Two patients in each group experienced recurrence during the study. Kaplan-Meier analysis with Log-rank comparison showed no difference in recurrence between groups (p = 0.642). No significant difference in interactions between group and period was observed in the 17-item Hamilton depression rating scale (p = 0.492) or the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (p = 0.638). No patients developed extrapyramidal symptoms or akathisia. CONCLUSIONS: Definitive conclusions could not be drawn owing to the small sample size. This study represents a starting point for investigating the safety of aripiprazole discontinuation on recurrence in patients with MDD who have achieved remission with AATA. Future studies with appropriate sample sizes calculated based on this study are needed.

Relationship among psychotic features, benzodiazepine receptor agonists, and rehospitalization in patients with electroconvulsive therapy-responsive major depressive disorder: A retrospective 2-year observational study.

AIM: It is controversial whether psychotic features are a risk factor for relapse in patients with electroconvulsive therapy-responsive major depressive disorder. A recent study reported that benzodiazepine receptor agonists reduce relapse of psychotic depression. As long-term use of these agonists may induce dependence, further research is required. We examined whether psychotic features are associated with rehospitalization in electroconvulsive therapy-responsive major depressive disorder patients. We also investigated whether taking benzodiazepine receptor agonists at the end of electro-convulsive therapy was associated with rehospitalization among patients with psychotic depression. METHODS: This study included 47 hospitalized patients (22 with psychotic depression, 25 with non-psychotic depression) who had responded to electroconvulsive therapy. Rehospitalization for major depressive episodes within two years from the last session was investigated. RESULTS: Twenty-three subjects (49%) were rehospitalized during the two-year follow-up. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed no difference in rehospitalization between patients with psychotic and non-psychotic depression (Log-rank P = 0.87). Among the 22 responders to electroconvulsive therapy with psychotic depression, there was no difference in benzodiazepine receptor agonist use at the end of electroconvulsive therapy between the rehospitalization and non-rehospitalization groups. CONCLUSION: Our exploratory study found no difference in the benzodiazepine receptor agonists use at the end of electroconvulsive therapy between rehospitalization and non-rehospitalization groups in patients with electroconvulsive therapy-responsive psychotic depression. Thus, the relapse-preventing effect of these agonists in psychotic depression should be investigated in future randomized controlled trials. Further research is also needed to determine whether psychotic features are associated with rehospitalization in these patients.

Prevalence of Asymptomatic Venous Thromboembolism in Depressive Inpatients.

PURPOSE: While depression has been recognized as a risk factor for venous thromboembolism (VTE), the prevalence of VTE in depressed inpatients has never been investigated. The aim of this study was thus to examine VTE prevalence and factors associated with VTE in depressed inpatients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study of consecutive depressed inpatients (n = 94) from January 1, 2018, to June 30, 2019, at the psychiatry department of Akita University Hospital. As part of our clinical routine, depressed inpatients were screened for VTE using D-dimer, and patients who screened positive underwent enhanced CT to examine VTE. A variety of data was extracted from medical records, including, amongst others, age, sex, body mass index, diagnoses of psychiatric disorders, total scores on the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, duration of current depressive episode, daily dosages of antidepressants and antipsychotics, catatonia, and physical restraint. RESULTS: VTE was detected in 8.5% of depressed inpatients. There were no significant differences between VTE-positive and VTE-negative inpatients regarding any of the considered factors. CONCLUSION: Our analysis shows a VTE prevalence of 8.5% in depressed inpatients, higher than that of 2.3% reported in a previous study in hospitalized patients with psychiatric disorders including depression. This emphasizes the importance of VTE screening for depressive inpatients.