| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2016 | Volume
: 25
| Issue : 1 | Page : 93-100 |
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Accelerated antidepressant response to lithium augmentation of imipramine
Rajiv Saini1, M. S. V. K. Raju2, Suprakash Chaudhury3, Kalpana Srivastava1
1 Department of Psychiatry, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, Maharashtra, India
2 Department of Psychiatry, Peoples Medical College and Hospital, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India
3 Department of Psychiatry, Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences (Deemed University), Rural Medical College, Loni, Maharashtra, India
Correspondence Address:
Suprakash Chaudhury
Department of Psychiatry, Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences (Deemed University), Rural Medical College, Loni, Ahmednagar - 413 736, Maharashtra
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0972-6748.196057
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Background: Treatment of depressive episode often poses a challenge. Although there are numerous medicines available for its treatment but they all have a lag period of 2–3 weeks before they start showing their result. Aim: The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that an initial lithium-tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) combination has a quicker and better antidepressant effect than standard TCA treatment in unipolar depression. Materials and Methods: Twenty unipolar depressed inpatients under lithium-TCA treatment were compared with twenty patients with similar diagnosis treated with TCA-placebo combination. The duration of the study was 4 weeks under double-blind conditions. Results: Initial lithium-TCA treatment reduced depressive symptoms significantly more than TCA alone. The difference was evident from 1st week onward and persisted at 4 weeks. Conclusion: Lithium augmentation of TCA at the outset offers a strategy to reduce the lag period of antidepressant action. The choice can be made for those patients who are likely to benefit from long-term prophylaxis. |
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