Lurasidone May Be Effective for Long-Term Treatment of Pediatric Bipolar Depression

Anna Olechowska
|
sad boy with head down
sad boy with head down
In pediatric patients with bipolar I depression, long-term treatment with lurasidone 20 mg/day is effective in reducing depressive symptoms.
The following article is part of conference coverage from the 2018 American Psychiatric Association (APA) Annual Meeting in New York, New York. Psychiatry Advisor’s staff will be reporting breaking news associated with research conducted by leading experts in psychiatry. Check back for the latest news from APA 2018.

NEW YORK — In pediatric patients with bipolar I depression, long-term treatment with lurasidone is effective in improving depressive symptoms, according to research presented at the American Psychiatric Association 2018 annual meeting, held May 5-9, 2018, in New York City.

Pediatric patients (10-17 years of age) were randomly assigned to 6 weeks of double-blind treatment with lurasidone or placebo. Patients who completed the study were able to enroll in a 2-year open-label extension study to continue lurasidone at 20 mg/day. These results represent the first year of the 2-year study.

The primary outcome was measured using the Children’s Depression Rating Scale, Revised (CDRS-R). In the first study, which included 347 patients, lurasidone improved CDRS-R scores significantly compared with placebo (-21.0 vs -15.3; P <.0001).

Data were available for 95 of the 155 patients in the extension study who had finished treatment. The mean change in CDRS-R scores at weeks 12, 28, 40, and 52 were -6.2, -10.0, -10.8, and -10.7, respectively. The mean change in the Clinical Global Severity, Bipolar scores were -0.65, -1.11, -1.17, and -1.36, respectively. The remission rates at the double-blinding baseline, the open-label baseline, and weeks 12, 28, 40, and 52 were 0.0%, 26.6%, 45.7%, 57.8%, 64.1%, and 71.6%, respectively.

Related Content

Related Articles

In pediatric patients with bipolar I depression, long-term treatment with lurasidone 20 mg/day is effective in reducing depressive symptoms.

For more coverage of APA 2018, click here. 

Reference

DelBello M, Goldman R, Tocco M, Pikalov A, Deng L, Loebel AD. Effectiveness of long-term lurasidone in children and adolescents with bipolar depression: interim analysis of year one of a two-year open-label study. Presented at: American Psychiatric Association (APA) 2018 Annual Meeting; New York, NY. May 5-9; Poster 30.