[Prediction of treatment response in acute mania: controlled clinical trials with divalproex].

OBJECTIVE

To determine predictive factors for response to mood stabilising treatment in manic episodes and to determine the mood stabilising properties of divalproex.

METHODS

For predictive factors, 179 subjects in 3 parallel groups (divalproex, lithium, placebo) were evaluated over a period of 21 days by using structured interviews conducted by the clinician (SADS-C) and by nursing staff (ADRS). For the follow-on study, 372 stabilised patients were randomised to three groups: divalproex, lithium or placebo.

RESULTS

The presence of depressive symptoms was associated with poor response to lithium, and patients with manic episodes with depressive symptoms or with rapid cycling exhibited good response to divalproex, while classical manic episodes showed good response to lithium and divalproex, and dysphoric or irritable manic episodes responded well to divalproex but not to lithium. A high number of both manic and depressive prior episodes is predictive of poor response to lithium and favourable response to divalproex. The effects of depressive and manic episodes appear to be independent and do not correlate with the duration of the illness or age at onset. Divalproex was superior to placebo in preventing all types of episodes, whether or not relapse was depressive or manic, and it was also superior to lithium in preventing depressive episodes.

CONCLUSION

Specific features of the disease history and of the semiology of individual episodes help predict therapeutic response to mood stabilisers.