Cariprazine 4.5mg capsules

BackgroundThere is a need to provide up-to-date, clinically translatable data as it relates to the treatment of a major depressive episode (MDE) with mixed features.MethodsPubMed and OVID were searched from inception to July 22, 2024. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the efficacy of pharmacological agents for adults with bipolar disorder (BD) or major depressive disorder (MDD) in an MDE with mixed features were included. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool for Randomized Studies (RoB2).ResultsA total of seven studies were included in this systematic review. The studies identified were all short-term acute studies ranging from 6 to 8 weeks. Treatment with lurasidone, olanzapine, cariprazine, lumateperone, quetiapine, and ziprasidone was associated with statistically significant reduction of depressive symptoms in MDEs with mixed features. Only lumateperone is studied in both BD subtypes [bipolar I disorder (BD-I), bipolar II disorder (BD-II)] and MDD, wherein efficacy in mixed features was the prespecified primary outcome. Lurasidone has a single study in MDD, while ziprasidone has data in a mixed sample of BD-II and MDD. Data for the other agents in mixed features is post hoc. Co-occurring hypomanic symptoms generally improved, and there was no significant difference between the above treatments and placebo with respect to hypomanic symptom severity intensification or treatment-emergent affective switching.ConclusionSelect atypical antipsychotics are effective in alleviating depressive symptoms in persons with mixed features; albeit, much of the data is obtained from post hoc analysis. Minimal evidence exists for the efficacy of lithium or valproate in the treatment of depressive episodes with mixed features. Antidepressant monotherapy has not been adequately evaluated in depressive episodes with mixed features. In addition, there is a pressing need for a consistent definition of mixed presentations to guide future interventional studies.

Abstract licence: CC BY

Background/Objectives: Dopamine partial agonists are drugs initially developed to treat schizophrenia, seeking a double effect of increased dopaminergic transmission in the prefrontal cortex and decrease in the accumbens/striatum. Of these drugs, aripiprazole, brexpiprazole, and cariprazine are currently marketed and used in schizophrenia spectrum and mood disorders. It is debated whether patients with psychiatric disorders becoming pregnant should discontinue or continue their antipsychotic treatment despite some risks for the fetus, i.e., whether it is worse to have an untreated disorder or treating it with drugs. The safety of drugs for mother and baby extend from pregnancy to the postpartum, when breastfeeding assumes great importance. We set to investigate the use of dopamine partial agonists in pregnancy and lactation. Methods: On 23 June 2025, we used suitable strategies for identifying cases and studies of cariprazine, aripiprazole, brexpiprazole, dopamine partial agonists in pregnancy, perinatal period, and/or lactation on PubMed, CINAHL, PsycInfo/PsycArticles, Scopus, and ClinicalTrials.gov. We used the PRISMA Statement in developing our review. We included case reports and clinical studies. We excluded reports without pregnancy or focused on other drugs than the above. We reached consensus on eligibility with Delphi rounds among all authors. Results: Our searches produced 386 results on the above databases. We included 24 case reports/series and 15 studies. Most studies showed no negative pregnancy outcomes. There were serious concerns about the use of dopamine D2/D3 partial agonists during lactation. Conclusions: The use of dopamine partial agonists during pregnancy appears to be safe, but during breastfeeding they should be better avoided.

Abstract licence: CC BY