Atypical antipsychotics as add-on treatment in late-life depression

Figures & data

Table 1 Characteristics of study patients

	Quetiapine (n=21)	Aripiprazole (n=12)	P-value
Age, mean (SD)	72.1 (5.3)	71.0 (4.6)	0.53**
Mean number of depressive episodes (SD)	1.9 (1.2)	1.83 (1.1)	0.77**
Female (%)	11 (52.4)	8 (66.6)	0.48*
Mean education, years (SD)	6.3 (4.3)	6.83 (4.5)	0.73**
Psychotic features (%)	5 (23.8)	4 (33.3)	0.42*
Having medical illness (%)	16 (76.2)	10 (83.3)	0.49
Hypertension	11 (52.4)	5 (41.6)	0.47
Diabetes	5 (23.8)	7 (58.3)	0.05
Orthopedic	4 (19.0)	3 (25)	0.50*
Other	5 (23.8)	4 (33.3)	0.42*
Mean dosage, mg (SD)	85.71 (47.8)	3.3 (1.2)
Mean number of medications for medical illness (SD)	2.38 (1.4)	2.16 (1.2)	0.64**
Dropout ratio at the fourth week (%)	9 (42.8)	4 (33.3)	0.43*
Dropout ratio between the fifth and twelfth weeks (%)	5 (23.8)	5 (41.7)	0.24
Number of patients completed 12 weeks (%)	7 (33.3)	3 (25)	0.46*
Mean GDS, baseline (SD)	20.3 (3.0)	19.91 (2.8)	0.41**
Mean GDS, 4 weeks (SD)	18.7 (4.8) n=12	17.12 (2.5) n=8
Mean GDS, 12 weeks (SD)	19.00 (4.9) n=7	14.7 (3.0) n=3
Mean MMSE, baseline (SD)	26.9 (1.1)	27.1 (1.1)	0.65**
Mean MMSE, 12 weeks (SD)	27.6 (1.1)	27.7 (1.2)	0.75**
Number of patients having any adverse event (%)	13 (61.9)	5 (41.6)	0.22
Type of antidepressants combined with AAP
SSRIs (%)	8 (38.1)	3 (25)	0.35*
SNRI (%)	6 (28.6)	4 (33.3)	0.53*
Combination SSRI and SNRI (%)	7 (33.3)	5 (41.7)	0.45

Notes:

* Fisher’s exact test,

** Student’s t-test.

Abbreviations: AAP, atypical antipsychotic; GDS, Geriatric Depression Scale; MMSE, Mini-Mental State Examination; SD, standard deviation; SSRI, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor; SNRI, serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor.

Table 2 GDS score difference between baseline and the fourth week

	Quetiapine			Aripiprazole
	Median (min–max)	z	P-value*	Median (min–max)	z	P-value*
Baseline GDS	20 (16–26)	1.38	0.16	20 (15–24)	2.2	0.02
Fourth week GDS	19.5 (11–27)			17 (13–21)

Note:

* Wilcoxon test.

Abbreviations: GDS, Geriatric Depression Scale; max, maximum; min, minimum.

Table 3 Adverse events in the add-on treatment of SGA

	Quetiapine	Aripiprazole
	21	12
Number of patients experiencing AEs (%)	14 (66.7)	7 (58.3)
Sedation	7 (33.3)	1 (8.3)
Dizziness	6 (28.6)	2 (16.7)
Increased appetite	4 (19.0)	1 (8.3)
Weight gain	4 (19.0)	2 (16.7)
Gastrointestinal events (eg, constipation and nausea)	5 (23.8)	3 (25)
EPS	–	1 (8.3)
Akathisia	1 (4.76)	5 (41.7)
Orthostatic hypotension	5 (23.8)	1 (8.3)
Headache	1 (4.8)	3 (25)

Note: Data presented as n (%).

Abbreviations: AE, adverse event; EPS, Extrapyramidal Symptoms; SGA, second-generation antipsychotics.