{"title":"What if STAR*D Had Been Placebo-Controlled? A Critical Reexamination of a Foundational Study in Depression Treatment.","authors":"Kevin P Kennedy, Jonathan P Heldt, David W Oslin","doi":"10.1097/JCP.0000000000002025","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/JCP.0000000000002025","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The STAR*D trial's sequence of dose escalation, switching, and augmentation strategies has served as a model for most depression treatment guidelines. However, STAR*D was an open-label pragmatic trial that did not use a placebo control, which complicates the assessment of its outcomes. Most STAR*D treatment steps have now been studied in blinded placebo-controlled randomized trials, which could validate STAR*D and support the growing use of pragmatic trials in depression.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This review evaluates outcomes from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for the major STAR*D treatment steps: dose increase after inadequate response to an antidepressant (Level 1), switching the antidepressant after treatment nonresponse (Levels 2 and 3), augmenting an antidepressant with bupropion or buspirone (Level 2), augmenting an antidepressant with lithium or T3 thyroid hormone (Level 3), and using combination mirtazapine-venlafaxine (Level 4).</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>RCTs have generally not replicated the findings of STAR*D. Of the major treatment steps, there is only positive evidence for lithium augmentation and α2-antagonist-serotonin-reuptake inhibitor combination. Limitations of this review include variation in the quality and quantity of comparable RCTs for each treatment level and differences in the inclusion criteria of RCTs and STAR*D.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These findings raise questions about the evidence supporting widely used treatment strategies following an inadequate response to an initial antidepressant. They suggest that pragmatic trials should be interpreted cautiously in the absence of blinded placebo-controlled studies and point to the need for high-quality blinded clinical trials of second-step and third-step depression treatments.</p>","PeriodicalId":15455,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144284485","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jieru Ren, Jing Nie, Lihui Liu, Lei Sun, Ting Wang, Jiyong Wu
{"title":"Aripiprazole-Associated Rhabdomyolysis: A Literature Review.","authors":"Jieru Ren, Jing Nie, Lihui Liu, Lei Sun, Ting Wang, Jiyong Wu","doi":"10.1097/JCP.0000000000002031","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/JCP.0000000000002031","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":15455,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144284470","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Evaluating the Discontinuation of Clozapine Due to Serious Side Effects: A Retrospective Cohort Study.","authors":"Doğukan Koçyiğit, Rukiye Aktaş, Selim Coşkun, Elçin Özçelik Eroğlu, Emre Mutlu, Ayşe Elif Anil Yağcioğlu","doi":"10.1097/JCP.0000000000002035","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/JCP.0000000000002035","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Clozapine remains underutilized due to its serious side effects, leading to negative prescriber attitudes. We aim to elaborate on serious side effects and discontinuation of clozapine in patients followed up in our center for 12 years.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients admitted to the tertiary inpatient psychiatry service between 2010 and 2022. The cohort included patients with psychotic disorders (PD) or bipolar affective disorders (BAD), who discontinued clozapine during their hospitalization due to serious side effects. Rechallenge attempts and clinical outcomes after discontinuation were recorded.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 2298 patients, 568 (178 clozapine users, prescribing rate: 31.3%) were diagnosed with PD, and 420 (21 clozapine users, prescribing rate: 5%) were diagnosed with BAD. Fourteen patients with PD and 3 patients with BAD had a serious side effect of clozapine, which resulted in discontinuation in 15 patients (7.53%). The most frequent serious side effects were myocarditis or suspected myocarditis (5.02%) and agranulocytosis (1.50%). There was no sudden death, cardiac arrest, or need for intensive care. Of serious side effects, 88.2% occurred within 6 months after clozapine initiation. The most switched antipsychotic was olanzapine (57.1%) after discontinuation. Among those whose clozapine was discontinued, 20% of the patients were rechallenged, of which 66.6% were successful.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Twelve years of observation shows that even life-threatening side effects of clozapine can be managed successfully. Our findings support that physicians should not miss patients' opportunities to benefit from clozapine due to their concern about serious side effects. Lastly, rechallenge is an option even if serious side effects occur in certain conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":15455,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144284472","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Recurrent Ziconotide-Associated Delirium and Psychosis: A Case Report.","authors":"Greg Noe, Arlen Gaba, Sahil Munjal","doi":"10.1097/JCP.0000000000002021","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/JCP.0000000000002021","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":15455,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144284474","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Detecting Anxious Distress, an Important Mood Specifier.","authors":"Mark J Berber","doi":"10.1097/JCP.0000000000002032","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/JCP.0000000000002032","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":15455,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144266363","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Response to the Letter to the Editor on \"Clonidine and Trihexyphenidyl in Clozapine-Induced Hypersalivation\".","authors":"Puangpet Pansawat, Wattanapong Pansawat, Sipanat Silaket, Teeraporn Sadira Supapaan, Tuanthon Boonlue","doi":"10.1097/JCP.0000000000002023","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/JCP.0000000000002023","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":15455,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144266364","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Andrew M Williams, Rachel Mong, Kuniko Chijiwa, Alaa Alabadi-Bierman, Brandon Q Tran, Phillip Huynh, Teressa Benbarka, Timothy Allison-Aipa
{"title":"Use of Intramuscular Midazolam, Diphenhydramine, and Haloperidol in Acute Agitation Management in a Psychiatric Emergency Department.","authors":"Andrew M Williams, Rachel Mong, Kuniko Chijiwa, Alaa Alabadi-Bierman, Brandon Q Tran, Phillip Huynh, Teressa Benbarka, Timothy Allison-Aipa","doi":"10.1097/JCP.0000000000002027","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/JCP.0000000000002027","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Abstract: </strong></p><p><strong>Background: </strong>Intramuscular (IM) lorazepam is administered to acutely agitated patients. During a lorazepam shortage, midazolam was selected as the IM benzodiazepine of choice at this study location. This study aims to explore the efficacy and safety of IM haloperidol, diphenhydramine, and midazolam in treating acutely agitated patients.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A single center, retrospective chart review was conducted in adult patients who received IM diphenhydramine and haloperidol in combination with either midazolam (midazolam+) or lorazepam (lorazepam+) in a psychiatric emergency department (ED) during 2 identified lorazepam shortage periods. Multivariate ordinary least squares and logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate post-IM patients' conditions in behavioral activity rating scale (BARS) scores and the safety and tolerability of IM administrations.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 174 patients met inclusion criteria, with 87 patients in the midazolam+ group (treatment) and 87 patients in the lorazepam+ group (control). Lorazepam+ was associated with a 9.4% greater decrease in BARS score than midazolam+ ( P <0.01). Midazolam+ administrations achieved a goal BARS score of 4 more frequently than lorazepam+ ( P <0.05). 18.4% more patients received a BARS score of 2, oversedation with lorazepam+ ( P <0.05). Lorazepam+ patients took nearly 3 hours (176 min) longer than midazolam+ to return to \"normal\" baseline behavior ( P <0.001). No statistically significant differences were detected in the incidence of hypotensive episodes or oxygen desaturation between groups.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This is the first study to examine coadministration of intramuscular midazolam with haloperidol and diphenhydramine. Midazolam+ was effective at managing agitation and may be an alternative to lorazepam+.</p>","PeriodicalId":15455,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144266365","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Xanomeline/Trospium Combination: Not Non-dopaminergic but a Novel Antidopaminergic Treatment for Schizophrenia.","authors":"Gavin P Reynolds","doi":"10.1097/JCP.0000000000002028","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/JCP.0000000000002028","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":15455,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144266366","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}