Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-c47g7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-24T20:22:14.416Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Methodological Problems of Prophylactic Trials in Recurrent Affective Disorders

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Extract

During the past year the question of lithium prophylaxis has been the subject of lively debate (Blackwell and Shepherd, 1968; Hullin et al., 1968; Houghton, 1968; Baastrup and Schou, 1968a; Lader, 1968; Sargant, 1968; Saran, 1968; Baastrup and Schou, 1968b; Melia, 1968; Fieve and Platman, 1968; Cole, 1968; Kline, 1968; Kerry, 1968; Editorial, 1968; Berlyne, 1968; Silverman, 1968; Laurell and Ottosson, 1968; Lancet Editorial, 1969; Whybrow, 1969; Melia, 1969; Angst et al., 1969c). This discussion has revealed considerable uncertainty about the design and assessment of prophylactic trials, and there have been misunderstandings on important points.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1970 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abraham, K. (1911). “Notes on the psychoanalytic investigation and treatment of manic-depressive insanity and allied conditions.” In Selected Papers, 1949. London: Hogarth Press.Google Scholar
Angst, J., and Weis, P. (1967). “Periodicity of depressive psychoses,” in Neuro-Psychopharmacology. Amsterdam: Excerpta Medica Foundation, I.C.S. 129, p. 703–10.Google Scholar
Angst, J., Grof, P., Hippius, H., Pöldinger, W., and Weis, P. (1968). “La psychose maniaco-dépressive est-elle périodique ou intermittente?” In de AjuriaGuerra, J. (Ed.,) Cycles Biologiques et Psychiatric. Paris: Masson & Cie., p. 339–51.Google Scholar
Angst, J., Dittrich, A., and Grof, P. (1969a). “The course of endogenous affective psychoses and its modification by prophylactic administration of imipramine and lithium.” Int. Pharmacopsychiat., 2, 111.Google Scholar
Angst, J., Grof, P., Hippius, H., Pöldinger, W., Varga, E., Weis, P., and Wyss, F. (1969b). “Verlaufsgesetzlichkeiten depressiver Syndrome.” In Das Depressive Syndrom, Ed. Hippius, & Selbach, . Munich, Berlin & Vienna: Urban & Schwarzenberg, p. 93100.Google Scholar
Angst, J., Grof, P., and Schou, M. (1969c). “Lithium.” Lancet, i, 1097.Google Scholar
Angst, J., Weis, P., Grof, P., Baastrup, P. G., and Schou, M. (1970). “Lithium prophylaxis in recurrent affective disorders.” Brit. J. Psychiat., 116, 604–14.Google Scholar
Baastrup, P. C., and Schou, M. (1967). “Lithium as a prophylactic agent. Its effect against recurrent depressions and manic-depressive psychosis.” Arch. gen. Psychiat., 16, 162–72.Google Scholar
Baastrup, P. G., and Schou, M. (1968a). “Prophylactic lithium.” Lancet, i, 1419–22.Google Scholar
Baastrup, P. C., and Schou, M. (1968b) “Prophylactic lithium?” Lancet, ii, 349–50.Google Scholar
Berlyne, N. (1968). “Lithium in psychiatric disorders.” Brit. med. J., iv, 517.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blackwell, B., and Shepherd, M. (1968). “Prophylactic lithium: Another therapeutic myth ? An examination of the evidence to date.” Lancet, i, 968–71.Google Scholar
Bräutigam, W. (1969). “Psychotherapie der Depressiven.” In Das Depressive Syndrom, Ed. Hippius, & Selbach, . Munich, Berlin & Vienna: Urban & Schwartenberg, p. 519–22.Google Scholar
Cole, J. O. (1968). “Lithium carbonate: Some recommendations.” Amer. J. Psychiat., 125, 556–57.Google Scholar
Editorial (1968). “Lithium in psychiatric disorders.” Brit. med. J., iv, 271–72.Google Scholar
Editorial (1969). “Lithium.” Lancet, i, 709–10.Google Scholar
Fenichel, O. (1946). The Psychoanalytic Theory of Neuroses. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd.Google Scholar
Fieve, R. R., and Platman, S. R. (1968). “Prophylactic lithium?” Lancet, ii, 830.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Freud, S. (1917). “Trauer und Melancholie.” Gesammelte Werke, Vol. 10, 1946. London: Imago Publ. Co.Google Scholar
Houghton, A. W. J. (1968). “Prophylactic lithium?” Lancet, i, 1427–8.Google Scholar
Hullin, R. P., McDonald, R., Anderson, W. McC., and Geraghty, S. M. J. (1968). “Prophylactic lithium.” Lancet, i, 1155–56.Google Scholar
Kerry, R. J. (1968). “Lithium—a special clinic?” Brit. med. J., iv, 187.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kielholz, P. (1959). Klinik, Differentialdiagnostik und Therapie der depressiven Zustandsbilder. Geigy. Basel.Google Scholar
Kinkelin, M. (1954). “Verlauf und Prognose des manischdepressiven Irreseins.” Schweiz. Arch. Neurol. Psychiat., 73, 100–46.Google Scholar
Kline, N. S. (1968). “Lithium comes into its own.” Amer. J. Psychiat., 125, 558–60.Google Scholar
Kraepelin, E. (1913). “Das manisch-depressive Irresein.” In Psychiatric, 8. ed., vol. III, 2, p. 11831395. Leipzig: J. A. Barth.Google Scholar
Lader, M. H. (1968). “Prophylactic lithium?” Lancet, ii, 103.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lange, J. (1942). “Zirkuläres (manisch-depressives) Irresein.” In Handbuch der Erbkrankheiten, vol. 4. (ed. Gütt, A.) Leipzig.Google Scholar
Laurell, B., and Ottosson, J.–O. (1968). “Prophylactic lithium?” Lancet, ii, 1245–46.Google Scholar
Lehmann, H. E. (1969). Personal communication. Lundquist, G. (1945). “Prognosis and course in manic-depressive psychoses. A follow-up study of 319 first admissions.” Acta psychiat. (Kbh.) , suppl. 35.Google Scholar
Matussek, P., Halbach, A., and Troeger, U. (1965). Endogene Depression. München & Berlin: Urban & Schwarzenberg.Google Scholar
Melia, P. I. (1968). “Prophylactic lithium.” Lancet, ii, 519–20.Google Scholar
Melia, P. I. (1969). “Lithium.” Lancet, i, 889–90.Google Scholar
Saran, B. (1968). “Prophylactic lithium?” Lancet, ii, 284–85.Google Scholar
Sargant, W. (1968). “Prophylactic lithium?” Lancet, ii, 216.Google Scholar
Schou, M. (1968). “Lithium in psychiatric therapy and prophylaxis.” J. psychiat. Res., 6, 6795.Google Scholar
Schou, M., Baastrup, P. C., Grof, P., Weis, P., and Angst, J. (1970). “Pharmacological and clinical problems of lithium prophylaxis.” Brit. J. Psychiat. 116, 615–19.Google Scholar
Silverman, G. (1968). “Lithium in psychiatric disorders.” Brit. med. J., iv, 517.Google Scholar
Taschev, T. (1965). “Statistiches über die Melancholie.” Fortschr. Neurol. Psychiat., 33, 2536.Google Scholar
Whybrow, P. G. (1969). “Lithium.” Lancet, i, 839.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.