Abilify as an Adjunctive Treatment for Refractory Depression

Phase 4

Completed

Brief Summary: This is a study of the effectiveness of adding Abilify (aripiprazole), an atypical antipsychotic medication, to ongoing selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant treatment for depressed outpatients who are not responding fully to SSRI treatment alone. It is hypothesized that patients' functioning will improve after 12 weeks of treatment with Aripiprazole and SSRI medication.

Detailed Description: This is a pilot study of the effectiveness of adding Abilify (aripiprazole), an atypical antipsychotic medication, to ongoing selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant treatment for depressed outpatients who are not responding fully to SSRI treatment alone. Fifteen subjects will be given aripiprazole in a flexible dosing schedule and followed for 12 weeks, while continuing their ongoing SSRI medication. Assessments of depressive symptoms, overall functioning, social functioning, and side effects will be completed. It is hypothesized that patients' functioning will improve after 12 weeks of treatment with Aripiprazole and SSRI medication.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria

Male and female outpatients between the ages of 18 and 70.
Patients with a principal Diagnostic and Statistical Manual fourth edition (DSM-IV) diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder, unipolar, nonpsychotic type
Patients with a total of 14 or higher on the 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale at baseline
Patients who have had treatment with an SSRI at an adequate dose (see Table for a minimum of 6 weeks (i.e. 6 wks at the dose defined as adequate in Table 2)
Patients who agree to use acceptable method of birth control throughout the study

Exclusion Criteria

Patients with any of the following DSM-IV diagnoses: Delirium, Dementia, Amnestic, or other Cognitive Disorders. Bipolar Disorder or cyclothymia, Schizophrenia, Delusional (Paranoid) Disorders and Psychotic Disorders not elsewhere classified, Severe Borderline Personality Disorder, Anorexia Nervosa, or Bulimia.
Patients who, within the past 6 months, met DSM-IV criteria for abuse of or dependence on any drug, including alcohol.
Patients who are pregnant or nursing women.
Patients who would pose a serious risk for suicide during the course of the study, as evidenced by one of the following: (a) report of having a specific plan for killing themselves, (b) a score of 3 or higher on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale item #3 as rated by the treating clinician at Week 0, or (c) a suicide attempt within the last 6 months which required medical attention, such as an emergency room visit or which is considered by the treating physician to have been possibly life threatening
Patients with unstable medical conditions such as untreated or uncontrolled hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, hypertension (defined as blood pressure>150/90), cardiovascular disease, diabetes, HIV (by report of patient).
Patients with a history of seizures.

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Aripiprazole	Aripiprazole	Aripiprazole 5 to 30 mg/day

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS)	12 weeks	Clinician rated measure of depression, mean score; this study used the 24 item version of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale; item scores range from 0 to 4 on some items, 0 to 2 or 0 to 3 on other items; range of total score = 0 to 75, with higher score indicating worse depression Response (\>50% decrease) Remission (score\<=7) Outcome is the number of these subjects whose depression "responded" after treatment with aripiprazole, which means a 50% or greater decrease in Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores at week 12.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Clinical Global Impressions Improvement Scale (CGI)	12 weeks	clinician rated improvement, score on CGI scale ranging from 1 (very much improved) to 7 (very much worse)
Change in Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAFS)	baseline and 12 weeks	Ranging from 0 to 100, with higher score indicating better global functioning. Outcome is the post-treatment GAFS score compared to the pre-treatment GAFS score.
Change in Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) Score	baseline and 12 weeks	21 item patient rated assessment of depression symptoms, with item scores ranging from 0 to 3. Total BDI scores can range from 0 to 63, with higher scores indicating worse depression. Outcome is the subject's total BDI score post-treatment compared to the subject's total BDI score pre-treatment.