Examining the Efficacy of Adjunctive Aripiprazole in Major Depressive Disorder: A Pooled Analysis of 2 Studies

Background: Patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) who fail to achieve complete remission with antidepressant therapy may benefit from augmentation therapy with an atypical antipsychotic.

Method: A pooled analysis was performed on 2 identical 14-week studies (8-week prospective antidepressant therapy treatment phase followed by 6-week randomized double-blind phase) evaluating the efficacy of adjunctive aripiprazole (2­20 mg/day) in DSM-IV-TR-defined MDD patients with an inadequate response to antidepressant therapy. Primary efficacy endpoint was the mean change in Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) total score from end of the prospective phase (week 8) to end of randomized phase (week 14, last observation carried forward). Subgroup analyses were performed. The key secondary endpoint was mean change in Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS) mean score.

Results: At endpoint, mean change in MADRS total score was significantly greater with adjunctive aripiprazole (­8.7) than with adjunctive placebo (­5.7; p

Conclusions: Augmentation of antidepressant therapy with the atypical antipsychotic aripiprazole resulted in significant efficacy benefits across a range of subgroups of patients with MDD. Further study of a treatment-by-sex interaction is needed.

Trial Registration: www.clinicaltrials.gov Identifiers: NCT00095823 and NCT00095758