[Modern treatment of a depressive phase (review)].

The analysis of modern Russian and world literature on the diagnosis and treatment of a depressive phase of bipolar affective disorder (BAD) is presented. Studies on the efficacy of different groups of drugs (antidepressants, mood stabilizers, antipsychotics) used in the treatment of bipolar disorders are reviewed. Expert views on the treatment of bipolar disorders are discussed.

[Comparative efficacy and tolerability of carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine during long therapy of patients with bipolar and schizoaffective disorders].

An aim of the study was to adjust the technique of using oxcarbazepine (OCB) and to study its preventive action and tolerability compared to carbamazepine (CBM) in patients with bipolar and schizoaffective disorders. The study included 48 patients (7 male and 41 female), aged from 18 to 70 years, with phasic psychoses (bipolar disorder, type I - 29 patients and schizoaffective disorder - 19 patients). Patients were randomized into 2 treatment groups: 1 - 28 patients who received CBM in doses 300-1600 mg/day (mean 700+/-120 mg/day) during 25,43+/-2,34 months; 2 - 20 patients who received OCB in doses 600-1800 mg/day (mean 900+/-145 mg/day) during 12+/-0,65 months.

[Open randomized comparative twelve-week study of lithium and valproate in manic episode].

One hundred and twenty-five patients (49 men and 76 women, mean age 38,0+/-12,5 years) were randomized in two groups. One group (64 patients) was treated with valproate sodium and another group (61 patients) received lithium carbonate. Monotherapy was administered with the mean dose of valproate 20 mg/kg/day (serum valproate concentration between 70 and 125 ?g/ml) and the mean dose of lithium 800 mg/day (between 600 and 900 mg/day; serum lithium concentration 0,8-1,2 mmol/L) during 12 weeks.

[A comparative study of efficacy and safety of torin and zoloft].

Zoloft (sertraline) is an original antidepressant of "Pfizer", torin is a generic form of sertraline of Veropharm. An aim of the study was to compare clinical effectiveness and tolerability of original and generic drugs. Forty patients with moderate and severe depression without psychotic symptoms have been studied: 20 of them were treated with torin and 20 with zoloft.

[Comparative efficacy and tolerability of paroxetine and amitriptiline in long-term therapy preventing depressive recurrences].

An open comparative randomized study of paroxetine (selective inhibitor of serotonin re-uptake) and tricyclic antidepressant amitriptiline has been conducted. These drugs were used for the treatment of 43 patients with recurrent depression (RD) with frequent relapses (ICD-10 F33.0-F33.