A Study of Quetiapine for the Treatment of Mood Disorders in Adolescents

A Single-Blind Prospective Study of Quetiapine for the Treatment of Mood Disorders in Adolescents

The purpose of this research study is to obtain preliminary data regarding the effectiveness, tolerability, and safety of quetiapine therapy for adolescents who have a mood disorder and have at least one parent with bipolar disorder (severe mood swings).

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Mood Disorders
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: quetiapine

Detailed Description

Bipolar disorder is a common, life-long, progressive disease that typically begins in adolescence or early adulthood and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality (Lish et al., 1994). Family studies have shown that offspring of parents with bipolar disorder have a 30% chance of developing a mood disorder, while children with both parents with a mood disorder (with at least one with bipolar disorder) have a 70% chance of developing a mood disorder (Goodwin and Jamison 1990). Indeed, children (< 18 years old) have an even greater risk for developing bipolar disorder if they have a parent with the disorder (reviewed in Lapalme et al., 1997; DelBello and Geller, 2002; Chang and Steiner, 2003). Since the clinical manifestations of bipolar disorder often present early in life and may worsen with age, it is imperative that this illness is recognized and treated as readily as possible. Bipolar disorder may have a number of prodromal or early-onset presentations that do not include syndromal mania. These prodromes may include cyclothymia, dysthymia, and subsyndromal manic, depressive, and mixed affective symptoms (Chang et al., 2000, reviewed in Lapalme et al., 1997).

There have been several investigations of divalproex for the treatment of mood symptoms in children at familial risk for bipolar disorder (Chang et al., 2002; Findling et al., 2002). Chang et al., found a significant reduction in mood symptoms and improvement in overall functioning following treatment with divalproex in 23 children who did not have bipolar I disorder but who were diagnosed with mood symptoms/syndromes and who had a parent with bipolar disorder (Chang et al., 2002). Similarly, Findling et al. reported that children with mood symptoms and a multigenerational family history of bipolar disorder had a significant reduction in mood symptoms when treated with divalproex compared with placebo (Findling et al., 2002). To our knowledge, there have been no studies evaluating the use of atypical antipsychotics for the treatment of children at familial risk for developing bipolar disorder who are diagnosed with mood disorders other than bipolar I disorder.

Controlled investigations suggest that quetiapine is effective for the treatment of mania in adults and adolescents (Adityanjee and Schulz, 2003; Sachs et al., 2002; DelBello et al., 2002). Additionally, quetiapine is particularly well-tolerated and safe in children and adolescents (DelBello et al., 2002; Findling, 2003). Our group has reported that children at risk for bipolar disorder exhibit neurochemical abnormalities, suggesting neuronal damage may occur prior to the onset or early in the course of a mood disorder. Furthermore, recent laboratory studies suggest that quetiapine may have neuroprotective properties (Xu et al., 2002). Therefore, quetiapine is the ideal choice for the treatment of adolescents at familial risk for developing bipolar disorder who are presently exhibiting a mood disorder.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 20
• Phase: Phase 3

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Ohio
    • Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, 45267
      • University of Cincinnati Medical Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 10 years to 16 years (Child, Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

To be included in this study, subjects must meet the following criteria:

1. Male or female patients, 12-18 years of age.
2. Female patients of menarche must be using a medically accepted means of contraception (e.g. oral contraceptives, Depo-Provera, abstinence).
3. Each patient's authorized legal guardian must understand the nature of the study and must provide written informed consent. Each patient must also give assent to study participation.
4. Patients must have a diagnosis of a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) mood disorder (dysthymia, major depressive disorder, depressive disorder not otherwise specified, cyclothymic, bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder, or bipolar disorder not otherwise specified) as determined by the Washington University at St. Louis Kiddie Schedule of Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (WASH-U K-SADS) (Geller et al., 2000).
5. Patients must currently display symptoms of depression/dysthymia (Childhood Depression Rating Scale > 35) or mania/hypomania (Young Mania Rating Scale > 14).

Exclusion Criteria:

Patients will be excluded from the protocol for any of the following reasons:

1. Female patients who are either pregnant or lactating.
2. Clinically significant or unstable hepatic, renal, gastroenterologic, respiratory, cardiovascular, endocrinologic, immunologic, hematologic, or other systemic medical conditions.
3. Neurologic disorders including epilepsy, stroke, or severe head trauma.
4. Clinically significant laboratory abnormalities on any of the following tests: complete blood count (CBC) with differential, electrolytes, BUN, creatinine, hepatic transaminases, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), and electrocardiogram (EKG).
5. Mood symptoms due to a general medical condition or substance-induced mania (DSM-IV).
6. Mental retardation (intelligence quotient [IQ] < 70).
7. History of hypersensitivity to or intolerance to quetiapine.
8. Prior history of quetiapine non-response.
9. DSM-IV substance (except nicotine or caffeine) dependence within the past 3 months.
10. Judged clinically to be at serious suicidal risk.
11. Participation in a clinical trial of another investigational drug within 1 month (30 days) prior to study entry.
12. Treatment with an injectable depot neuroleptic within less than one dosing interval between depot neuroleptic injections and day 0.
13. Treatment with concurrent mood stabilizers or anticonvulsants, benzodiazepines (except as described below), psychostimulants, guanethidine, or guanadrel, or antidepressants.
14. Schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders (including schizophreniform disorder, schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder, brief psychotic disorder, shared psychotic disorder, psychotic disorder due to a general medical condition, substance-induced psychotic disorder, or psychotic disorder not otherwise specified) as defined in the DSM-IV.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Quetiapine; Patients will begin 100mg of quetiapine on day 1 and titrated to a maximum dose of 400mg by day 4, with flexible dosing to 600mg by day 28. The total duration of treatment will be 84 days (12 weeks).	Drug: quetiapine; 100mg of quetiapine on day 1 and titrated to a maximum dose of 400mg by day 4, with flexible dosing to 600mg by day 28. The total duration of treatment will be 84 days (12 weeks).; Other Names: Seroquel

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Clinical Global Impression Improvement (CGI)	The Clinical Global Impression Improvement Score of < 2 (much or very much improved) will be used to quantify the adolescent's change in overall severity of illness.	12 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS)	The Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) will be used as a measure of efficacy (change in YMRS total scores from baseline to endpoint)	12 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Cincinnati
• Collaborators: AstraZeneca
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Melissa P DelBello, MD, University of Cincinnati

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: June 1, 2003
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 1, 2006
• Study Completion (Actual): April 1, 2006

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 15, 2005
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 21, 2005
• First Posted (Estimate): September 22, 2005

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): July 18, 2012
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 17, 2012
• Last Verified: March 1, 2007

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Adolescents
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Mood Disorders; Physiological Effects of Drugs; Central Nervous System Depressants; Antipsychotic Agents; Tranquilizing Agents; Psychotropic Drugs; Antidepressive Agents; Quetiapine Fumarate
• Other Study ID Numbers: IRUSQUET0296