This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on Web of Science (202)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Report of the Veterans Administration and National Institute of Mental Health Collaborative Study Group

Robert F. Prien, PhD; Eugene M. Caffey, Jr., MD; C. James Klett, PhD

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1972;26(2):146-153.

Abstract
In an 18-hospital collaborative study, 255 newly admitted manic patients were randomly assigned to lithium carbonate or chlorpromazine for a three-week period. Patients were classified as highly active or mildly active on the basis of degree of motor activity shown at admission. Treatments were compared in terms of early terminations, symptom change, and toxicity. The following results were obtained: (1) Chlorpromazine was clearly superior to lithium carbonate in treating the highly active patient. Chlorpromazine acted more quickly, produced significantly fewer dropouts, and had a lower incidence of severe side effects. (2) The difference between lithium carbonate and chlorpromazine was less pronounced among mildly active patients. Lithium carbonate, however, appeared to be the better treatment. Both drugs effectively reduced manic symptomatology but lithium carbonate left the patient feeling less sluggish and fatigued. Lithium carbonate also produced fewer severe side effects than chlorpromazine.

Author Affiliations
Perry Point, Md; Washington, DC; Perry Point, Md

From the Central Neuropsychiatric Research Laboratory, Veterans Administration Hospital, Perry Point, Md (Drs. Prien and Klett) and the Psychiatry Division, Psychiatry, Neurology, and Psychology Service, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Veterans Administration, Washington, DC (Dr. Caffey).

Footnotes
Accepted for publication Aug 19, 1971.

Reprint requests to Central Neuropsychiatric Research Laboratory, Veterans Administration Hospital, Perry Point, Md 21902 (Dr. Prien).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Evidence-based guidelines for treating bipolar disorder: revised second edition--recommendations from the British Association for Psychopharmacology
Goodwin and Consensus Group of the British Association for Psy
J Psychopharmacol 2009;23:346-388.
ABSTRACT  

How do psychiatric drugs work?
Moncrieff and Cohen
BMJ 2009;338:b1963-b1963.
FULL TEXT  

Bipolar Disorder Clinical Synthesis: Where Does the Evidence Lead?
Sachs
Focus 2007;5:3-13.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

What Is a "Mood Stabilizer"? An Evidence-Based Response
Bauer and Mitchner
Am. J. Psychiatry 2004;161:3-18.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

A Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Study of the Efficacy and Safety of Aripiprazole in Patients With Acute Bipolar Mania
Keck et al.
Am. J. Psychiatry 2003;160:1651-1658.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Evidence-Based Guidelines for Treating Bipolar Disorder: Recommendations from the British Association for Psychopharmacology
Goodwin
J Psychopharmacol 2003;17:149-173.
ABSTRACT  

Bibliography for Bipolar Disorder
Focus 2003;1:32-33.
FULL TEXT  

Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients With Bipolar Disorder (Revision)
Hirschfeld et al.
Focus 2003;1:64-110.
FULL TEXT  

Combination of a Mood Stabilizer With Risperidone or Haloperidol for Treatment of Acute Mania: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Comparison of Efficacy and Safety
Sachs et al.
Am. J. Psychiatry 2002;159:1146-1154.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Use of antipsychotic drugs and lithium in mania
COOKSON
Br. J. Psychiatry 2001;178 :s148-s156.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Treating Bipolar Illness: Focus on Treatment Algorithms and Management of the Sleep-Wake Cycle
Leibenluft and Suppes
Am. J. Psychiatry 1999;156:1976-1981.
FULL TEXT  

Current Therapeutic Profile of Lithium
Gershon and Soares
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1997;54:16-20.
ABSTRACT  

Lithium in the Treatment of Mania: Comparisons With Neuroleptics
Goodwin and Zis
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1979;36:840-844.
ABSTRACT  

Diagnosis in Schizophrenia and Manic-Depressive Illness: A Reassessment of the Specificity of 'Schizophrenic' Symptoms in the Light of Current Research
Pope and Lipinski
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1978;35:811-828.
ABSTRACT  

The Switch Process in Manic-Depressive Psychosis
BUNNEY et al.
ANN INTERN MED 1977;87:319-335.
ABSTRACT  

Schizo-affective Psychosis: Fact or Fiction? A Survey of the Literature
Procci
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1976;33:1167-1178.
ABSTRACT  

Amitriptyline-Perphenazine Interaction in Ambulatory Schizophrenic Patients: A Controlled Study of Drug Interaction
Chouinard et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1975;32:1295-1307.
ABSTRACT  

Comparison of Efficacy of Lithium Carbonate and Chlorpromazine in Mania: Report of Collaborative Study Group on Treatment of Mania in Japan
Takahashi et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1975;32:1310-1318.
ABSTRACT  

Double-Blind Comparison of Lithium Carbonate and Imipramine in Treatment of Depression
Watanabe et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1975;32:659-668.
ABSTRACT  

Depression, Elation, and Lithium Carbonate Responses in Manic Patient Subgroups
Murphy and Beigel
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1974;31:643-648.
ABSTRACT  

L-Tryptophan in Mania: Contribution to a Permissive Hypothesis of Affective Disorders
Prange et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1974;30:56-62.
ABSTRACT  

Lithium Carbonate and Imipramine in Prevention of Affective Episodes: A Comparison in Recurrent Affective Illness
Report of the Veterans Administration and National et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1973;29:420-425.
ABSTRACT  

Prophylactic Efficacy of Lithium Carbonate in Manic-Depressive Illness: Report of the Veterans Administration and National Institute of Mental Health Collaborative Study Group
Prien et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1973;28:337-341.
ABSTRACT  

A Comparison of Lithium Carbonate and Chlorpromazine in the Treatment of Excited Schizo-Affectives: Report of the Veterans Administration and National Institute of Mental Health Collaborative Study Group
Prien et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1972;27:182-189.
ABSTRACT