Among patients with depressive disorders, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) is estimated to range from 35-40% and has been associated with increased mortality rates. The aim of this post-hoc analysis was to assess the effect of treatment with lurasidone on the prevalence of MetS in patients with bipolar depression.

Lurasidone data (dose range, 20-120 mg/d) used in the current analyses consisted of 3 double-blind (DB), placebo-controlled, 6-week studies in adults with bipolar I depression (total N=1,192), consisting of 1 monotherapy, and 2 adjunctive therapy trials with lithium or valproate. Patients who completed the short-term trials continued into a 6-month open-label (OL) extension study, with 6-month (LOCF-endpoint) data available on 274 patients treated with lurasidone monotherapy, and 436 patients treated with lurasidone adjunctive therapy. Also analyzed was a recurrence prevention study in stabilized bipolar patients who completed up to 20 weeks of OL adjunctive treatment with lurasidone, and then were randomized to 28 weeks of DB adjunctive therapy with lurasidone or placebo (N=497). MetS was defined based on NCEP ATP III criteria (2005 revision).

In the short-term monotherapy and adjunctive therapy studies, the proportion of patients at baseline meeting NCEP III criteria for MetS were 27.6% and 23.6%, respectively, for lurasidone, and 23.8% and 25.1%, respectively, for placebo; and at week 6 (LOCF) the proportion with MetS was 27.5% and 26.6%, respectively, for lurasidone and 29.9% and 20.2%, respectively, for placebo. The proportion of patients who did not meet MetS criteria at baseline but developed MetS at week 6 (LOCF) was similar for lurasidone vs. placebo in the monotherapy study (9.9% vs. 11.6%); and in the two adjunctive therapy studies (10.3% vs. 8.3%). During the 6-month OL extension study, the proportion of patients treated with lurasidone monotherapy and adjunctive therapy who did not meet MetS criteria at OL baseline but developed MetS at month 6 (LOCF) was 11.7% and 11.9%, respectively. Conversely, the proportion of patients who met MetS criteria at OL baseline, but no longer met criteria at month 6 (LOCF) was 9.5% and 7.7%, respectively. In the 20-week, OL phase of the recurrence prevention study, the proportion of patients treated with adjunctive lurasidone who did not meet MetS criteria at OL baseline but developed MetS at endpoint was 11.5% (LOCF). After up to 28 weeks of DB treatment, the proportion of patients who did not meet MetS criteria at DB baseline but developed MetS at endpoint was 9.0% in the adjunctive lurasidone group, and 10.5% in the adjunctive placebo group (LOCF).

This post-hoc analysis found that short- and long-term treatment with lurasidone was associated with a relatively low risk for the development of metabolic syndrome in patients with bipolar I disorder. These findings are consistent with similar analyses in patients with schizophrenia.

Supported by funding from Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc.