Study background
Bipolar disorder occurs in about 1.4% of people, over a lifetime. There are currently limited treatment options available for people experiencing depressive symptoms. In addition, some of these drugs have side effects such as sedation (feeling sleepy) and gaining weight and often cannot be prescribed by a GP.
What is Bipolar?
Bipolar is a mental health condition.
Individuals with bipolar may experience depressive episodes where they may feel sad, tireless and hopeless or experience hypomania and/ or mania where they may feel very happy, excited, irritable and/ or energetic.
For more information visit BipolarUK.
Could I be experiencing bipolar depression?
Depression is common in bipolar. Individuals experiencing a depressive episode may feel:
Very sad, down or anxious
Feeling slowed down or restless
Having trouble concentrating or making decisions
Feeling hopeless or worthless, or thinking about death or suicide
Lack of interest in almost all activities.
A short self-assessment survey called the QIDS-SR is available on the Northern Centre for Mood Disorders website.
A previous small trial has indicated that a combination of the antipsychotic aripiprazole with an antidepressant may be effective in the treatment of bipolar depression, with a reduced burden of side-effects compared to current treatments. It is time now for a larger trial to see if this combination works.
In the ASCEnD trial, 270 adults with bipolar depression from primary and secondary care services will be randomised to receive an aripiprazole and sertraline combination, or quetiapine.
We will follow participants up for 24 weeks using questionnaires to examine any longer-term benefit on depressive symptoms, quality of life and costs. 9 NHS trusts will take part in the study.
The trial has been developed in collaboration with a Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP) organised by the McPin Foundation.