Skip to content
DraconiticResearch
Search Sources API
181,716 studies31 sourcesUpdated 6 min ago
Peer-reviewedCC BY-NC 4.0Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience

Aripiprazole versus Bupropion Augmentation in Patients with Anxious Depression Resistant to Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors: A Randomized, Prospective, Open-label, Multicenter Study

  • So-Hye Jo1
  • Bon-Hoon Koo1
  • Kwang-Hun Lee2
  • Jong-hun Lee3
  • Seung-Jae Lee4
  • Young-Woo Park5
  • Hyung-Mo Sung6
  • Eun-Jin Cheon1
6 affiliations
  1. 1Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, Daegu, Korea
  2. 2Lee Gwang-hun Psychiatry Clinic, Gyeongju, Korea
  3. 3Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Daegu Catholic University, Daegu, Korea
  4. 4Department of Psychiatry, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea
  5. 5Park Young-woo Psychiatric Clinic, Daegu, Korea
  6. 6Department of Psychiatry, Soonchunhyang University Gumi Hospital, Gumi, Korea
Read full textPDFDOICite

Abstract

Objective: Research on which adjunctive therapies are more effective for treatment resistant anxious depression is lacking. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the efficacy and safety of bupropion versus aripiprazole as adjunctive therapies in patients with anxious depression who are resistant to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

Methods: A total of 48 patients with anxious depression, defined as a score ≥ 7 on the anxiety/somatization factor of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), were enrolled in this 6-week, randomized, prospective, open-label, multicenter trial. Participants, having shown at least moderate to severe depressive symptoms despite four weeks or more of SSRI monotherapy at maximum recommended or tolerated doses, were randomized to receive either aripiprazole or bupropion.

Results: Both treatment groups exhibited significant improvements in HAM-D and Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale scores from baseline to week 6 (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences between the groups in the changes observed for Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale scores (p = 0.370), HAM-D (p > 0.999), anxiety/somatization factor scores (p = 0.177), Inventory of Fatigue Scale (p = 0.600), Clinical Global Impression-Severity (p = 0.620), or the rates of remission (p = 0.130) and response (p = 0.452). Additionally, the Drug-Induced Extrapyramidal Symptoms Scale and Psychotropic-Related Sexual Dysfunction Questionnaire scores showed no significant differences.

Conclusion: Aripiprazole and bupropion are both effective and well-tolerated as augmentation strategies in SSRI-resistant anxious depression. While these findings provide clinical insights into individualized augmentation for anxious depression, they should be considered exploratory, necessitating larger-scale, definitive trials.

Related

  1. Real-World Evidence of First- or Second-Line Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Versus Chemotherapy in Advanced NSCLC: A Prospective Pragmatic Multicenter Korean Study
    Jinyong Kim, Sehhoon Park, Gyeong-Won Lee +16
    JTO clinical and research reportsPeer-reviewedCC BY-NC-NDFull textOncologyEurope PMC
  2. Real-World Evidence of First- or Second-Line Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Versus Chemotherapy in Advanced NSCLC: A Prospective Pragmatic Multicenter Korean Study
    Jinyong Kim, MD, PhD, Sehhoon Park, MD, PhD, Gyeong-Won Lee, MD, PhD +16
    JTO Clinical and Research ReportsPeer-reviewedCC BY-NC-NDFull textOncologyDOAJEurope PMCPMC
  3. Use of SGLT2 Inhibitors, GLP‐1 Receptor Agonists, and DPP‐4 Inhibitors in Incident Hyponatremia in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: Multicenter Target Trial Emulations
    Ying‐Hsuan Lin, Daniel Hsiang‐Te Tsai, Miyuki Hsing‐Chun Hsieh +5
    Clinical Pharmacology and TherapeuticsPeer-reviewedLicence not statedFull textEndocrinology & metabolismPMC
  4. Social isolation, self-perceived loneliness, and the 7-year trajectories of depression and cognitive decline: a prospective cohort study
    Yuting Shen, Yonghui Shen
    BMC Public HealthPeer-reviewedCC BY-NC-ND 4.0Epidemiology & public healthCrossref
  5. Perioperative Dynamics of Tumor Cells into the Circulatory System During Vertebral Cement Augmentation in Metastatic Spinal Disease—A Prospective Pilot Study
    Moritz C. Deml, Samuel F. Schaible, Carlo R. Largiadèr +3
    Journal of Clinical MedicinePeer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Surgery & anaesthesiaCrossref

Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{jo2026aripiprazole,
  title = {{Aripiprazole versus Bupropion Augmentation in Patients with Anxious Depression Resistant to Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors: A Randomized, Prospective, Open-label, Multicenter Study}},
  author = {So-Hye Jo and Bon-Hoon Koo and Kwang-Hun Lee and Jong-hun Lee and Seung-Jae Lee and Young-Woo Park and Hyung-Mo Sung and Eun-Jin Cheon},
  journal = {Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience},
  year = {2026},
  month = jul,
  doi = {10.9758/cpn.26.1422},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.9758/cpn.26.1422},
  note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Aripiprazole versus Bupropion Augmentation in Patients with Anxious Depression Resistant to Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors: A Randomized, Prospective, Open-label, Multicenter Study
AU  - So-Hye Jo
AU  - Bon-Hoon Koo
AU  - Kwang-Hun Lee
AU  - Jong-hun Lee
AU  - Seung-Jae Lee
AU  - Young-Woo Park
AU  - Hyung-Mo Sung
AU  - Eun-Jin Cheon
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/07/08
JO  - Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience
DO  - 10.9758/cpn.26.1422
UR  - https://doi.org/10.9758/cpn.26.1422
AB  - Objective: Research on which adjunctive therapies are more effective for treatment resistant anxious depression is lacking. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the efficacy and safety of bupropion versus aripiprazole as adjunctive therapies in patients with anxious depression who are resistant to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).  Methods: A total of 48 patients with anxious depression, defined as a score ≥ 7 on the anxiety/somatization factor of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), were enrolled in this 6-week, randomized, prospective, open-label, multicenter trial. Participants, having shown at least moderate to severe depressive symptoms despite four weeks or more of SSRI monotherapy at maximum recommended or tolerated doses, were randomized to receive either aripiprazole or bupropion.  Results: Both treatment groups exhibited significant improvements in HAM-D and Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale scores from baseline to week 6 (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences between the groups in the changes observed for Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale scores (p = 0.370), HAM-D (p > 0.999), anxiety/somatization factor scores (p = 0.177), Inventory of Fatigue Scale (p = 0.600), Clinical Global Impression-Severity (p = 0.620), or the rates of remission (p = 0.130) and response (p = 0.452). Additionally, the Drug-Induced Extrapyramidal Symptoms Scale and Psychotropic-Related Sexual Dysfunction Questionnaire scores showed no significant differences.  Conclusion: Aripiprazole and bupropion are both effective and well-tolerated as augmentation strategies in SSRI-resistant anxious depression. While these findings provide clinical insights into individualized augmentation for anxious depression, they should be considered exploratory, necessitating larger-scale, definitive trials.
SN  - 1738-1088
SN  - 2093-4327
ER  -