Efficacy of amisulpride for depressive symptoms in individuals with mental disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Depressive symptoms occur in several psychiatric disorders, often in the absence of a formal diagnosis of depression. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and the tolerability of amisulpride, both alone and as augmentation therapy, in the treatment of depressive symptoms in individuals with any major psychiatric disorder. Methods We searched PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, GreyLit, OpenGrey and ProQuest up to March 2020 for randomised controlled trials focussing on the treatment of an acute depressive episode in any major psychiatric disorder. A random-effect meta-analysis was performed to synthesize the findings on depressive symptoms (primary outcome), response rate and tolerability. Results We retrieved 11 studies including 2065 patients with a diagnosis of dysthymia (eight studies), major depression (one study) or schizophrenia (two studies). Amisulpride 50 mg/day was associated with a larger reduction of depressive symptoms compared to placebo (standardised mean difference [SMD] = -0.70, CI 95% -0.92, -0.49; I-2 = 0.0%), and was found to be comparable to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs; SMD = -0.08, CI 95% -0.23, 0.06, I-2 = 0.0%), amineptine, imipramine and amitriptyline in the treatment of dysthymia (three studies, not pooled). In individuals with schizophrenia, amisulpride administered at higher doses (>400 mg/day) was comparable to olanzapine and risperidone (two studies, not pooled). In terms of tolerability, amisulpride was superior to placebo for dysthymia (odds ratio [OR] = 3.94, CI 95% 1.07, 14.48; I-2 = 0.0) and comparable with SSRIs (OR = 0.94, CI 95% 0.55, 1.62; I-2 = 0.0%). Conclusion Treatment with amisulpride could be a valid choice for selected individuals with dysthymia or depressive symptoms in the context of schizophrenia. More studies on the efficacy and tolerability of amisulpride are needed to draw firm conclusions on its potential benefits in other psychiatric disorders.

Automated summary

The study found that amisulpride at a dosage of 50 mg/day was effective in reducing depressive symptoms compared to placebo and comparable to SSRIs for individuals with dysthymia. In patients with schizophrenia, higher doses of amisulpride (>400 mg/day) were comparable to olanzapine and risperidone. Amisulpride showed superior tolerability to placebo in dysthymia and was comparable to SSRIs. Further studies are needed to fully understand the efficacy and tolerability of amisulpride in other psychiatric disorders.