Lamotrigine treatment of aggression in female borderline patients, Part II: an 18-month follow-up

J Psychopharmacol. 2008 Sep;22(7):805-8. doi: 10.1177/0269881107084004. Epub 2008 Feb 28.

Abstract

Borderline patients often display pathological aggression. We previously tested lamotrigine, an anti-convulsant, in therapy for aggression in women with borderline personality disorder (BPD) (J Psychopharmacol 2005; 19: 287-291), and found significant changes on most scales of the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI) after eight weeks. To assess the longer-term efficacy of lamotrigine in therapy for aggression in women with BPD, this 18-month follow-up observation was carried out, in which patients (treated with lamotrigine: n = 18; former placebo group: n = 9) were tested every six months. According to the intent-to-treat principle, significant changes on all scales of the STAXI were observed in the lamotrigine-treated subjects. All subjects tolerated lamotrigine relatively well. Lamotrigine appears to be an effective and relatively safe agent in the longer-term treatment of aggression in women with BPD.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aggression / drug effects*
  • Antimanic Agents / adverse effects
  • Antimanic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Borderline Personality Disorder / drug therapy*
  • Borderline Personality Disorder / psychology
  • Data Interpretation, Statistical
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Lamotrigine
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Triazines / adverse effects
  • Triazines / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Antimanic Agents
  • Triazines
  • Lamotrigine