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Adolescent mania is associated with poor prognosis (Journal Watch Psychiatry May 7 2007), and some anticonvulsants are not effective for treating bipolar disorder in teens (Journal Watch Psychiatry Jul 24 2006). To learn about the effectiveness of olanzapine, researchers in a double-blind, manufacturer-sponsored study at 24 sites randomized 161 teenagers (mean age, 15) with mixed or manic episodes to 3 weeks of olanzapine (mean dose, 8.9 mg/day) or placebo.
Mean duration of the current episode was 310 days for olanzapine recipients and 237 for placebo recipients (not a statistically significant difference). Seventy-nine percent of the olanzapine group completed the study, as did 65% of the placebo group, but significantly more placebo recipi…