Fevzi Tuna OCAKOĞLU, Yiğit ÖZAYDIN, Merve MERGEN, İpek AKSAKAL, Eyüp Sabri ERCAN
Psychiatry and Clinical Psychopharmacology - 2026;36(4):329-337
Background: This study aimed to describe short-term clinical outcomes and tolerability associated with lurasidone-containing treatment regimens in adolescents hospitalized for bipolar depression. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 28 adolescents aged 10-17 years who received lurasidone during admission to a university child and adolescent psychiatry unit between May 2024 and June 2025. All patients received at least one concurrent psychotropic treatment. Admission and discharge outcomes were assessed with the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Clinical Global Impressions-Severity (CGI-S); CGI-Improvement (CGI-I), adverse events, and weight change were also recorded. Results: Mean length of hospital stay was 22.7 days. Among patients with complete paired data, HDRS scores decreased from 23.0 to 5.7 (n = 25), BDI scores from 27.7 to 7.6 (n = 25), and CGI-S scores from 5.9 to 2.1 (n = 28). At discharge, CGI-I was 1 (very much improved) in 3 patients and 2 (much improved) in 25 patients. No manic or hypomanic switch was documented. Mean weight change was +0.85 kg. The most frequent adverse events were nausea, headache, and akathisia; one patient required temporary treatment interruption for an acute oculogyric crisis, but no patient permanently discontinued lurasidone because of an adverse event. Conclusion: Clinical improvement was observed during hospitalization after lurasidone was introduced as part of multimodal treatment. Because the study was retrospective, uncontrolled, and universally involved polypharmacy, the independent contribution of lurasidone cannot be determined. Prospective controlled studies are needed.
