Table 1.

Demographic and clinical characteristics of subjects with treatment-resistant bipolar depression maintained on therapeutic dose lithium (n = 23) and valproate (n = 13).

	Lithium (n = 23)	Valproate (n = 13)	p value
	Mean (SD)	Mean (SD)
Age, years	45.04 (12.22)	49.62 (8.42)	0.24
Length of illness, years	26.96 (11.45)	32.00 (8.41)	0.17
Length of current depressive episode, months	17.71 (23.05)	16.00 (14.94)	0.81
Total lifetime antidepressant trials	9.36 (4.90)	10.67 (2.08)	0.67
Clinical ratings (at baseline)
HAM-D	21.36 (4.18)	21.00 (3.16)	0.80
CADSS	2.50 (4.81)	2.33 (3.89)	0.92
HAM-A	21.00 (4.21)	21.91 (3.75)	0.55
	n (%)	n (%)
Bipolar I disorder	14 (60.9%)	7 (53.8%)	0.74
Education			0.18
Prehigh school	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)
High school	4 (17.4%)	0 (0.0%)
Some college	11 (47.8%)	4 (30.8%)
College	4 (17.4%)	4 (30.8%)
Graduate/professional	4 (17.4%)	5 (38.5%)
Sex, female	15 (65.2%)	6 (46.2%)	0.31
Lifetime diagnosis
Anxiety disorder	14 (60.9%)	5 (38.5%)	0.30
Alcohol use disorder	12 (52.2%)	7 (53.8%)	1.00
Substance use disorder (nonnicotine)	9 (39.1%)	8 (61.5%)	0.30
Family history
Alcohol use disorder, 1st-degree relative	6 (26.1%)	7 (53.8%)	0.15
Alcohol use disorder, 2nd-degree relative	15 (65.2%)	5 (38.5%)	0.17
Mood disorder	20 (87.0%)	12 (92.3%)	1.00
Anxiety disorder	7 (30.4%)	2 (15.4%)	0.12
Suicide attempt	6 (26.1%)	4 (30.8%)	0.76
Lifetime history
Suicide attempt	10 (43.5%)	8 (61.5%)	0.18
Abuse
Physical	3 (13.0%)	3 (23.1%)	0.58
Sexual	6 (26.1%)	5 (38.5%)	0.46

HAM-D: Hamilton Depression Rating Scale; CADSS: Clinician-Administered Dissociative States Scale; HAM-A: Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety.