Acute antimanic efficacy and safety of intravenous valproate loading therapy: an open-label study.

This open-label study investigated whether acute antimanic effects and safety of intravenous valproate loading therapy is superior to oral valproate loading. Eighteen patients with DSM-IV diagnosis of either bipolar affective disorder or schizomania who met the study criteria were recruited (9 in the intravenous and 9 in the oral valproate group). Psychopathology was assessed with the scale for manic and mixed states on days 0 and 4. A checklist was used for the assessment of side effects. The results showed about 36% reduction in total mean manic scores with intravenous valproate loading; however, statistically, the degree of reduction in manic scores was comparable between the groups. A nonsignificant increase in the rate of adverse events was noted in the intravenous group. Despite its limitations, this study suggests that acute antimanic effects of both intravenous and oral valproate loading are comparable.