Section - CAP Smart Takes

03. Vortioxetine for MDD in Adolescents

Published on October 1, 2022 Certification expiration date: October 1, 2028

David R. Rosenberg, M.D.

Chair of the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience - Wayne State University School of Medicine

Key Points

More pharmacologic options are needed for adolescents with MDD given that there are only 2 approved drugs: Fluoxetine and escitalopram.
According to these results, we cannot currently recommend vortioxetine for routine use in adolescents with MDD.

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Text version

Hi! This is David Rosenberg for the Psychopharmacology Institute. In this Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Smart Take, we will look at a recent 12-week, randomized, placebo-controlled, fluoxetine-referenced, fixed-dose study of 10 mg and 20 mg of vortioxetine in 616 adolescents with major depressive disorder. We know that the need for a new medication option for adolescents with major depressive disorder is critical. Currently, there are only 2 FDA-approved medications for major depressive disorder in youth—fluoxetine and escitalopram. However, studies have not been able to tease apart consistently these differences in other SSRIs and other antidepressants.

So, a considerable strength of this study is that it was specifically designed to mitigate the high placebo response rate that has plagued and confounded so many studies of major depressive disorder in youth. In this study, prior to randomization, they had a screening period, and then there was a 4-week, single-blind, lead-in period, and

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04. SSRIs and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Children and Adolescents

Learning Objectives:

After completing this activity, the learner will be able to:

Recognize key issues in determining suicide risk in depressed adolescents treated with antidepressants.
Evaluate the efficacy or lack thereof of deutetrabenazine in children and adolescents with Tourette syndrome.
Recognize the effectiveness or lack thereof of vortioxetine in adolescent major depressive disorder.
Assess whether SSRI treatment in children and adolescents is associated with increased risk for type 2 diabetes, and compare the intraclass risk among different SSRIs.
Recognize the potential role of oxytocin in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorder and oxytocin’s role in social approach, affiliation, and social memory.

Original Release Date: October 1, 2022

Review and Re-release Date: October 1, 2025

Expiration Date: October 1, 2028

Expert: David Rosenberg, M.D.

Medical Editor: Lorena Rodriguez, M.D.

Relevant Financial Disclosures:

None of the faculty, planners, and reviewers for this educational activity have relevant financial relationships to disclose during the last 24 months with ineligible companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.

Contact Information: For questions regarding the content or access to this activity, contact us at support@psychopharmacologyinstitute.com

Instructions for Participation and Credit:

Participants must complete the activity online during the valid credit period that is noted above.

Follow these steps to earn CME credit:

View the required educational content provided on this course page.
Complete the Post Activity Evaluation for providing the necessary feedback for continuing accreditation purposes and for the development of future activities. NOTE: Completing the Post Activity Evaluation after the quiz is required to receive the earned credit.
Download your certificate.

Accreditation Statement

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education through the joint providership of Medical Academy LLC and the Psychopharmacology Institute. Medical Academy is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Credit Designation Statement

Medical Academy designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.