Overview
Recurrent major depression is characterized by repeated episodes of major depressive disorder. Maintaining remission and preventing relapse are key goals of treatment.Management
Adjunctive N-acetylcysteine (NAC) may ameliorate depressive symptoms 1.
* Doses ranged from 1000 to 3000 mg daily 1.
* Treatment duration ranged from 8 to 24 weeks 1.
* A significant difference was noted between NAC and placebo in terms of depression score change 1.
* However, large-scale clinical trials are needed to substantiate these results due to wide confidence intervals 1.Key Recommendations
Adjunctive N-acetylcysteine (NAC) may be considered to ameliorate depressive symptoms in patients with psychiatric problems, particularly bipolar disorder 1. (Evidence: Moderate)
Further large-scale clinical trials are needed to confirm the efficacy of NAC due to wide confidence intervals 1. (Evidence: Moderate)References
1 Peng TR, Lin HH, Tseng TL, Huang YH, Tsai PY, Lin CY et al.. Efficacy of N-acetylcysteine for patients with depression: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis. General hospital psychiatry 2024. link