Efficacy of pharmacotherapy against core traits of borderline personality disorder: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Abstract
We conducted a meta-analysis of published randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials that evaluated the effect of pharmacotherapy in patients with borderline personality disorder. Comprehensive searches of the MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychLIT and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were performed using web-based search engines. Twenty articles, reporting 22 placebo-controlled comparisons, were included in the meta-analysis: eight involved antipsychotics, seven antidepressants and seven mood stabilizers. Antidepressants (four studies, standardized mean difference -0.55, 95% confidence interval -0.92, -0.17) and mood stabilizers (six studies, standardized mean difference -1.74, 95% confidence interval -2.76, -0.73) were effective against affective instability and anger, but did not produce significant benefits against impulsivity and aggression, unstable relationships, suicidality and global functioning. Antipsychotics as a class had a positive effect in terms of impulsivity and aggression (three studies, standardized mean difference -0.31, 95% confidence interval -0.63, -0.003), interpersonal relationships (three studies, standardized mean difference -0.52, 95% confidence interval -0.87, -0.17) and global functioning (seven studies, standardized mean difference -0.56, 95% confidence interval -1.00, -0.11). No difference was observed between pharmacotherapy and placebo in terms of participants leaving the study early. Pharmacotherapy can exert a modest…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a meta-analysis, done in people. Its evidence level is 1 of 5 (Highest · pooled evidence). Pooled evidence from several studies sits at the top of the evidence pyramid.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Comparative effectiveness of GLP-1 receptor agonists on glycaemic control, body weight, and lipid profile for type 2 diabetes: systematic review and network meta-analysis
- Adverse effects of cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitors on renal and arrhythmia events: meta-analysis of randomized trials
- Benefits and harms of drug treatment for type 2 diabetes: systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
- Comparative effectiveness and safety of statins as a class and of specific statins for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease: A systematic review, meta‐analysis, and network meta‐analysis of randomized trials with 94,283 participants
- Screen time increases overweight and obesity risk among adolescents: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis
- Exposure to WHO AWaRe antibiotics and isolation of multi-drug resistant bacteria: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.