title: Evidence for a linear relationship between plasma trazodone levels and clinical response in depression in the elderly.
abstract: To investigate a possible relationship between plasma levels of trazodone and its clinical antidepressant effects, 11 elderly depressed patients underwent a 5-week treatment with 150 mg/day trazodone in three oral administrations. Clinical antidepressant response was assessed with two different clinical improvement criteria and plasma trazodone concentrations were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. A significant correlation was found between steady-state plasma trazodone levels and its antidepressant efficacy, but not between plasma drug levels and the incidence of side effects. Moreover, the steady-state plasma trazodone concentration of 650 ng/ml was identified as threshold value for a greater occurrence of good antidepressant responses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Mental Health Service U.S.L. 41, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Monteleone
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gnocchi
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D014196:Trazodone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014196:Trazodone