Tricyclic wash-out and growth hormone response to clonidine.
We have observed a significantly higher growth hormone (GH) response to clonidine administration (150 micrograms i.v.) in 14 patients with a major depressive disorder who had never received antidepressant therapy than in 14 matched depressive patients who had not received tricyclic drugs for at least 15 days. Compared with a control group of eight subjects, untreated depressed patients, as a group, had a normal response, while matched patients had markedly blunted response. Results for the group of untreated depressed patients showed that some patients had a blunted response while others had a response in the normal range. The results suggest that studies on the GH response to clonidine in psychiatric patients need to take into account the confounding and long-lasting effects of tricyclics.
Schittecatte
M
M
Department of Psychiatry, Vincent Van Gogh Hospital, Marchienne-Au-Pont, Belgium.
Charles
G
G
Machowski
R
R
Wilmotte
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D003000:Clonidine; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate
D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D013006:Growth Hormone; D003000:Clonidine