title: Imipramine metabolism in recurrent depressive episodes.
abstract: The long-term maintenance of major affective disorders with tricyclic antidepressants is of obvious interest. However, discrete predictors identifying subgroups 'at-risk' for higher recurrence rates have infrequently been cited. The clinical course of 32 major recurrent depressive patients was monitored over 2 years. Analysis of the total tricyclic concentration and the parent: desmethylated ratio revealed that those subjects in a depressive recurrence previously had had a lower imipramine: desipramine ratio (despite matched dosing and nonsignificant total plasma concentrations) than nonrecurrents. Several hypotheses are discussed.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tollefson
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Valentine
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garvey
authors.forename: V B
authors.initials: VB
authors.lastname: Tuason
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D003891:Desipramine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007099:Imipramine / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: D007099:Imipramine; D003891:Desipramine