title: Effects of clonidine on blood pressure, noradrenaline, cortisol, growth hormone, and prolactin plasma levels in high and low intestinal tone depressed patients.
abstract: Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), norepinephrine (NE) plasma levels, cortisol (CRT), growth hormone (GH), and prolactin (PRL) plasma levels were investigated in 26 high intestinal tone (high-IT) and 24 low intestinal tone (low-IT) depressed patients, before and after the intramuscular injection of clonidine (2.5 micrograms/kg). A positive correlation was found between NE, DBP, and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HRS) values in low-IT depressed patients, while a negative correlation was found between HRS/IT and NE in high-IT depressed patients. Although clonidine induced significant reduction of SBP in both groups, the drug reduced DBP and NE in the low-IT group, only. CRT mean level was greater in the high-IT than in the low-IT depressed group. However, clonidine was unable to induce changes in CRT, GH, and PRL mean levels in any depressed group. Our results suggest that the clonidine-induced DBP reduction is a reliable index of sympathetic activity in depressed patients and that both parameters (DBP and IT) are useful physiological markers to differentiate two types of depressive syndromes.
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure; D003000:Clonidine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013577:Syndrome
chemical_list: D011388:Prolactin; D013006:Growth Hormone; D003000:Clonidine; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D009638:Norepinephrine