title: Plasma concentration and clinical effect in imipramine treatment of childhood enuresis.
abstract: The relationship between steady-state plasma concentraton and clinical effect of imipramine in the treatment of nocturnal enuresis was studied in 22 hospitalised children. After 1 week on placebo the children were given imipramine in a fixed dose of about 1 mg/kg for 3 weeks. The enuresis frequency decreased significantly from the placebo to the first week on imipramine, but then no further improvement was observed. There was a significant correlation between steady-state plasma concentration of desipramine or imipramine + desipramine and the reduction  in enuresis frequency during imipramine treatment. The optimum effect was obtained when steady-state levels of imipramine + desipramine were above 60 microgram/L; i.e. the effective concentration in enuresis is 3 to 4 times lower than in antidepressive therapy. Dose- and weight-corrected, steady-state plasma concentration of imipramine and desipramine were not significantly different from those previously observed in younger adults. In 1 child, a transient rise in imipramine and desipramine concentration was seen during a period with fever and bacterial infection.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003891:Desipramine / Q000097:blood; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004775:Enuresis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007099:Imipramine / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D010919:Placebos
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos; D007099:Imipramine; D003891:Desipramine