title: Response to maprotiline treatment in depressive patients relationship to urinary MHPG excretion and plasma drug level.
abstract: In 20 patients with primary depression the urinary excretion of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) was determined prior to a 4-week treatment with maprotiline 125 mg/day. Reliable data were available from 16 patients and averaged 1.35 mg/24 h. There was a trend towards a negative relationship between MHPG excretion and clinical improvement as reflected by the percent reduction in Hamilton scale scores. Responders, defined as those patients with a final score of less than or equal to 6, excreted less MHPG than partial or non-responders. Plasma maprotiline levels exhibited a significant increase between treatment days 14 and 28. They did not show a significant relationship to the reduction of total Hamilton scale scores. However, final scores of symptoms pertaining to depressive retardation were significantly higher in patients with low (less than 75 ng/ml) or high (greater than 150 ng/ml) plasma levels than in those with levels in an intermediate range.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000873:Anthracenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006018:Glycols / Q000652:urine*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008376:Maprotiline / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000652:urine*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000873:Anthracenes; D006018:Glycols; D008376:Maprotiline; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol