title: Blood levels of mianserin and amitriptyline and clinical response in aged depressed patients.
abstract: Steady-state plasma levels of mianserin, amitriptyline, and nortriptyline were determined by HPLC in two groups of elderly depressed patients who underwent a 5-week treatment with mianserin (60 mg/day in three oral doses) or amitriptyline (75 mg/day in three oral doses). Both treatments proved to be effective in reducing depressive symptoms. In the mianserin group, responder patients had steady-state plasma concentrations of mianserin higher than nonresponders. No relationship was found between amitriptyline, nortriptyline, or amitriptyline+nortriptyline plasma levels and clinical response in amitriptyline treated patients.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, First Medical School, University of Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Monteleone
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fabrazzo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D000639:Amitriptyline / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008803:Mianserin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009661:Nortriptyline / Q000097:blood; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D016037:Single-Blind Method
chemical_list: D000639:Amitriptyline; D008803:Mianserin; D009661:Nortriptyline