title: High-performance liquid chromatography method for analyzing citalopram and desmethylcitalopram from human serum.
abstract: This report describes a sensitive and specific method for analyzing a serotonin reuptake blocker, citalopram, and its active metabolite, desmethylcitalopram, in human serum. For high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis, samples and standards are prepared with ASPEC automatic sample preparator using 100 mg Bond-Elut C-18 solid-phase extraction columns. The method is an isocratic HPLC method with a mobile phase of acetonitrile:methanol:50 mM dipotassium hydrogenphosphate, pH 4.7 (40:100). Detection is performed with diode array detector at 220 nm and the peak purity analyses at 210 to 365 nm. The intraassay coefficient of variation ranges from 3.7% to 7.3%, and the interassay coefficient of variation ranges from 6.9% to 9.9% at therapeutic drug concentrations. The detection limit is 15 nmol/l. The method is suitable for therapeutic drug monitoring in a clinical laboratory. A clear correlation, r = 0.72 (y = 0.36x + 17.94), between citalopram and its metabolite levels is observed in routine therapeutic drug monitoring service. A linear correlation between serum concentration and daily dose of citalopram in patient groups is also observed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry, Kuopio University Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: K K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Akerman
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jolkkonen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huttunen
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Penttilä
mesh_terms: D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D015283:Citalopram / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood*; D016903:Drug Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015283:Citalopram; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; C046304:desmethylcitalopram