Serum sertraline and N-desmethylsertraline levels in breast-feeding mother-infant pairs.
OBJECTIVE
The authors' goal was to study the serum sertraline levels of breast-feeding mothers and their infants.


METHODS
They obtained serum levels of sertraline and N-desmethylsertraline in nine mother-infant pairs.


RESULTS
Sertraline levels were very low (less than 2 ng/ml) in seven of the nine infants and low (3 ng/ml) in one. N-Desmethylsertraline levels were also low (6 ng/ml or less) in seven of the nine infants. One infant had a high level of N-desmethylsertraline, and one infant had unusual serum sertraline and N-desmethylsertraline values (half of its mother's levels). All infants were thriving.


CONCLUSIONS
Most breast-feeding infants whose mothers were taking sertraline had very low serum levels of both sertraline and N-desmethylsertraline, consistent with published reports. The authors discuss in detail the one infant with unusually high levels.
Wisner
K L
KL
Division of Pediatric Pharmacology and Critical Care, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA. klw6@po.cwru.edu
Perel
J M
JM
Blumer
J
J
D015057:1-Naphthylamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001942:Breast Feeding; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000097:blood*; D007774:Lactation / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020280:Sertraline / Q000031:analogs & derivatives
D015057:1-Naphthylamine; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D020280:Sertraline; C065162:desmethylsertraline