title: Plasma levels of metabolites of catecholamine in nicotine-dependent patients treated with varenicline.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Our hypothesis is that varenicline decreases the plasma levels of catecholamine metabolites; such a decrease is associated with the main mechanisms of smoking cessation and leads to a depressive state. To confirm the hypothesis, we investigated the association of plasma homovanillic acid (HVA) and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) levels in patients with nicotine dependence in comparison with nonsmokers.
  
  
  METHODS
  To confirm the hypothesis, we investigated the association of plasma HVA and MHPG levels in patients with nicotine dependence in comparison with nonsmokers. In addition, we also examined the plasma HVA and MHPG levels before (T0) and 8 weeks after the varenicline treatment (T8).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventeen of 20 smokers (85.0%) stopped smoking during the 12 weeks of treatment. Plasma HVA levels and MHPG levels in the patients at T0 (HVA 5.1 ± 2.1 ng/ml, MHPG 2.2 ± 0.6 ng/ml) were significantly higher than those of the control group (HVA 3.0 ± 1.0 ng/ml, MHPG 1.6 ± 1.4 ng/ml; HVA p = .0012, MHPG p = .0069). In this study, the plasma HVA and MHPG levels were not changed after treatment with varenicline, although the smokers had already quit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that varenicline sustains higher catecholamine levels. The findings that the treatment with varenicline did not decrease the plasma levels of catecholamine metabolites can explain why none of the smokers had become depressed after the varenicline treatment.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1.1. Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 8078555, Japan. wakako-u@med.uoeh-u.ac.jp
authors: Wakako
authors: W
authors: Umene-Nakano
authors: Reiji
authors: R
authors: Yoshimura
authors: Chiharu
authors: C
authors: Yoshii
authors: Kenji
authors: K
authors: Hayashi
authors: Atsuko
authors: A
authors: Ikenouchi-Sugita
authors: Asuka
authors: A
authors: Katsuki
authors: Hikaru
authors: H
authors: Hori
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Nakamura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001552:Benzazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000097:blood*; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011810:Quinoxalines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D000068580:Varenicline
chemical_list: D001552:Benzazepines; D002395:Catecholamines; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D011810:Quinoxalines; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol; D000068580:Varenicline; D006719:Homovanillic Acid