Plasma fluvoxamine levels and OCD symptoms/response in adult patients.
OBJECTIVE
In this study, we explored the possible relationships between plasma fluvoxamine levels and clinical features and/or response in adult obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients treated with this drug for 6 months.


METHODS
Twenty OCD outpatients of both sexes who were already taking fluvoxamine (mean dose ± SD: 216.7 ± 86.2) for at least 4 weeks were included in the study. The severity of OCD was assessed by means of the Yale-Brown obsessive-compulsive scale (Y-BOCS). The fluvoxamine plasma levels were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. All evaluations were performed after 4 weeks (t1) and 6 months (t2) of fluvoxamine intake.


RESULTS
The plasma levels of fluvoxamine remained stable at the two assessment times, with no sex-related differences. Sixteen (80%) patients responded to treatment as shown by the significant (>35%) decrease of the Y-BOCS total score. Men's compulsions improved more than those of women. Significant and positive correlations were detected between fluvoxamine plasma levels at t1 and t2 and the difference (delta) of the Y-BOCS total and compulsion subscale scores between t1 and t2. Another significant, albeit negative, correlation was measured between the difference of the compulsion subscale score and the difference of fluvoxamine levels at t1 and t2.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings underline the potential importance of evaluating fluvoxamine plasma levels in OCD and their relationships with the clinical response that may be gender-related on specific symptoms.
Dipartimento di Psichiatria, Neurobiologia, Farmacologia e Biotecnologie, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy. dmarazzi@psico.med.unipi.it
Donatella
D
Marazziti
Stefano
S
Baroni
Gino
G
Giannaccini
Armando
A
Piccinni
Michela
M
Picchetti
Gabriele
G
Massimetti
Elisa
E
Schiavi
Lionella
L
Palego
Mario
M
Catena-Dell'Osso
D000328:Adult; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D016666:Fluvoxamine / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010045:Outpatients; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D016666:Fluvoxamine; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors