title: Katayama et Al.: therapeutic window of lamotrigine for mood disorders: a naturalistic retrospective study. Pharmacopsychiatry 2014; 47: 111-114.
abstract: Katayama and colleagues proposed in their article a therapeutic window for lamotrigine in affective disorders between 5 and 11 μg/mL. Despite potential differences in lamotrigine metabolism, the results of their retrospective study in a Japanese population match nicely with what we have previously reported in a Caucasian population with rapid cycling bipolar disorder. It is suggested that not only in epilepsy, but also in mood-disordered patients clinicians should rather consider lamotrigine plasma levels than dosage when in doubt about the efficacy of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Grunze
authors.affiliation: DRV Westfalen, Wissenschaftspark, Gelsenkirchen, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Walden
mesh_terms: D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014227:Triazines / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D014227:Triazines