The relationship of plasma clomipramine and N-desmethylclomipramine to response in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Abstract

The clinical significance of the effects of pharmacotherapy and the relationship between plasma tricyclic concentrations and outcome in 33 obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients who completed 10 weeks of treatment with clomipramine (239.4 +/- 57.0 mg/day) were analyzed. Results revealed that at the end of treatment, OCD symptoms had decreased to a subclinical level in 15 (47%) patients and that nearly 33 percent of the sample was virtually symptom free. However, 1 out of 4 patients failed to improve. Analysis of plasma levels (clomipramine 169.9 +/- 102.1 ng/ml; N-desmethylclomipramine 379.0 +/- 160.6 ng/ml) revealed that responders had significantly higher clomipramine levels and a trend toward lower desmethylclomipramine/clomipramine ratios. A significant degree of correlation was also obtained between plasma levels of clomipramine, but not N-desmethylclomipramine, and post-treatment outcome measures.

• Authors: M Mavissakalian, B Jones, S Olson, J M Perel
• Journal: Psychopharmacology bulletin (Psychopharmacol Bull) Vol. 26 Issue 1 Pg. 119-22 ( 1990) ISSN: 0048-5764 [Print] United States
• PMID: 2371366 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• desmethylclomipramine
• Clomipramine

Topics

• Adult
• Clomipramine (analogs & derivatives, blood, therapeutic use)
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (blood, drug therapy, psychology)