J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci 1989; 1:176-180
Copyright © 1989 by American Neuropsychiatric Association
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RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL |
10-Hydroxynortriptyline and treatment effects in elderly depressed patients
RE McCue, A Georgotas, RF Suckow and TB Cooper
Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York 10016.
Sixty-four elderly depressed outpatients were treated with nortriptyline
for seven weeks. Plasma nortriptyline and its main metabolite,
10-hydroxynortriptyline, were measured weekly. No relationship was found
between levels of 10-hydroxynortriptyline and clinical response. Plasma
levels of the trans isomer, E-10- hydroxynortriptyline, were significantly
lower when dizziness and symptoms of orthostatic hypotension were reported,
although there was no significant correlation with actual orthostatic drop
in systolic pressure. Plasma level of 10-hydroxynortriptyline was not
significantly correlated with the other reported side effects.
