Concentration of Antidepressant Drugs in Children and Adolescents: a naturalistic clinical study

• Objective: The aims of this study were to evaluate the pharmacokinetics (PKs) of antidepressant agents, in terms of steady-state and trough values, in a heterogeneous cohort of patients and to describe the utilisation of antidepressant drugs (ATDs) in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in the south- east of Sweden. Method: Patients from Child and Adolescent Psychiatry centres in the counties of Östergötland, Jönköping and Kalmar (Sweden) to be prescribed an antidepressant drug, were studied between 2002 and 2004. The blood concentration of ATDs and, in some cases, also CYP2D6 were determined and relevant clinical information provided. Results: Two hundred and eleven children: 64 % girls and 36 % boys, between the ages of 8 and 20 were evaluated. The concentrations of drugs in the patient evaluated (PE) population were as expected from the dose administered in 63 % of this population, higher than expected in 26 % and lower than expected in 11 %. Dose-concentration relationships for sertraline (rs=0.48, p<0.001) and metabolite desmethylsertraline (rs=0.5, p<0.001) were seen. No relationship was found between dose and ratio desmethylsertraline-to-sertraline. CYP2D6*4 was the most common poor metabolizer (PM) allele. The primary indication for the antidepressant treatment was depression in 69 % of subjects. Suspected adverse drug reactions were spontaneously reported in 31 %. Monotherapy was indicated in 49 % of request forms. The most common drug combinations with the antidepressant drug were oral anticontraceptives and anxiolytics/sedatives/hypnotic drugs. Conclusion: the most prescribed antidepressant drug in children and adolescents in the present study was sertraline. The pharmacokinetic outcomes of serum concentration of sertraline, as well as daily doses administered were similar to the referenced data for adults. Antidepressant drug monotherapy was most common. No serious adverse side effects were spontaneously reported. TDM may provide support to the prescribing physicians to individual dose optimising and to assess drug compliance, above all when the antidepressant drugs are not well studied in pediatric patients before approval for general prescription. Further clinical trials, as well as naturalistic studies are necessary to ensure that children are not exposed to unnecessary risk and to determine the most appropriate dose in children of different ages.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Farmakologi och toxikologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Pharmacology and Toxicology (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Psykiatri (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Psychiatry (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

antidepressants

therapeutic drug monitoring

dosage

serum concentration

pediatrics

Clinical pharmacology

Klinisk farmakologi

Child and adolescent psychiatry

Barn- och ungdomspsykiatri

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

ovr (ämneskategori)