Corona G L, Cucchi M L, Frattini P, Santagostino G, Schinelli S, Comincioli V, Zerbi F, Fenoglio L, Savoldi F
Neuropsychobiology. 1986;16(2-3):97-102. doi: 10.1159/000118306.
Thirty-eight depressed female inpatients, treated intramuscularly with 100 mg/day amitriptyline (AMT), were monitored to investigate the relationships between plasma levels of the drug and its metabolite nortriptyline (NT), the urinary excretion of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG), side effects and clinical response. Considering the whole group, the clinical improvement was better within an intermediate range of AMT plus NT plasma concentrations (100-200 ng/ml). A more favorable outcome was also observed at NT plasma levels below 55 ng/ml. No significantly different percent clinical response among the patient clinical subgroups was observed as well as no significant correlations between MHPG decrease and drug plasma levels.
