Desipramine plasma concentration and therapeutic response in elderly depressives: a naturalistic pilot study

This naturalistic pilot study of desipramine hydrochloride treatment in elderly DSM III diagnosed depressives demonstrated that therapeutic response was related to desipramine plasma levels and that a desipramine plasma concentration of 200 nmol/l significantly differentiated responders from non-responders. Plasma concentrations of 2-Hydroxydesipramine were not related to therapeutic response. This finding suggests that monitoring of desipramine plasma levels has utility in certain clinical situations. Further fixed dosage studies are necessary to confirm these initial results.