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Pharmacopsychiatry 2012; 45(03): 119-121
DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1297975
Original Paper
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Lack of Interaction between Sertraline and Lamotrigine in Psychiatric Patients: A Retrospective Study

J. Christensen
1   Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
2   Department of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark
,
A. P. Sandgaard
2   Department of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark
,
P. Sidenius
1   Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
,
K. Linnet
3   Section of Forensic Chemistry, Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
,
R. W. Licht
4   Mood Disorders Research Unit, Aarhus University Psychiatric Hospital, Risskov, Denmark
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 21 September 2011
revised 16 November 2011

accepted 17 November 2011

Publication Date:
16 March 2012 (online)

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Abstract

Introduction:

This study evaluates the pharmacokinetic interaction between sertraline and lamotrigine in psychiatric patients.

Methods:

We identified patients with at least 1 measurement of trough lamotrigine plasma concentration (at steady-state) during lamotrigine therapy and compared dose and plasma concentrations between patients who received lamotrigine with sertraline and patients who received lamotrigine without sertraline.

Results:

The dose corrected concentration of lamotrigine in patients receiving lamotrigine in combination with sertraline was 60.4 μmol/L×1 000/mg/day (SD: 31.1) (N=7) compared to 51.1 μmol/L×1 000/mg/day (SD: 27.6) (N=44) in patients using lamotrigine without sertraline (p=0.42).

Discussion:

The slightly slower metabolism of lamotrigine in patients receiving lamotrigine with sertraline compared with those receiving lamotrigine alone is not believed to be of clinical significance. However, due to the limited power, we may have overlooked a difference that could be clinically relevant.

Key words

antidepressants - selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) - lamotrigine (lamictal) - pharmacokinetics - drug interactions
 

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