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Pharmacopsychiatry 2014; 47(07): 268-269
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1390413
Letter
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Katayama et al.: Therapeutic Window of Lamotrigine for Mood Disorders: A Naturalistic Retrospective Study. Pharmacopsychiatry 2014; 47: 111–114

H. Grunze
1   Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
,
J. Walden
2   DRV Westfalen, Wissenschaftspark, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
06 October 2014 (online)

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Abstract

Katayama and colleagues proposed in their article a therapeutic window for lamotrigine in affective disorders between 5 and 11 μg/mL. Despite potential differences in lamotrigine metabolism, the results of their retrospective study in a Japanese population match nicely with what we have previously reported in a Caucasian population with rapid cycling bipolar disorder. It is suggested that not only in epilepsy, but also in mood-disordered patients clinicians should rather consider lamotrigine plasma levels than dosage when in doubt about the efficacy of treatment.

Key words

bipolar disorder · depression treatment · lamotrigine (lamictal) · therapeutic drug monitoring
 

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