Age of onset for increased dose-adjusted serum concentrations of antidepressants and association with sex and genotype: An observational study of 34,777 individuals

• Published in: European journal of clinical pharmacology 2024-03, Vol.80 (3), p.435-444
• Main Authors: Tveit, Kristine, Hermann, Monica, Nilsen, Roy M., Wallerstedt, Susanna M., Rongve, Arvid, Molden, Espen, Hole, Kristine
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Antidepressant; Antidepressants; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Citalopram; CYP2D6 protein; Cytochrome P450; Genotype & phenotype; Genotypes; Läkemedelskemi; Medicinal Chemistry; Pharmacokinetic variability; Pharmacology/Toxicology; Sertraline; Therapeutic drug monitoring; Venlafaxine
• ISSN: 0031-6970; 1432-1041; 1432-1041
• DOI: 10.1007/s00228-023-03611-3

Purpose The aim of this study was to examine the age of onset for increased dose-adjusted serum concentrations (C/D ratio) of common antidepressant drugs and to explore the potential association with sex and CYP2C19/CYP2D6 genotype. Methods Serum concentrations and prescribed daily doses for citalopram, escitalopram, sertraline, venlafaxine and mirtazapine, and CYP genotypes, were obtained from a therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) service. Segmented linear regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between age and antidepressant log C/D ratio in (i) all individuals, (ii) men and women, and (iii) CYP2D6/CYP2C19 normal metabolizers (NMs) and CYP2D6/CYP2C19 intermediate or poor metabolizers (IMs/PMs). Results A total of 34,777 individuals were included in the study; CYP genotype was available for 21.3%. An increase in C/D ratio started at 44‒55 years of age. Thereafter, the increase progressed more rapidly for citalopram and escitalopram than for venlafaxine and mirtazapine. A doubled C/D ratio was estimated to occur at 79 (citalopram), 81 (escitalopram), 86 (venlafaxine), and 90 years (mirtazapine). For sertraline, only modest changes in C/D ratio were observed. For escitalopram and venlafaxine, the observed increase in C/D ratio started earlier in women than in men. The results regarding CYP genotype were inconclusive. Conclusion The age-related increase in C/D ratio starts in middle-aged adults and progresses up to more than twofold higher C/D ratio in the oldest old. Sertraline seems to be less prone to age-related changes in C/D ratio than the other antidepressants.