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Kuzin M, Gardin F, Götschi M, Xepapadakos F, Kawohl W, Seifritz E, Trauzeddel A, Paulzen M, Schoretsanitis G. Changes in Psychotropic Drug Blood Levels After SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination: A Two-Center Cohort Study. Ther Drug Monit 2023; 45:792-796. [PMID: 37296505 DOI: 10.1097/ftd.0000000000001118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Limited evidence from case reports suggests that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination may interact with the treatment outcomes of psychiatric medications. Apart from clozapine, reports on the effect of COVID-19 vaccination on other psychotropic agents are scarce. This study aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19 vaccination on the plasma levels of different psychotropic drugs using therapeutic drug monitoring. METHODS Plasma levels of psychotropic agents, including agomelatine, amisulpride, amitriptyline, escitalopram, fluoxetine, lamotrigine, mirtazapine, olanzapine, quetiapine, sertraline, trazodone, and venlafaxine, from inpatients with a broad spectrum of psychiatric diseases receiving COVID-19 vaccinations were collected at 2 medical centers between 08/2021 and 02/2022 under steady-state conditions before and after vaccination. Postvaccination changes were estimated as a percentage of baseline. RESULTS Data from 16 patients who received COVID-19 vaccination were included. The largest changes in plasma levels were reported for quetiapine (+101.2%) and trazodone (-38.5%) in 1 and 3 patients, respectively, 1 day postvaccination compared with baseline levels. One week postvaccination, the plasma levels of fluoxetine (active moiety) and escitalopram increased by 31% and 24.9%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS This study provides the first evidence of major changes in the plasma levels of escitalopram, fluoxetine, trazodone, and quetiapine after COVID-19 vaccination. When planning COVID-19 vaccination for patients treated with these medications, clinicians should monitor rapid changes in bioavailability and consider short-term dose adjustments to ensure safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxim Kuzin
- Clienia Schloessli, Private Psychiatric Hospital and Academic Teaching Hospital of the University of Zurich, Oetwil am See, Zurich, Switzerland
- Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Neuropsychopharmakologie und Pharmakopsychiatrie (AGNP)-Work Group "Therapeutic Drug Monitoring", Nürnberg, Germany
- University of Nicosia Medical School, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Fabian Gardin
- Clienia Schloessli, Private Psychiatric Hospital and Academic Teaching Hospital of the University of Zurich, Oetwil am See, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Markus Götschi
- Clienia Schloessli, Private Psychiatric Hospital and Academic Teaching Hospital of the University of Zurich, Oetwil am See, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Franziskos Xepapadakos
- Clienia Schloessli, Private Psychiatric Hospital and Academic Teaching Hospital of the University of Zurich, Oetwil am See, Zurich, Switzerland
- University of Nicosia Medical School, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Wolfram Kawohl
- Clienia Schloessli, Private Psychiatric Hospital and Academic Teaching Hospital of the University of Zurich, Oetwil am See, Zurich, Switzerland
- University of Nicosia Medical School, Nicosia, Cyprus
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Hospital of Psychiatry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Erich Seifritz
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Hospital of Psychiatry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Michael Paulzen
- Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Neuropsychopharmakologie und Pharmakopsychiatrie (AGNP)-Work Group "Therapeutic Drug Monitoring", Nürnberg, Germany
- Alexianer Hospital Aachen, Aachen, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, and JARA-Translational Brain Medicine, Aachen, Germany
| | - Georgios Schoretsanitis
- Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Neuropsychopharmakologie und Pharmakopsychiatrie (AGNP)-Work Group "Therapeutic Drug Monitoring", Nürnberg, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Hospital of Psychiatry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Psychiatry, Northwell Health, The Zucker Hillside Hospital, New York, New York; and
- Department of Psychiatry, Zucker School of Medicine at Northwell/Hofstra, Hempstead, New York
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Abstract
Clozapine is the only antipsychotic with proven effectiveness in treatment-resistant schizophrenia. It is usually administered using commercially available oral tablets, but not all patients are willing or able to take medicines in this way. Orodispersible clozapine tablets are available from several manufacturers and may be useful where swallowing solid dosage forms is difficult, or as an aid to observe compliance. Liquid formulations of clozapine can be prepared extemporaneously or purchased commercially, but most preparations are suspensions (clozapine is poorly soluble) and patients may find them unpalatable. The administration of clozapine (suspension or crushed tablets) via enteral feeding tubes (predominantly nasogastric) has been reported both in medically unwell patients and in patients refusing clozapine. Enteral administration is likely to be superseded by intramuscular clozapine, which has recently been re-introduced and is being widely used in some countries. Successful use of this formulation in enforced treatment strategies has been described by several authors with good long-term outcomes when switched to oral treatment. Intramuscular clozapine has also been used in physically ill patients who are unable to take any form of enteral medication. Other methods of delivery (transdermal, nasal) are not yet commercially available, but offer promise of further treatment options for this group of seriously ill patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siobhan Gee
- Pharmacy Department, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
| | - David Taylor
- Pharmacy Department, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.,Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
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