Hepatopatía inflamatoria asintomática asociada a uso de mirtazapina: reporte de caso / Asymptomatic inflammatory liver disease associated with mirtazapine use: case report

Resumen La mirtazapina es un antidepresivo atípico con características complejas, que incluye actividad agonista/antagonista en una amplia variedad de receptores que produce efectos terapéuticos en la ansiedad, depresión y el sueño. Sin embargo, se han reportado casos de lesión hepática inducida por antidepresivos con ausencia de sintomatología, bajo la forma de variantes hepatocelular, colestásica y mixta. Este es el caso de una paciente que de carácter incidental presenta cambios en la analítica hepática tras el uso de mirtazapina a partir del cual se hace una breve revisión de la evidencia encontrada hasta el momento.

Mirtazapine is an atypical antidepressant with complex characteristics, including agonist/antagonist activity at a wide variety of receptors that produces therapeutic effects on anxiety, depression and sleep disorder. However, cases of antidepressant-induced liver injury with no symptoms have been reported, in the form of hepatocellular, cholestatic, and mixed variants. This is the case of a patient who incidentally presents changes in liver analysis after the use of mirtazapine, from which a brief review of the evidence found so far is made.

Chronic dosing with mirtazapine does not produce sedation in rats

Objective: Sedation/somnolence are major side effects of pharmacotherapies for depression, and negatively affect long-term treatment compliance in depressed patients. Use of mirtazapine (MIR), an atypical antidepressant approved for the treatment of moderate to severe depression with comorbid anxiety disorders, is associated with significant sedation/somnolence, especially in short-term therapy. Nonetheless, studies with human subjects suggest that MIR-induced sedation is transient, especially when high and repeated doses are used. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of acute and chronic administration of different doses of MIR on sedation in the rat. Methods: Assessment of sedation was carried out behaviorally using the rotarod, spontaneous locomotor activity, and fixed-bar tests. Results: A 15-mg/kg dose of MIR induced sedative effects for up to 60 minutes, whereas 30 mg/kg or more produced sedation within minutes and only in the first few days of administration. Conclusion: These results suggest that 30 mg/kg is a safe, well-tolerated dose of MIR which generates only temporary sedative effects.