Trazodone-Induced Mania in a Unipolar Depressed Patient with Stable Sertraline Treatment
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Journal name: Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment Article Designation: Case report Year: 2017 Volume: 13 Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment Dovepress Running head verso: Hu et al Running head recto: Trazodone-induced mania in a unipolar depressed patient open access to scientific and medical research DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/NDT.S143965 Open Access Full Text Article CASE REPORT Fan the flame: trazodone-induced mania in a unipolar depressed patient with stable sertraline treatment Jianbo Hu1,2,* Abstract: Depressed patients often complain of sleep disturbance. Routine antidepressive Jianbo Lai1,2,* strategies sometimes fail to deal with this intractable issue. Indeed, the supplementation of Hanzhi Zheng3 sleep promoting antidepressants (eg, trazodone, mirtazapine, and agomelatine) is prevalent Shaohua Hu1,2 in clinical practice. However, the combination of different antidepressants may increase the Yi Xu1,2 affective lability. Herein, we document a patient with unipolar depression who was compliant with sertraline treatment and who dramatically switched to mania after adding trazodone as a 1Department of Psychiatry, First sleeping aid. This case extended our understanding of the potential manic-switching risk when Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, trazodone is used to promote sleep. 2 China; The Key Laboratory of Keywords: trazodone, sertraline, depression, mania Mental Disorder’s Management in For personal use only. Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China; 3Department of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Introduction Medicine, Hangzhou, China Difficulty in initiating or maintaining sleep is not uncommon among patients with affective 1 *These authors contributed equally disorders. Comorbid insomnia is associated with severe psychiatric symptoms and sig- to this work nificantly impairs the quality of life.1,2 Nevertheless, typical antidepressants (eg, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors) can help to improve the mood, but sometimes fail to handle the sleep problem properly.1,3 As was shown in a recent large-scale survey, off-label use of trazodone for insomnia accounted for nearly a quarter of all off-label antidepressant use.4 However, the potential risk associated with off-label trazodone use received limited attention. Furthermore, due to weak evidence of the outcome and appropriateness, the use of trazodone for sleep onset and maintenance difficulties in adult patients was not recommended by the Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment downloaded from https://www.dovepress.com/ by 54.70.40.11 on 16-Dec-2018 recently updated guidelines of American Academy of Sleep Medicine.5 Correspondence: Shaohua Hu According to published data, common adverse events of trazodone are gastroin- Department of Psychiatry, the First testinal, cardiovascular, and neurologic effects.6 As an antidepressant approved by the Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Road, US Food and Drug Administration, the risk of trazodone inducing manic-switching Hangzhou 310003, China was relatively low in patients with bipolar disorder when coprescribed with mood Tel +86 571 5672 3002 7 Fax +86 571 5672 3001 stabilizers. To date, there are sparse cases of trazodone-induced mania reported, Email [email protected] mostly in patients with predisposing factors.7 Herein, we present a middle-aged male Yi Xu patient with unipolar depression who was in remission with compliance to sertraline Department of Psychiatry, the First treatment and switched to mania after adding trazodone to promote sleep. Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310003, China Case presentation Tel +86 138 0574 6579 A 36-year-old male patient was taken to our hospital by his family members because Fax +86 571 5672 3001 Email [email protected] of elevated mood and aggressive behaviors. His medical history was collected by submit your manuscript | www.dovepress.com Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment 2017:13 2251–2254 2251 Dovepress © 2017 Hu et al. This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution – Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/). By accessing the work you http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/NDT.S143965 hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms (https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php). Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org) 1 / 1 Hu et al Dovepress detailed inquiry. In his early adolescence, the patient expe- hormone, tumor and infectious biomarkers, were all within rienced his first episode of depression, which was ascribed the normal limits. Cranial magnetic resonance scanning to the bad relationship between his parents. Since then, he was also normal. The patient was diagnosed with bipolar I complained that his mood had swung frequently, with declined disorder, manic episode, according to the Diagnostic and interest in daily activities and loss of appetite. This patient Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition. Quetia- condemned himself as solitary, endocentric, and cowardly. pine was gradually titrated to 700 mg per night over 1 week He had been a Christian for approximately 10 years. After accompanied with 5 mg of haloperidol twice a day for 5 con- graduating from university, he worked as a physics teacher secutive days. His emotional state gradually stabilized after in a local high school. His job performance at school was about 2 weeks of hospitalization. After discharging from proficient. Not until this patient heard of health education hospital, the patient took quetiapine 700 mg every night and on mental illnesses did he first come to a local clinic for remained euthymic during outpatient follow-ups. psychiatric counseling (nearly 8 months prior to admission). On that occasion, he complained of feeling upset, irritable, Ethics and fatigued. He was diagnosed with generalized anxiety This case study obtained approval from the Institute Ethical disorder and was prescribed tandospirone and propranolol. Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University Nonetheless, these regimens were discontinued by the patient School of Medicine. The patient and his family members after 2 weeks because of the unsatisfactory outcome. He then signed informed consent to publish case details. visited our hospital and the psychiatrist revised the diagnosis to major depressive disorder. He was given sertraline at a dose Discussion of 100 mg/day. About 2 months after initiating sertraline treat- We present an interesting case in which a small dose of ment, this patient still felt depressed and was not interested in trazodone augmentation to sertraline treatment dramati- daily activities. The dose of sertraline was, therefore, increased cally induced mood-switching. Of note, trazodone was into 150 mg/day. From then on, our patient had felt at ease used as a hypnotic agent in our patient. Given its massive For personal use only. with sertraline treatment for nearly 4 months. His performance use in the general population, this case study is of practi- at work and interpersonal relationships also improved. cal importance when coprescribing trazodone with other About 1 week prior to admission, the patient revisited our antidepressants. hospital and complained of waking up early in the morning, As a serotonin receptor antagonist and serotonin reuptake however his emotional state was stable. Trazodone at a dose inhibitor (SARI), trazodone was classically used as an anti- of 25 mg/night was added to promote sleep. He felt extremely depressant agent. Nevertheless, off-label use of trazodone is excited after taking trazodone for the first time; he slept only commonly found in patients with various medical conditions, 2 hours that night, and became talkative and conceited. In the including anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, following 2 days, he continued to take trazodone, however on substance use disorder, eating disorder, sexual dysfunc- day 3 he discontinued trazodone due to abnormal behavior. tion, and certain pain conditions.6 Besides, trazodone is He preached Christianity during his class which was forbid- often used to cope with insomnia in clinical practice.4,8 Two Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment downloaded from https://www.dovepress.com/ by 54.70.40.11 on 16-Dec-2018 den according to the school disciplines. He even sent emails mechanisms may underlie the sleep-enhancing effects of to the White House to seek protection. Also, our patient trazodone, including the blockage of serotonergic 5-HT2A 9 professed that he was conferred superpowers by God. The receptors and histamine H1 receptors. It is noteworthy that day before admission, the patient felt that he was possessed off-label use of trazodone should be cautiously evaluated on by a supernatural spirit and was told to save the world before the basis of individual differences. the coming doomsday. He abused his superiors at a public To date, less than 20 cases of manic-switching associated occasion because of their insincerity. Consequently, he was with trazodone treatment have been documented.7 According sent