Canadian specialists have reported two cases of secondary mitochondrial disruption following the use of sertaline (Zoloft®), a widely used anti-depressant:
- the two patients were aged 22 and 61 respectively, and were suspected of having myopathy linked to multiple acyl-coA dehydrogenase (MADD) deficiency,
- This was due to chronic fatigue and metabolic abnormalities (carnitine deficiency and disturbed acyl-carnitine profile),
- the oldest patient had also presented with an episode of swallowing problems, metabolic acidosis and moderate rhabdomyolysis,
- Muscle biopsy showed discrete lipidosis, but genetic testing was totally negative.
Discontinuation of sertaline treatment and subsequent normalisation of the biological parameters led the authors to conclude that these were secondary disturbances.
