Citation

Valuck RJ, Libby AM, Anderson HD, Allen RR, Strombom I, Marangell LB, Perahia D. Br. J. Psychiatry 2015; 208(3): 271-279.

Affiliation

Robert J. Valuck, PhD, RPh, FNAP, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Aurora, Colorado, USA; Anne M. Libby, PhD, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA; Heather D. Anderson, PhD, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Aurora, Colorado, USA; Richard R. Allen, MS, Peak Statistical Services, Evergreen, Colorado, USA; Indiana Strombom, PhD, Genentech, San Francisco, California, USA; Lauren B. Marangell, MD, Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas, and Brain Health Consultants, Houston, Texas, USA; David Perahia, MBBS, BSc, MRCPsych, Eli Lilly and Company, Erl Wood, Windlesham, UK perahia_david_g@lilly.com.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Royal College of Psychiatry)

DOI

10.1192/bjp.bp.114.150839

PMID

26635328

Abstract

BackgroundPlacebo-controlled clinical trials have led to concern over possible increased risk of suicide-related events in some populations exposed to antidepressants.AimsTo evaluate the risk of suicide attempts by antidepressant drug class and the presence or absence of depression.

METHODA retrospective propensity-matched new-user cohort study was used to compare participants with incident depression classified by antidepressant treatment with each other and with the general population.

RESULTSAmong the treated group, the suicide attempt rate peaked in the month prior to diagnosis then decreased steadily over the next 6 months. Among the pharmacologically untreated group, the highest rate was seen in the second month after diagnosis. Cohorts with depression had significantly higher suicide attempt risk than the general population, but the treated group did not differ significantly from the untreated group.

CONCLUSIONSPatients on antidepressants did not have significantly higher risk compared with untreated patients. No significant differences were observed for patients treated with individual serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or by class (SSRI v. SNRI cohorts).

Language: en