@article{ref1,
title="A national retrospective study of antidepressants' effects on overdose and self-harm among adults treated with opioid analgesics",
journal="Psychiatric services",
year="2022",
author="Sherry, Tisamarie B. and Nguyen, Thuy and Dick, Andrew W. and Bradford, Ashley C. and Simon, Kosali and Stein, Bradley D.",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: Because individuals with a history of depression who are receiving opioids are at higher risk for adverse events, the authors examined whether antidepressant treatment reduces risk for overdose and self-harm among individuals with a history of depression who receive opioids. <br><br>METHODS: Commercial insurance claims of individuals with a history of depression receiving opioids from 2007 to 2017 were used to quantify the association between antidepressant fills and adverse events among individuals after initiation of opioid treatment; the authors accounted for selection into treatment and used discrete-time, proportional hazards survival models. <br><br>RESULTS: Among 283,374 adults with a history of depression treatment, 8,203 experienced 47,486 adverse events from 2007 to 2017 in the 12 months after initiation of opioid treatment. Approximately half (N=144,052, 50.8%) filled an antidepressant prescription at least once in the 12 months after the opioid episode began. Individuals receiving antidepressants for at least 6 weeks had a reduced risk for any adverse event (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=0.79, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.65-0.97) as well as a reduced risk for opioid overdoses (AOR=0.78, 95% CI=0.64-0.96), overdoses from nonopioid controlled substances (AOR=0.76, 95% CI=0.62-0.94), overdoses from other substances (AOR=0.79, 95% CI=0.65-0.97), and other self-harm events (AOR=0.82, 95% CI=0.67-1.00). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with a history of depression who received opioid analgesics had a significantly lower risk for overdose and self-harm after they had been taking antidepressants for at least 6 weeks. Universal screening for mood disorders among individuals receiving opioids, and promptly providing evidence-based depression treatment when appropriate, may reduce adverse events.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1075-2730",
doi="10.1176/appi.ps.20220070",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.20220070"
}