Fluoxetine and hemostatic function: a pilot study.
BACKGROUND
Isolated case reports have appeared implicating fluoxetine as a cause of impaired hemostatic function. The authors attempted to investigate this phenomenon.


METHODS
The hemostatic function of 10 patients with DSM-III-R major depression was investigated before and after a trial of treatment with fluoxetine. The tests included international normalized ratio, partial thromboplastin time, factors II, V, VII, VIII:C, IX, X, XI, XII, fibrinogen, thrombin time, bleeding time, euglobulin lysis time, protein kinase C, antithrombin, platelet counts, D dimer, lupus inhibitor, and platelet sensitivity studies to the following agonists: adenosine diphosphate, epinephrine, collagen, and arachidonic acid. Hemostatic data on a patient with a drug-related bleeding episode are not available.


RESULTS
No significant difference was found in any of the parameters tested.


CONCLUSIONS
This study failed to demonstrate any compromised hemostatic function associated with fluoxetine therapy. However, the possibility of a type II statistical error exists. It is possible that bleeding events may occur as an idiosyncratic reaction to fluoxetine treatment.
Department of Psychiatry, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
M
M
Berk
B F
BF
Jacobson
E
E
Hurly
D000328:Adult; D001760:Bleeding Time; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000187:drug effects; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors / Q000032:analysis; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006487:Hemostasis / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015539:Platelet Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D013925:Thromboplastin / Q000032:analysis
D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors; D005473:Fluoxetine; D013925:Thromboplastin