Prescribing patterns in patients using new antidepressants.
OBJECTIVE
To study possible selective prescribing ('channelling') we compared characteristics of patients using the SSRI sertraline with patients using longer available SSRIs.


METHODS
An observational cohort study in 1251 patients being prescribed an SSRI.


RESULTS
In contrast to other studies, we found no evidence for channeling of sertraline. Sertraline was mainly prescribed for the labelled indication (depressive disorder), while older SSRIs were more often prescribed also for other indications. Time on the market was inversely associated to the proportion of patients treated for depressive disorder.


CONCLUSIONS
We found no evidence for channeling of sertraline compared with prescribing patterns of older SSRIs.
Department of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacotherapy, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht, The Netherlands.
W E
WE
Meijer
E R
ER
Heerdink
L P
LP
Pepplinkhuizen
J T
JT
van Eijk
H G
HG
Leufkens
D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017891:Pharmacoepidemiology; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D020280:Sertraline / Q000008:administration & dosage
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D020280:Sertraline