title: Is there an association between selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and risk of abnormal bleeding? Results from a cohort study based on prescription event monitoring in England.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether an association between the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants and abnormal bleeding is demonstrated in a large population study.
  
  
  METHODS
  An observational cohort study using cohorts from the Drug Safety Research Unit's prescription event monitoring database was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis of combined haemorrhagic event rates calculated for the first 6 months of treatment for four SSRIs showed no significant difference between the rate for abnormal bleeding in the first month after starting treatment compared with months 2-6 [difference in rates 0.63 per 1000 patient months of treatment, 99% confidence interval (CI) -0.4, 1.67]. Comparison of the rates for the exposed combined SSRI cohort with the unexposed non-psychiatric drug cohort for the first month [relative risk (RR) 1.38, 95% CI 0.82, 2.34] and months 2-6 (RR 1.17, 95% CI 0.81, 1.68) showed no significant differences after adjustment for age and gender. However, there was a tendency towards highest risk with the combined SSRI cohort and lowest with the baseline cohort.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides weak evidence to support the hypothesis of a link between SSRIs and precipitation of bleeding events at a population level. The 95% CI is consistent with a possible risk of bleeding associated with SSRI users versus non-psychiatric drug users in the first month. Fuller consideration of confounding would be possible using follow-up of identified cases in a nested case-control study.
authors: Department of Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. deborah.layton@dsru.org
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Layton
authors: D W
authors: DW
authors: Clark
authors: G L
authors: GL
authors: Pearce
authors: S A
authors: SA
authors: Shakir
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors