Start of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and increase of antiparkinsonian drug treatment in patients on levodopa.
OBJECTIVE
We determined whether the start of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) in levodopa users was followed by a faster increase of antiparkinsonian drug treatment.


METHODS
Selected were all levodopa users of 55 years and older from the PHARMO prescription database. The rate of increase of antiparkinsonian drug treatment was compared using Cox's proportional hazard model for starters of SSRI (n = 15) with starters of tricyclic antidepressants (TCA) (n = 31) and with patients not using antidepressants (n = 304), and was adjusted for age, gender, and duration of levodopa use.


RESULTS
The hazard ratio for the SSRI group compared with the TCA group was 4.2 (95% confidence interval 1.4, 12.6) and compared with the second control group was 2.7 (1.2, 5.2).


CONCLUSIONS
The start of SSRI therapy in levodopa users is followed by a faster increase of antiparkinsonian drug treatment.
Department of Pharmacoepidemiology and -Therapy, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands. D.A.M.C.vandeVijver@pharm.uu.nl
D A M C
DA
van de Vijver
R A C
RA
Roos
P A F
PA
Jansen
A J
AJ
Porsius
A
A
de Boer
D000368:Aged; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D007980:Levodopa; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors