title: Platelet counts in depressed patients treated with amitriptyline or paroxetine.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess whether therapy with two widely used antidepressants influences platelet counts.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 90 patients hospitalized for treatment of a major depressive episode according to DSM-IV, platelet counts were performed after a 6 d antidepressant-free run-in period and again after 35 d of active standardized treatment with amitriptyline (n = 40) or paroxetine (n = 50).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a trend for platelet counts to increase during treatment with amitriptyline (from 245.5 +/- 68.6 to 256.8 +/- 69 cells x 10(9) L(-1), P < 0.06); no change was observed during treatment with paroxetine (from 232.6 +/- 58.3 to 234.6 +/- 68.9 cells x 10(9) L(-1), n.s).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment with amitriptyline tends to be associated with elevated platelet counts. The cause for this increase is not known, but may be relevant in terms of patients' long-term thromboembolic risk.
authors.affiliation: Central Institute of Mental Health, J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany. lederbog@as200.zi-mannheim.de
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lederbogen
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hörer
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hellweg
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Heuser
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Deuschle
mesh_terms: D000639:Amitriptyline / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017374:Paroxetine / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010976:Platelet Count; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000639:Amitriptyline; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D017374:Paroxetine; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors