title: Antidepressant medications and change in mammographic density in postmenopausal women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several studies suggest antidepressant medications can increase prolactin levels. Some, but not all, studies suggest prolactin levels are positively associated with mammographic breast density, an established risk factor for breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated 29,284 women with two routine screening mammograms 9 to 28 months apart between 1996 to 2006 to examine whether antidepressant use was associated with changes in mammographic breast density. Mammographic breast density was assigned by radiologists and coded according the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System classification. Exposure to antidepressants was ascertained based on electronic pharmacy dispensing data, including dispensings from claims data. We used polytomous logistic regression to estimate the odds of an increase or decrease in density categories between mammograms associated with antidepressant initiation, continuation, and discontinuation compared with nonusers of any antidepressants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Initiation, continuation, and discontinuation of antidepressant medications were not associated with changes in mammographic density.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The lack of association between antidepressant use and breast density is consistent with recent studies that do not suggest an association between antidepressant use and breast cancer risk.
authors.affiliation: Group Health Center for Health Studies, Seattle, WA 98101-1448, USA. chubak.j@ghc.org
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chubak
authors.forename: Erin J A
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Bowles
authors.forename: Mary Beth
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Terry
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Trentham-Dietz
authors.forename: Diana S M
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Buist
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001940:Breast / Q000187:drug effects*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents