title: Adverse reactions to antidepressants.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adverse drug reactions are important determinants of non-adherence to antidepressant treatment, but their assessment is complicated by overlap with depressive symptoms and lack of reliable self-report measures.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate a simple self-report measure and describe adverse reactions to antidepressants in a large sample.
  
  
  METHODS
  The newly developed self-report Antidepressant Side-Effect Checklist and the psychiatrist-rated UKU Side Effect Rating Scale were repeatedly administered to 811 adult participants with depression in a part-randomised multicentre open-label study comparing escitalopram and nortriptyline.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was good agreement between self-report and psychiatrists' ratings. Most complaints listed as adverse reactions in people with depression were more common when they were medication-free rather than during their treatment with antidepressants. Dry mouth (74%), constipation (33%) and weight gain (15%) were associated with nortriptyline treatment. Diarrhoea (9%), insomnia (36%) and yawning (16%) were more common during treatment with escitalopram. Problems with urination and drowsiness predicted discontinuation of nortriptyline. Diarrhoea and decreased appetite predicted discontinuation of escitalopram.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adverse reactions to antidepressants can be reliably assessed by self-report. Attention to specific adverse reactions may improve adherence to antidepressant treatment.
authors.affiliation: P080 SGDP, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK. r.uher@iop.kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Uher
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farmer
authors.forename: Neven
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Henigsberg
authors.forename: Marcella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rietschel
authors.forename: Ole
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mors
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Maier
authors.forename: Dejan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kozel
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hauser
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Souery
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Placentino
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Strohmaier
authors.forename: Nader
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Perroud
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zobel
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rajewska-Rager
authors.forename: Moica Z
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Dernovsek
authors.forename: Erik Roj
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Larsen
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kalember
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giovannini
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barreto
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McGuffin
authors.forename: Katherine J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Aitchison
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015283:Citalopram / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009661:Nortriptyline / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D013997:Time Factors; D016055:Urinary Retention / Q000139:chemically induced; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000139:chemically induced; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D015283:Citalopram; D009661:Nortriptyline