title: Antidepressant use and body mass index change in overweight adolescents: a historical cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Given the limited empirical data on antidepressant use and weight change in children, we performed a historical cohort study to assess change in age- and sex-standardized body mass index associated with antidepressant use among overweight adolescents diagnosed with a depressive disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  We systematically reviewed electronic medical records from a tertiary academic medical center and identified adolescents (age 13-18 years) who were overweight (body mass index >85th percentile) and had a depression diagnosis. Patients were seen from January 1, 2000, through January 1, 2010. Age- and sex-standardized body mass index scores were calculated at initiation of antidepressant medication and at the end of treatment. Unmedicated patients had baseline and final age- and sex-standardized body mass index calculated using the first and last recorded measurements in the study period (maximum time between measures was 5 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 435 patients (301 female) met our inclusion criteria; of these, 255 were prescribed an antidepressant (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, tricyclic antidepressant, or dopamine-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor). Age- and sex-standardized body mass index significantly increased (F1,193=14.34; P<0.001) only for adolescents treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. For patients receiving other medications or no medication, age- and sex-standardized body mass index did not change significantly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides initial empiric evidence for a link between selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor use and weight gain in already overweight adolescents. Further study of antidepressant use and weight gain in other pediatric populations and in prospective studies is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Mr. Cockerill is a student at Mayo Medical School, College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota; Drs. Biggs, Oesterle, and Croarkin are from Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Richard G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Cockerill
authors.affiliation: Mr. Cockerill is a student at Mayo Medical School, College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota; Drs. Biggs, Oesterle, and Croarkin are from Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Bridget K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Biggs
authors.affiliation: Mr. Cockerill is a student at Mayo Medical School, College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota; Drs. Biggs, Oesterle, and Croarkin are from Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Tyler S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Oesterle
authors.affiliation: Mr. Cockerill is a student at Mayo Medical School, College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota; Drs. Biggs, Oesterle, and Croarkin are from Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Paul E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Croarkin
keywords: Adolescent; Antidepressant; Depression; Obesity; SSRI