Treating major depression in children and adolescents: Research is needed into safer and more effective drugs

doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7438.524-b

BMJ 2004;328:524-525 (28 February), doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7438.524-b

Letter

Treating major depression in children and adolescents

Research is needed into safer and more effective drugs

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—We report our preliminary findings on prescribingof antidepressants in general practice, in response to the recommendationby the regulatory agency for medicines and healthcare productsto withdraw selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors from usein paediatric depression.^1
2

We used the general practice research database to analyse usebetween 1 January 1992 and 31 December 2001 (88 522 prescriptionsissued to 23 999 children and adolescents).³ Fifty nine percent of antidepressant prescriptions were for tricyclics; 39%were for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. The most commonlyprescribed antidepressants were imipramine (25% of prescriptions),fluoxetine (19%), and amitriptyline (18%). Paroxetine, sertraline,citalopram, venlafaxine, and fluvoxamine accounted for 21% ofprescriptions. Sixty three per cent, 35%, and 2% of patientswere given tricyclics, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors,and other antidepressants, respectively, as the first antidepressantprescribed.

Credit: ALEX JAMES PHOTOGRAPHIC/PHOTONICA

In patients aged 10 years or younger the most commonly recorded. . . [Full text of this article]

Macey L Murray, research fellow

macey.murray@ulsop.ac.uk, Centre for Paediatric Pharmacy Research, School of Pharmacy, University of London, London WC1N 1AX

Ian C K Wong, director

Centre for Paediatric Pharmacy Research, School of Pharmacy, University of London, London WC1N 1AX

Corinne S de Vries, senior lecturer

Department of Pharmacoepidemiology, Postgraduate Medical School, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7DJ

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Murray, M L, de Vries, C S, Wong, I C K (2004). A drug utilisation study of antidepressants in children and adolescents using the General Practice Research Database. Arch. Dis. Child. 89: 1098-1102 [Abstract] [Full text]