Early discontinuation of antidepressant treatment and suicide risk among persons aged 50 and over: a population-based register study
Background: As many as 47% of adults over age 50 discontinue treatment with antidepressants after redeeming only one prescription. The study aim was to assess the risk of suicide in adults aged 50+ who discontinue antidepressants at an early stage of treatment. Method: Case control study of all indi...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2009
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| _version_ | 1797096679468433408 |
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| author | Erlangsen, A Agerbo, E Hawton, K Conwell, Y |
| author2 | International Society for Affective Disorders |
| author_facet | International Society for Affective Disorders Erlangsen, A Agerbo, E Hawton, K Conwell, Y |
| author_sort | Erlangsen, A |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | Background: As many as 47% of adults over age 50 discontinue treatment with antidepressants after redeeming only one prescription. The study aim was to assess the risk of suicide in adults aged 50+ who discontinue antidepressants at an early stage of treatment. Method: Case control study of all individuals aged 50+ living in Denmark who initiated antidepressant treatment between July 1st 1995 and December 31st 2000 (N = 217,133). Hazard ratios were calculated using Cox regression analyses, propensity score matching techniques, and marginal structural models. Results: During the study period, 78,594 men and 138,529 women aged 50+ began treatment with an antidepressant medication, of whom 309 men and 229 women died by suicide. Men aged 50+ who discontinued treatment early had a suicide rate of 167 per 100,000 compared with 175 per 100,000 in those who continued refilling prescriptions; hazard ratio = 0.98 [CI-95%: 0.78-1.23]. The suicide rate in women who discontinued treatment was 52 per 100,000 compared with 74 per 100,000 in those who continued refilling; hazard ratio = 0.72 [CI-95%: 0.55-0.94]. Although people with previous psychiatric hospitalizations had greater risk of suicide than those without past hospital admissions, the difference was not significant in the adjusted model. Limitations: Prescriptions redeemed at pharmacies are our only indicator of treatment adherence. Also, information on severity of depression was not available. Conclusions: We did not find a lower suicide risk among people over age 50 who seemingly follow treatment in comparison with those who discontinued treatment with antidepressants at an early stage. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T04:44:58Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:d2ed4b2b-9bce-464a-8a76-cb6264f0a9ae |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T04:44:58Z |
| publishDate | 2009 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:d2ed4b2b-9bce-464a-8a76-cb6264f0a9ae2022-03-27T08:07:38ZEarly discontinuation of antidepressant treatment and suicide risk among persons aged 50 and over: a population-based register studyJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:d2ed4b2b-9bce-464a-8a76-cb6264f0a9aePsychiatryEnglishOxford University Research Archive - ValetElsevier2009Erlangsen, AAgerbo, EHawton, KConwell, YInternational Society for Affective DisordersBackground: As many as 47% of adults over age 50 discontinue treatment with antidepressants after redeeming only one prescription. The study aim was to assess the risk of suicide in adults aged 50+ who discontinue antidepressants at an early stage of treatment. Method: Case control study of all individuals aged 50+ living in Denmark who initiated antidepressant treatment between July 1st 1995 and December 31st 2000 (N = 217,133). Hazard ratios were calculated using Cox regression analyses, propensity score matching techniques, and marginal structural models. Results: During the study period, 78,594 men and 138,529 women aged 50+ began treatment with an antidepressant medication, of whom 309 men and 229 women died by suicide. Men aged 50+ who discontinued treatment early had a suicide rate of 167 per 100,000 compared with 175 per 100,000 in those who continued refilling prescriptions; hazard ratio = 0.98 [CI-95%: 0.78-1.23]. The suicide rate in women who discontinued treatment was 52 per 100,000 compared with 74 per 100,000 in those who continued refilling; hazard ratio = 0.72 [CI-95%: 0.55-0.94]. Although people with previous psychiatric hospitalizations had greater risk of suicide than those without past hospital admissions, the difference was not significant in the adjusted model. Limitations: Prescriptions redeemed at pharmacies are our only indicator of treatment adherence. Also, information on severity of depression was not available. Conclusions: We did not find a lower suicide risk among people over age 50 who seemingly follow treatment in comparison with those who discontinued treatment with antidepressants at an early stage. |
| spellingShingle | Psychiatry Erlangsen, A Agerbo, E Hawton, K Conwell, Y Early discontinuation of antidepressant treatment and suicide risk among persons aged 50 and over: a population-based register study |
| title | Early discontinuation of antidepressant treatment and suicide risk among persons aged 50 and over: a population-based register study |
| title_full | Early discontinuation of antidepressant treatment and suicide risk among persons aged 50 and over: a population-based register study |
| title_fullStr | Early discontinuation of antidepressant treatment and suicide risk among persons aged 50 and over: a population-based register study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Early discontinuation of antidepressant treatment and suicide risk among persons aged 50 and over: a population-based register study |
| title_short | Early discontinuation of antidepressant treatment and suicide risk among persons aged 50 and over: a population-based register study |
| title_sort | early discontinuation of antidepressant treatment and suicide risk among persons aged 50 and over a population based register study |
| topic | Psychiatry |
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