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Analysis- less suicide risk-ADs better for anxiety

Posted by psychobot5000 on April 18, 2007, at 15:51:44

http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/conditions/04/17/antidepressants.kids.ap/index.html

This appears to be a meta-analysis of sorts, focusing on pediatric efficacy and risk of antidepressants. I think the findings are fairly interesting. As described in this article, the data apparently showed one pediatric patient per hundred (taking antidepressants) who had additional suicidal thoughts, which is apparently half what the FDA previously found.

They also found the drugs are most useful for anxiety, 'moderately' effective for OCD, and less effective but still better than placebo for depression.
____________________(beginning of article follows)

Antidepressants' benefits trump risks for kids
POSTED: 4:39 p.m. EDT, April 17, 2007
Story Highlights
• Antidepressants' benefits in kids, teens outweigh small risk of suicidal thoughts
• Comprehensive analysis finds risk lower than the FDA identified in 2004
• Drugs did best on anxiety, moderately well on obsessive-compulsive disorders
• They worked less well, but were still effective in treating depression


CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- Authors of a new comprehensive analysis of antidepressants for children and teenagers say the benefits of treatment trump the small risk of increasing some patients' chances of having suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

The risk they found is lower than the one the Food and Drug Administration identified in 2004, the year the agency warned the public about the drugs' risks in children. After the warning, U.S. youth suicides increased and some mental health experts said reluctance to try antidepressants might be the reason.

The new analysis includes data from seven studies that were not part of the previous FDA analysis, including two large pediatric depression trials that were unavailable three years ago.

Researchers analyzed data on 5,310 children and teenagers from 27 studies. They found that for every 100 kids treated with antidepressants, about one additional child experienced worsening suicidal feelings above what would have happened without drug treatment. In contrast, the FDA analysis found an added risk affecting about two in 100 patients.

There were no suicides in any of the studies. The antidepressants included Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Celexa, Lexapro, Effexor, Serzone and Remeron.

"The medications are safe and effective and should be considered as an important part of treatment," said study co-author Dr. David Brent of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. "The benefits seem favorable compared to the small risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior."
Drugs best for anxiety


Antidepressants worked best when used to treat anxiety, the analysis found. They worked moderately well treating obsessive-compulsive disorders. They worked less well, but were still effective in treating depression.

Adolescents responded better than children to treatment for depression and anxiety, the researchers found. They also found that only Prozac worked better than dummy pills in depressed children younger than 12.

In the studies involving depression, 61 percent of patients improved while on antidepressants. But 50 percent of depressed patients taking dummy pills also improved.

Among young patients with obsessive-compulsive disorders, 52 percent improved on antidepressants, compared to 32 percent who improved on dummy pills.

And in the studies of anxiety disorders, 69 percent improved on antidepressants and 39 percent improved on dummy pills.


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poster:psychobot5000 thread:751094
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070413/msgs/751094.html