Suicide-drug link confirmed in children

Amid growing concern that antidepressants could lead some children to attempt suicide, scientists set out to test whether these fears are justified. They are, according to a new study.

Dr Mark Olfson and colleagues at the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University Medical Centre used a Medicaid database of patients hospitalised with severe depression. They used more than 5,000 cases in the study (from the Archives of General Psychiatry), separating out a group of children aged 6 to 18, and a group of adults, and those who committed or attempted to commit suicide.

They found five times as many patients who met the same criteria, but had not committed suicide or attempted it. At that point, they went back and looked to see who had taken antidepressants.

They discovered that young people who attempted suicide were 1.5 times more likely to have been on an antidepressant. Although only eight children actually took their own lives, they found that those who tried were 15 times more likely to have been on antidepressants.

This study adds to mounting evidence of a link between the popular class of SSRIs, and an increased risk for suicide in young people. In 2004, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a health advisory that included a black box warning so that healthcare providers would consult families before prescribing these drugs for children.

If suicidal thoughts do occur, they generally come in the first weeks or months on the drugs. Parents are advised to keep a close eye on their children and report any unusual symptoms or thoughts expressed by the child.

The Columbia study found no added suicidal risk among the adults studied.