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Safety of Antidepressant Classes Used Following Traumatic Brain Injury Among Medicare Beneficiaries: A Retrospective Cohort Study

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Abstract

Objective

There is poor evidence supporting the use of any pharmacologic treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders following traumatic brain injury (TBI), especially among older adults. Informed by our recent characterization of psychotropic medication use among Medicare beneficiaries with TBI, the objective of this study was to compare the risk of several adverse events associated with use of the three most commonly used classes of antidepressants following TBI in this population.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using administrative claims data from US Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized with TBI between 2006 and 2010 (n = 30,886). We assessed monthly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI), and tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) use. We identified adverse events associated with these drug classes that were available in administrative claims data from studies in TBI and non-TBI populations: seizures, hemorrhagic stroke, ischemic stroke, gastrointestinal bleed, hyponatremia, and fractures. We made comparisons between antidepressant classes to assess excess risk of each adverse event using discrete time analysis and controlling for potential confounders.

Results

SSRIs were the most commonly used of the antidepressant classes, followed by SNRIs and TCAs. We observed a total of 23,021 adverse events. Ischemic stroke was the most frequent (8296 events). Hemorrhagic stroke (1706 events) and seizures (1841) were least often observed. Compared with TCAs, SSRI use was associated with an increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke (risk ratio 2.47; 95% confidence interval 1.30–4.70). No other antidepressant class comparisons were associated with increased risk of adverse events.

Conclusion

Compared with SSRIs, use of SNRIs and TCAs following hospitalization for TBI among Medicare beneficiaries was not associated with an increased risk of any of the studied adverse events. Compared to TCAs, SSRI use was associated with increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke. This information may help guide patients and prescribers in selecting antidepressants for older adults following TBI.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Susan dosReis, PhD, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, for her thorough review of this paper. Dr. dosReis has no conflicts of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, MSTF 334C, 10 S. Pine St., Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA

    Jennifer S. Albrecht

  2. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Vani Rao

  3. Department of Pharmaceutical Health Services Research, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Eleanor M. Perfetto & C. Daniel Mullins

  4. National Health Council, Washington, DC, USA

    Eleanor M. Perfetto

Authors
  1. Jennifer S. Albrecht
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jennifer S. Albrecht.

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Funding

Dr. Albrecht was supported by Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research grant 1K01HS024560. Dr. Rao was supported by DOD grant W81XWH-13-1-0469.

Conflict of interest

Dr. Mullins has received grants from Bayer, Novartis, and Pfizer and consulting income from Bayer, Janssen/J&J, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Regeneron, and Sanofi. Dr. Perfetto is employed by the National Health Council in Washington, DC, which accepts membership dues and sponsorships from a variety of organizations and companies. For the full list of members and sponsors, please see NHCouncil.org. Drs. Albrecht and Rao declare no conflicts of interest.

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Albrecht, J.S., Rao, V., Perfetto, E.M. et al. Safety of Antidepressant Classes Used Following Traumatic Brain Injury Among Medicare Beneficiaries: A Retrospective Cohort Study. Drugs Aging 35, 763–772 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40266-018-0570-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40266-018-0570-2

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