Objective: This review critiques published randomized placebo-controlled trials pertaining to the efficacy and safety of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and venlafaxine in the treatment of major depressive disorder in children and adolescents.
Method:Medline was searched for articles meeting defined inclusion criteria. The following key terms were used: depressive disorders, antidepressive agents, fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline, citalopram, fluvoxamine, venlafaxine, child, and adolescent.Results: Six articles met inclusion criteria. Only 2 studies claim efficacy by significant results in primary outcomes; both have since been contested in further analysis. Not one study adequately examines safety, particularly with respect to whether a link exists between antidepressant use and induction of suicidal ideation or attempts.
Conclusion:Published studies on SSRI or venlafaxine use in children and adolescents are inconclusive with respect to safety and efficacy, owing to inappropriate claims of efficacy, lack of improvement in global functioning scores, nonstandardized data collection regarding adverse effects, exclusion of suicidal subjects in the recruitment process, grouping of children and adolescents together, small sample sizes, conflict of interest posed by pharmaceutical company sponsorship, and publishing bias. Future investigators should consider these factors when developing study designs. (Can J Psychiatry 2004;49:557-563) Information on author affiliations appears at the end of the article.
Clinical Implications· Published evidence regarding the efficacy of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and venlafaxine use in children and adolescents with major depression is inconclusive. · Published evidence regarding the safety of SSRI and venlafaxine use in children and adolescents with major depression is also inconclusive. · For future studies of this issue to be clinically relevant, researchers should base claims of efficacy on primary outcomes, should adequately measure suicidal ideation and behaviours, and should have nonindustry funding.
Limitations· Unpublished studies were not included in the review.