Antidepressant use in children and adolescents in Germany

The expanded use of antidepressants in youth has been the subject of numerous studies and some concerns in recent years. This study describes prescription patterns of antidepressants (ATD) for youths in Germany for the years 2000-2003 and includes prescription use of St. John's Wort.

Prescription data from a health insurance organization with 1.4 million members per year across Germany, of whom approximately 280,000 were under 20 years of age, were accessed. Total age- and gender-specific ATD yearly utilization rates were computed. Prevalence was defined as the dispensing of 1 or more prescriptions for an ATD per calendar year per 1000 continuously enrolled youth.

ATD prevalence was 3.43 per 1000 (95% Confidence Interval [CI], 3.21-3.65) in 2000 and 3.74 per 1000 (3.25-3.97) in 2003. St John's Wort products, which are approved for antidepressant use by the German drug agency, and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), accounted for more than 80% of antidepressant use. Although selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) represented only 15% of antidepressant use, there was a doubling of its use over the 4-year period. Adolescent girls (age, 15-19 years) had utilization rates ranging from 11.44 to 13.82 per 1000, and accounted for most ATD use. Overall, females were twice as likely as males to get an antidepressant. Among users, there were low rates of multiple medication use (5.6% used more than one class of ATD, and 6.7% more than one drug).

Prescription patterns in Germany reveal predominate use of St. John's Wort and TCAs, which contrasts sharply with U.S. patterns, wherein SSRIs predominate. Also, in the United States, unlike Germany, 5-9- and 10-14 year olds receive sizable proportions of ATDs. Labeling status (only herbal hypericum preparations and TCAs are labeled for the treatment of depression in children and adolescents in Germany) and cost restrictions appear to influence the prescribing pattern of doctors in Germany. Recent treatment recommendations of national and international regulatory agencies need to take into account the different national situations.