Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor warnings and trends in exposures reported to poison control centres in Texas

Since January 2002, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a number of advisories about the use of antidepressants, including selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs). These advisories may have influenced the number of SSRI exposures reported to poison control centres. The purpose of this study was to examine time trends in SSRI exposures reported to poison control centres in Texas with respect to the timing of the various advisories.

Retrospective review of data from poison control centres.

Cases were divided into two groups: (1) paroxetine exposures and (2) other SSRI exposures reported to poison control centres in Texas between 1998 and 2006. The month and year of the call, and patient age and gender were identified. The mean monthly number of ingestions for the two groups was calculated for six time periods related to the FDA advisories.

The mean monthly number of total paroxetine ingestions between January 2002 and June 2003 was 77.6. This declined by 23.3% to 59.6 in July 2003-March 2004 after an advisory about the risk of suicidality in youths using paroxetine. Comparable mean monthly numbers for patients aged <20 years were 33.3 and 20.3, respectively (decline of 38.9%); and for patients aged >or=20 years were 44.0 and 38.6, respectively (decline of 12.4%). Mean monthly numbers for total other SSRI ingestions were 206.4 and 243.1, respectively (increase of 17.8%).

The FDA advisory in June 2003 appeared to initiate a decline in paroxetine ingestions, particularly among patients aged <20 years, but did not appear to influence other SSRI ingestions reported to poison control centres in Texas.