Saira Sanjida1, Kelly Mulvogue2, Joanne Shaw3, Jeremy Couper4, David Kissane5, Sallie-Anne Pearson6, Melanie A Price3, Monika Janda7. 1. School of Public Health and Social Work, Institute for Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, 60 Musk Avenue, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, QLD, 4059, Australia. 2. Department of Pharmacy, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Australia. 3. Psycho-oncology Co-operative Research Group, School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. 4. Mental Health, Justice Health, Alcohol and Drug Services, ACT Health, Canberra, Australia. 5. Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. 6. Centre for Big Data Research in Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. 7. School of Public Health and Social Work, Institute for Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, 60 Musk Avenue, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, QLD, 4059, Australia. m.janda@qut.edu.au.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Cancer patients are often prescribed antidepressants, but little data is available about whether the type and dose are similar to prescriptions to patients with other chronic diseases. This study compared the prescription practices of antidepressants to cancer and non-cancer inpatients at a major Australian tertiary hospital and assessed side effects and potential drug-drug interactions. METHODS: Inpatients diagnosed with cancer within the past 12 months and prescribed antidepressants were age and gender matched to inpatients with other chronic disease conditions. Data from 75 cancer and 75 non-cancer inpatients were extracted. RESULTS: Antidepressants were prescribed to cancer and non-cancer patients, respectively, for the treatment of depression (n = 50 vs n = 59), other mental health problems (n = 8 vs n = 11, p < 0.67) or unspecified reasons (n = 17 vs n = 5, p < 0.02). Mirtazapine (n = 11/75) was most commonly prescribed to cancer patients followed by duloxetine (n = 9/75). Desvenlafaxine (n = 15/75) was prescribed most commonly to non-cancer inpatients, followed by mirtazapine (n = 11/75). Four cancer patients and three non-cancer patients had documented adverse side effects from antidepressants. About one-third of cancer patients (n = 23/75) and about a quarter of non-cancer patients (n = 18/75) were prescribed other medicines with the potential for drug-drug interactions with antidepressants. CONCLUSIONS: Antidepressants were prescribed for a range of indications in all patients, but more commonly for unspecified reasons among the cancer patients. Future prospective studies that monitor antidepressant prescribing to cancer patients should ascertain details of the indication, pathways to prescription and differences in type, dose or schedule depending on prescribing medical practitioner.
PURPOSE:Cancerpatients are often prescribed antidepressants, but little data is available about whether the type and dose are similar to prescriptions to patients with other chronic diseases. This study compared the prescription practices of antidepressants to cancer and non-cancer inpatients at a major Australian tertiary hospital and assessed side effects and potential drug-drug interactions. METHODS: Inpatients diagnosed with cancer within the past 12 months and prescribed antidepressants were age and gender matched to inpatients with other chronic disease conditions. Data from 75 cancer and 75 non-cancer inpatients were extracted. RESULTS: Antidepressants were prescribed to cancer and non-cancerpatients, respectively, for the treatment of depression (n = 50 vs n = 59), other mental health problems (n = 8 vs n = 11, p < 0.67) or unspecified reasons (n = 17 vs n = 5, p < 0.02). Mirtazapine (n = 11/75) was most commonly prescribed to cancerpatients followed by duloxetine (n = 9/75). Desvenlafaxine (n = 15/75) was prescribed most commonly to non-cancer inpatients, followed by mirtazapine (n = 11/75). Four cancerpatients and three non-cancerpatients had documented adverse side effects from antidepressants. About one-third of cancerpatients (n = 23/75) and about a quarter of non-cancerpatients (n = 18/75) were prescribed other medicines with the potential for drug-drug interactions with antidepressants. CONCLUSIONS: Antidepressants were prescribed for a range of indications in all patients, but more commonly for unspecified reasons among the cancerpatients. Future prospective studies that monitor antidepressant prescribing to cancerpatients should ascertain details of the indication, pathways to prescription and differences in type, dose or schedule depending on prescribing medical practitioner.
Authors: Marc DE Hert; Christoph U Correll; Julio Bobes; Marcelo Cetkovich-Bakmas; Dan Cohen; Itsuo Asai; Johan Detraux; Shiv Gautam; Hans-Jurgen Möller; David M Ndetei; John W Newcomer; Richard Uwakwe; Stefan Leucht Journal: World Psychiatry Date: 2011-02 Impact factor: 49.548
Authors: R Freynhagen; U Muth-Selbach; P Lipfert; M F Stevens; K Zacharowski; T R Tölle; H-J von Giesen Journal: Curr Med Res Opin Date: 2006-02 Impact factor: 2.580