Fwd: [TASK] Antidepressants' benefits trump risks for kids

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Just wanted to pass this info along

Cheryl K=============

AutismMeds ,

TASK-Tennessees-Autism-Spectrum-Kids

From: " Lori Phan " <lori_vols@...>

Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2007 15:45:46 +0000

Subject: [TASK] Antidepressants' benefits trump risks for kids

snipped from CNN.com

Antidepressants' benefits trump risks for kids

• Antidepressants' benefits in kids, teens outweigh small risk of suicidal

thoughts

• Comprehensive analysis finds risk lower than the FDA identified in 2004

• Drugs did best on anxiety, moderately well on obsessive-compulsive

disorders

• They worked less well, but were still effective in treating depression

CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- Authors of a new comprehensive analysis of

antidepressants for children and teenagers say the benefits of treatment

trump the small risk of increasing some patients' chances of having suicidal

thoughts and behaviors.

The risk they found is lower than the one the Food and Drug Administration

identified in 2004, the year the agency warned the public about the drugs'

risks in children. After the warning, U.S. youth suicides increased and some

mental health experts said reluctance to try antidepressants might be the

reason.

The new analysis includes data from seven studies that were not part of the

previous FDA analysis, including two large pediatric depression trials that

were unavailable three years ago.

Researchers analyzed data on 5,310 children and teenagers from 27 studies.

They found that for every 100 kids treated with antidepressants, about one

additional child experienced worsening suicidal feelings above what would

have happened without drug treatment. In contrast, the FDA analysis found an

added risk affecting about two in 100 patients.

There were no suicides in any of the studies. The antidepressants included

Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Celexa, Lexapro, Effexor, Serzone and Remeron.

" The medications are safe and effective and should be considered as an

important part of treatment, " said study co-author Dr. Brent of the

University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. " The benefits seem favorable

compared to the small risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior. "

Drugs best for anxiety

Antidepressants worked best when used to treat anxiety, the analysis found.

They worked moderately well treating obsessive-compulsive disorders. They

worked less well, but were still effective in treating depression.

Adolescents responded better than children to treatment for depression and

anxiety, the researchers found. They also found that only Prozac worked

better than dummy pills in depressed children younger than 12.

In the studies involving depression, 61 percent of patients improved while

on antidepressants. But 50 percent of depressed patients taking dummy pills

also improved.

Among young patients with obsessive-compulsive disorders, 52 percent

improved on antidepressants, compared to 32 percent who improved on dummy

pills.

And in the studies of anxiety disorders, 69 percent improved on

antidepressants and 39 percent improved on dummy pills.

Effectiveness of the drugs was measured in the studies using widely accepted

rating scales. The analysis appears in Wednesday's Journal of the American

Medical Association.

Dr. March, chief of child and adolescent psychiatry at Duke University

Medical Center, welcomed the study as " the most comprehensive analysis of

the data yet put together. " He said the suicidal behavior risk, although

lower than found by the FDA, demands that doctors and families watch for

warning signs.

" You can't treat kids with these drugs without taking this information into

account, " said March, who was not involved in the study, but does similar

research. " You can't say, 'Take these and call me in six weeks.' You have to

monitor carefully the benefits and adverse events. "

The study didn't measure the effects of talk therapy, March pointed out. He

said cognitive behavioral therapy used with antidepressants can lower

suicide risk and speed up recovery for depressed youth.

The study was supported by grants from the National Institute of Mental

Health and the Wood Foundation.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press.

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