Prozac: Causes bone loss in children & the elderly

[Guest guest]

SSRI-Research@

Thu, 11 Nov 2004 22:30:38 -0500

Subject:[sSRI-Research] Prozac: Causes bone loss in children & the elderly

 

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/11/11/health/webmd/main655127.shtml

 

Prozac May Weaken Kids' Bones

 

Nov. 11, 2004

 

(WebMD) More concerns are being raised about the safety of the most

commonly prescribed antidepressants in children. Studies in animals

suggest that Prozac and other SSRI antidepressant use in children

could lead to weaker bones in adulthood.

 

The findings come just two weeks after another animal study linked

early use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)

antidepressants like Prozac to an increased risk for depression and

anxiety disorders later in life. And less than a month ago, federal

officials ordered manufacturers to include warnings on SSRI

antidepressant labels about a possible increase in suicidal thoughts

and behaviors among children and adolescents who take them.

 

Child psychiatrist David Fassler, MD, worries that the recent news

surrounding Prozac and other SSRI antidepressants could lead to the

undertreatment of children and teens with depression. Fassler

testified on the subject at an FDA hearing in September.

 

" SSRI antidepressants can be extremely helpful for some, but not all,

children and adolescents who suffer from depression, but medication

alone is rarely a sufficient intervention for complex child

psychiatric disorders, " he tells WebMD.

 

 

Bones Narrower, Weaker

 

In the newly published study, bone development from birth to adulthood

was measured in a group of mice bred to mimic SSRI antidepressant

exposure. Compared with normal mice, the genetically altered animals

had smaller, less dense bones during development. The same was true

for another group of normal mice exposed to Prozac early in life. The

findings are reported in an online edition of the journal Endocrinology.

 

" Bones in the exposed mice were not shorter, but they were narrower

and bone mass was reduced, " lead researcher Stuart J. Warden, PT, PhD,

tells WebMD. " This is especially significant because we now know that

bone health early in life is important for ensuring bone health during

adulthood. "

 

Warden, who is an assistant professor at Indiana University School of

Medicine, says lab studies linking serotonin pathways to bone growth

led him to do the animal studies. SSRI antidepressants interfere with

these pathways, so the assumption was that the SSRI antidepressants

could inhibit bone growth.

 

The findings raise important questions about the effect of SSRI

antidepressants on bone development that need to be addressed in human

studies, he adds.

 

Other antidepressants, such as Cymbalta and Effexor, also affect

serotonin and could potentially have the same effect.

 

 

Elderly Women On SSRI Antidepressants

 

One such study was presented last month at the Seattle meeting of the

American Society of Bone and Mineral Research. Researchers reported an

increase in hipbone loss among postmenopausal women taking SSRI

antidepressants. The antidepressant users lost bone at about twice the

rate as nonusers.

 

Warden says the weight of the clinical evidence still favors the use

of SSRI antidepressants in many severely depressed children and teens.

Fassler agrees.

 

" Depression is a very serious condition in children and adolescents, "

the University of Vermont School of Medicine psychiatry professor

says. " Studies suggest that over 40 percent will attempt suicide at

least once, and depression also increases the risk of substance abuse

and ongoing problems at home and at school. The good news is that we

really can help most kids who suffer from depression. The real tragedy

is that there are still so many kids who aren't getting the

comprehensive treatment they need. "

 

Sources: Warden, S. Endocrinology, online edition. Stuart J. Warden,

PT, PhD, assistant professor, department of physical therapy, Indiana

University School of Medicine, Indianapolis. David Fassler, MD,

associate professor, department of psychiatry, University of Vermont

College of Medicine, Burlington. American Society of Bone and Mineral

Research 26th Annual Meeting, Seattle, Oct. 1-5, 2004. WebMD Medical

News: " Early Exposure to Prozac May Up Anxiety Risk. "

 

By Salynn Boyles

Reviewed by Michael W. Smith, MD

© 2004, WebMD Inc. All rights reserved.