Loading...
Several case reports have suggested an association between selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and gastrointestinal bleeding. Because there may be a physiologic explanation for this relation -- serotonin depletion of platelets -- Spanish investigators performed this case-control study to determine bleeding risk.
Researchers identified 1651 cases of upper GI bleeding and 248 cases of perforated ulcers from a general practice database. They compared these patients with 10,000 controls matched for age, sex, and case year. Current exposures to SSRIs were found in 3.1 percent of cases and 1.0 percent of controls, for a relative risk of 3.0 after controlling for confounders. There was no association with perforated ulcers. A crude inci…